Revtangen BO January 26th

SE breeze, part cloudy. Warmer weather with 4-5 degrees. The number of thrushes in the are are significantly down, and the catch was poor compared to earlier this winter. Nets open 08.30-15, netmeter hours approx. 1700. We worked parts of the day securing some vertebrae from a recently stranded Northern Bottlenose Whale, and Haavard started digging holes for a new windbreaker wall towards the road. 

The upper neck vertebrae of a Northern Bottlenose Whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus)

Ringed: Fieldfare 3, Redwing 1, Great Tit 1, House Sparrow 1, Tree Sparrow 2, Chaffinch 1 and Greenfinch 1. Total = 10. Also 11 controls. 

Haavard Huseboe and Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO January 20th

Nets open 09-18. Mostly cloudy, but a few sunrays hit us now and then. Around 0 degrees, light SE. Most nets were frozen so it took a long time before all nets were catching, and we had to use at least 100 liters of hot waters to thaw the most difficult cases. The disturbance to the trapping area was quite significant before lunch because of this. Another Long-eared Owl was caught just after dark, in exactly the same spot as the one caught earlier this month. The weights revealed a significant drop i body condition among most Fieldfares, it is obvious that they are struggling now as the ground is snow-covered. We put out a lot of fruit and other snacks for the birds during the day, and we won't be trapping tomorrow despite promising conditions to allow them to feed undisturbed.

Ringed: LONG-EARED OWL 1, MEADOW PIPIT 1, European Robin 2, Redwing 8, Fieldfare 22, Common Blackbird 2, Blue Tit 1, Chaffinch 1, Yellowhammer 8. Total = 46. Also 12 controls.

Ringmerket: HORNUGLE 1, HEIPIPLERKE 1, rødstrupe 2, rødvingetrost 8, gråtrost 22, svarttrost 2, blåmeis 1, bokfink 1, gulspurv 8. Total = 46. Også 12 kontroller. 

The last time Revtangen BO trapped a Meadow Pipit in January was in 1958, so this is not a common winter catch!

One of the Redwings ringed today had an unusual amount of juvenile feathers for a mid-winter bird. All the greater coverts and even the scapulars are still juvenile.

Observations: Northern Lapwing 1, Common Snipe 1, Sparrowhawk 2, Short-eared/Long-eared Owl 2. 

Renate Berg, Espen Helgesen and Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO January 11th

Cloudy, light easterlies. Nets open 11-17, netmeter hours approx. 1500. Playback on Fieldfare the last 3 hours. No birds used the trapping area for night roosting, therefore the catch was limited. 

Ringed: Fieldfare 10, Redwing 3, Tree Sparrow 3, Chaffinch 1, Mealy Redpoll 5. Total = 22. Also 8 controls, including a female Yellowhammer ringed as a 1cy in September 2014. 

Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO January 8th

Another calm day, 3-4 degrees and cloudy. Very little wind. Nets open 08.30-18, netmeter hours 2500. Playback on Fieldfare all day and (in the morning only) Redwing. 

Ringed: LONG-EARED OWL 1, Winter Wren 1, European Robin 1, Common Blackbird 1, Redwing 8, Fieldfare 22, Common Starling 1, Tree Sparrow 7, House Sparrow 1 and Greenfinch 1. Total = 44. Also 8 controls. 

A 2cy Long-eared Owl was the surprise catch of the day. We've noticed that the thrushes settle quite late when it's almost dark, and this is a good time to catch them. An owl is always a possible bonus after dark but this species is less than annual at Revtangen BO.

Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO January 5th

Nice weather with mostly sunny/part cloudy and very little wind. Nets open 08.30-17.30, netmeter hours approx 2300. Playback on Fieldfare in the afternoon. Still unusually many thrushes around, and the 2018 season got off to an excellent start.

Ringed: Collared Dove 1, Winter Wren 2, Common Blackbird 3, Redwing 10, Fieldfare 49, Tree Sparrow 4, House Sparrow 2, Chaffinch 5, Brambling 1. Total = 77. Also 9 controls. 

Redwing 2cy. Good numbers of Redwings and Fieldfares are wintering in Norway this season, in part because thare are lots of rowanberries in central Norway, in particular in Nordland county.

Haavard Husebö, Alf Tore Mjös and Jörgen Rosvold.