Revtangen BO August 31st

Light NE turning NW, increasing. Mostly sunny or part cloudy, but a few rainshowers in the afternoon. Most of the waders seems to have left overnight, so today it was back to trapping passerines in the trapping garden. Playback on Garden Warbler, Aquatic Warbler and Reed Warbler through the nigth, and Grey Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit and Eurasian Siskin during the day. Nets open 06-17, netmeter hours approx. 4000. 

Ringed: Collared Dove 1, Tree Pipit 5, Meadow Pipit 49, European Robin 2, Sedge Warbler 5, Reed Warbler 4, Garden Warbler 21, Blackcap 8, Common Whitethroat 3, Willow Warbler 7, Goldcrest 1, Coal Tit 1, Eurasian Nuthatch 1, Common Starling 3, Chaffinch 1, Greenfinch 1. Total = 113. Also 5 controls. 

Ringmerket: Tyrkerdue 1, trepiplerke 5, heipiplerke 49, rødstrupe 2, sivsanger 5, rørsanger 4, hagesanger 21, munk 8, tornsanger 3, løvsanger 7, fuglekonge 1, svartmeis 1, spettmeis 1, stær 3, bokfink 1, grønnfink 1. Total = 113. 

Observations: Marsh Harrier 1 1cy, Sparrowhawk 1, Peregrine Falcon 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Grey Wagtail 3, Eurasian Nuthatch 3, Common Crossbill 8, Eurasian Siskin 200 migrating N. 

Haavard Husebö, Alf Tore Mjös and Njaal Sölvberg.

Revtangen BO August 30th

SW light breeze, mostly sunny. Still good numbers of waders at Revtangen, and we operated 9 walk-in traps and 7 clapnets from 10-20. 

Ringed: Dunlin 125, Red Knot 24, Little Stint 3, Sanderling 67, Common Redshank 7, Turnstone 10, Common Ringed Plover 10, Common Starling 10. Total = 256.

Ringmerket: Myrsnipe 125, polarsnipe 24, dvergsnipe 3, sandløper 67, rødstilk 7, steinvender 10, sandlo 10, stær 10. Total = 256. 

 Wader ringing at the outdoor office at Revtangen.

Part of the 150 or so Sanderling flock frequenting the north beach at Revtangen today. 7 walk-in traps were sat to catch these and other waders on the north shore, and an astonishing 67 Sanderlings were caught! Sandløper og myrsniper.

Renate Berg, Espen Helgesen, Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös. 16 students and a teacher from Bryne VGS came along for a ringing demonstration.

Revtangen BO August 29th

Strong wind yesterday and no ringing. Today there was rain in the morning and we had to wait until around 11 to put out 9 walk-in traps and 7 clapnets at Revtangen. Still quite a lot of waders, mostly Dunlins, but the water level and wave action was higher and there was also more waves than last Sunday. Therefore we could not put walk-in traps in the best spots on the north side, somewhat limiting the catch. 

Ringed: Dunlin 146, Sanderling 12, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Little Stint 1, Red Knot 16, Common Redshank 8, Common Ringed Plover 6, Turnstone 5, Common Starling 1. Total = 196.

Ringmerket: Myrsnipe 146, sandløper 12, tundrasnipe 1, dvergsnipe 1, polarsnipe 16, rødstilk 8, sandlo 6, steinvender 5, stær 1. Total = 196.

Observations: Brent Goose 150 migrating south. A flock of 55 stopped briefly at Revtangen, all were adult birds. Curlew Sandpiper 3, Little Stint 3, Spotted Redshank 1, Wood Sandpiper 1. 

Renate Berg, Haavard Husebö and Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO August 27th - Open day

Today was "Open day". Once a year, normally the last Sunday of August, we open up the bird observatory to the public from 09-15. Visitors can join a netround, we have of course ringing demonstrations, stuff to do for kids indoors and a small kafé. The local BirdLife partner NOF also has a stand, and helps out with the arrangements. The weather was, increadibly enough, very nice with almost no wind and mostly sunny. A bit too nice for efficient mist-netting.

Nets were open 06-16, netmeter hours approx. 3600. Playback on Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and Aquatic Warbler through the night, and Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail during the day. Also 7 walk-in traps, 7 wader clapnets and 6 baited claptraps at Revtangen from 08-19. 

Ringed: Dunlin 241, Sanderling 12, Little Stint 1, Common Redshank 10, Spotted Redshank 1, Common Ringed Plover 8, Turnstone 4, White Wagtail 1, Tree Pipit 15, Meadow Pipit 19, Winter Wren 1, Dunnock 1, Northern Wheatear 2, Common Redstart 1, European Robin 3, Grasshopper Warbler 5, Sedge Warbler 2, Garden Warbler 20, Blackcap 3, Common Whitethroat 2, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Willow Warbler 5, Coal Tit 1, Eurasian Nuthatch 1, Common Starling 14, House Sparrow 2, Tree Sparrow 1, Chaffinch 2, Greenfinch 1 and Common Linnet 1. Total = 381. 

A good wader catch today, and in the afternoon after most people had left the beach we also succeeded in catching 10 Common Redshank (left) and 1 Spotted Redshank. Rødstilk (venstre) og sotsnipe.

Ringmerket: Myrsnipe 241, sandløper 12, dvergsnipe 1, rødstilk 10, sotsnipe 1, sandlo 8, steinvender 4, linerle 1, trepiplerke 15, heipiplerke 19, gjerdesmett 1, jernspurv 1, steinskvett 2, rødstjert 1, rødstrupe 3, gresshoppesanger 5, sivsanger 2, hagesanger 20, munk 3, tornsanger 2, møller 1, løvsanger 5, svartmeis 1, spettmeis 1, stær 14, gråspurv 2, pilfink 1, bokfink 2, grønnfink 1, tornirisk 1. Total = 381. 

Observations: A flock of 26 Black-tailed Godwits migrated west at Revtangen. Also a few Peregrines and at least one Merlin at Revtangen. Fly-overs at the observatory included Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellow wagtail and 2 Grey Wagtails.

Ringers: Renate Berg, Asbjörn Folvik, Haavard Husebö, Alf Tore Mjös, Björn Mo and Morten Stokke. A big thanks to everyone who participated in another successfull "Open day" at Revtangen BO! 200 people visited, including 70 children.

Revtangen BO August 26th

Very weak easterlies in the morning, a few light rainshowers and a quite heavy cloudcover. Nets open 06-13, netmeter hours approx. 2500. Playback on Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and Garden Warbler throgh the night, later Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, Tree Pipit and Meadow Pipit. 7 Walk-in traps at Revtangen from around 14-19, in part to prepare for "Open day" at Revtangen BO tomorrow. 

Ringed: Dunlin 82, Curlew Sandpiper 1, Sanderling 5, Green Sandpiper 1, Common Redshank 1, Red Knot 3, Common Ringed Plover 1, Tree Pipit 1, Meadow Pipit 6, Northern Wheatear 2, Fieldfare 1, Gresshoppesanger 3, Reed Warbler 3, Common Whitethroat 5, Garden Warbler 4, Willow Warbler 8, Great Tit 1, Eurasian Nuthatch 1, Common Starling 8, Chaffinch 1 and Common Linnet 2. Total = 140. Also a control of a Norwegian 1cy Dunlin not from Revtangen. 

Ringmerket: Myrsnipe 82, tundrasnipe 1, sandløper 5, skogsnipe 1, rødstilk 1, polarsnipe 3, sandlo 1, trepiplerke 1, heipiplerke 6, steinskvett 2, gråtrost 1, gresshoppesanger 3, rørsanger 3, tornsanger 5, hagesanger 4, løvsanger 8, kjøttmeis 1, spettmeis 1, stær 8, bokfink 1, tornirisk 2. Total = 140. En fremmed norsk myrsnipe ble kontrollert på Revtangen.

Renate Berg, Espen Helgesen and Alf Tore Mjös

Revtangen BO August 24th

Nets open 06-15, netmeter hours approx. 3200. Cloudy, periods with rain. Playback on Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler through the night, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, Tree Pipit and (last part og the day) Meadow Pipit. 

Ringed: Green Sandpiper 1, Wood Sandpiper 1, Meadow pipit 20, White Wagtail 1, Northern Wheatear 1, Grasshopper Warbler 1, Reed Warbler 3, Garden Warbler 14, Blackcap 1, Common Whitethroat 1, Chaffinch 1, Common Rosefinch 1 (first this season). Total = 58. Also 5 controls.

The first Common Rosefinch of the season was trapped today. As usual, it was a 1cy. Rosenfink 1K.

2 cy+ Reed Warbler (top) and 2cy+ Garden Warbler. We trap very few adults of these species, and both on the same day was a rare opportunity to show them together. Both are aged as adults by the generally worn plumage, often most pronounced on the tertials but clearly visible also in the primaries. The Garden Warbler has replaced most of the tail apart from the central pair. Rørsanger (øverst) og hagesanger. Begge 2K+.

Haavard Husebö, Alf Tore Mjös and Njaal Sölvberg.

Revtangen BO August 23rd

Ligth easterlies and cloudy in the morning, turning SSW in late morning. Mostly sunny the latter part of the day. Playback on Garden Warbler and Reed Warbler through the night, from early morning Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper and Tree Pipit. Nets open 05.30-21, netmeter hours approx. 5500. A notable fall of warblers in the morning, no doubt much because of the playback.

Ringed: Green Sandpiper 1, Wood Sandpiper 4, Greenshank 1, Spotted Redshank 1 (first this season), Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 (first this season), White Wagtail 1, Tree Pipit 6, European Robin 1, Whinchat 1, Common Redstart 1, Fieldfare 1, Grasshopper Warbler 1 (first this season), Reed Warbler 11 (first this season), Garden Warbler 20, Blackcap 12, Common Whitethroat 4, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Willow Warbler 10, Goldcrest 2, Pied Flycatcher 1, Spotted Flycatcher 1, Treecreeper 1 (first this season), Tree Sparrow 3, Greenfinch 1, Common Linnet 2, Reed Bunting 1. Total = 90. Also 5 controls.

This 1 cy Grasshopper Warbler was the hightlight in a decent arrival of warblers just after dawn, but 11 Reed Warblers was also a good number. Greasshoppesanger 1K.

The second attemt at catching a Spotted Redshank by the observatory ponds succeeded. This species has now been added to the Norwegian Tringa project, a red marker on the left tibia and a yellow flag with a 3-letter inscription on the right tibia, similar to codes used on Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank and Common Sandpiper.

Haavard Husebö, Alf Tore Mjøs, Renate Berg and Atle Helgesen.