A cold and blustery day with a light sprinkling of snow this afternoon; we were again only able to open a few sheltered nets this morning. Only 13 birds were ringed but we did retrap a six-year-old Chaffinch (Bofink) that was ringed back in 2014 as a 2cy.

The highlight was two Black Redstart (Svart Rödstjärt) at South Udden. A Kestrel (Tornfalk) was still present around the south.

Tonight there will be two at the obs: Matt and Espen.

Wind: Northwesterly
Strength: 10-16 m/s
Temperature: 1
Visibility: Good
Cloud cover: 8/8
Precipitation: Light and intermittent snow in the afternoon

Ringing day totals:

Total: 13

Persistent northerlies hampered our ringing efforts this morning and several nets were not opened, while others were closed early as the wind picked up. That said we still ringed 25 new birds in the more sheltered nets, including the first two Bullfinch of the year.

The only sightings of note were a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Common Kestrel at the obs this afternoon.

There will be two at the obs tonight: Espen and Matt.

Wind: Northerly
Strength: 8-16 m/s
Temperature: 3
Visibility: Good
Cloud cover: 7/8
Precipitation: None

Ringing day totals:

Total: 25

The threat of rain stayed with us all morning as the edge of a weather system passed over us, but it never materialised into more than a few spots. In the afternoon the fine weather returned albeit with greater cloud cover. The wind was almost non-existent in the morning with light northwesterlies by the afternoon.

This morning produced our highest catch of the season so far, with 87 new birds ringed (but only three recaptures). A good variety of species were represented including our first Fieldfare of the season.

There will be two at the obs tonight: Matt and Espen.

Wind: Variable
Strength: Very light, 0-5 m/s
Temperature: 4-7
Visibility: Moderate (2-4km) during the morning improving to good in afternoon
Cloud cover: 3-8/8
Precipitation: None

Ringing day totals:

Total: 87

Yet another crisp and frosty morning followed by a sunny day. This morning the net opening time shifted 15 minutes earlier to 05:00 to keep up with the progressively earlier sunrise.

Three new species for the year were ringed: Song Thrush, Siskin and Greenfinch, as well as the first Tree Sparrow retrapped from last summer.

There will be three at the obs tonight: Espen, Matt and Mats.

Wind: Southeast
Strength: Light, 4-6 m/s
Temperature: 4-6
Visibility: Very good
Cloud cover: 1/8
Precipitation: None

Ringing day totals:

Total: 45

A chilly start this morning with a touch of frost on the ground first thing, throughout the day it remained fairly calm and sunny.

Robin took over again as the most common bird with 20 caught at Bredmar this morning, while Goldcrest numbers tailed off slightly from recent days with only eight caught.

A jaunt to the lighthouse this afternoon produced a summer plumage Black Guillemot sat on the sea. Three immature White-tailed Eagles were up together over the obs late afternoon.

There will be two at the obs tonight: Espen and Matt.

Wind: Northeast
Strength: Light, 4-5 m/s
Temperature: 4-6
Visibility: Very good
Cloud cover: 1/8
Precipitation: None

Ringing day totals:

Total: 45

A good ringing session this morning with three firsts for the year and Goldcrests still moving through steadily. The highlight was two separate Black Redstarts caught at Bredmar, meaning we’ve already surpassed last year’s total of one. An early Wryneck was seen briefly at Bredmar this morning before departing to the west and the Common Pheasant was seen again at the north of the island.

In the evening we managed to read the metal ring on a Common Gull at Västerhamn and found out that it had been ringed as an adult in the very same area back in 2010, with ours being the only sighting since then!

A sheltered sunny spot near the obs was a popular basking spot for the first emerging Adders of the season today, with at least two seen soaking up the rays.

Wind: Southeast moving to east
Strength: Light, 6-8 m/s
Temperature: 4-7
Visibility: Very good
Cloud cover: 1/8
Precipitation: None

Ringing day totals:

Total: 40

Throughout the day an influx of Goldcrest filtered up the island from the south. Some were caught in the morning ringing session and most of these were very lightweight (under 5 grams), presumably as they had just finished a long sea crossing, aided by the wind switching to a more southerly direction. One of the birds ringed at Bredmar this morning was then photographed feeding at close range at Norrhamn in the evening.

The most notable sighting of the day was a Common Pheasant seen at the north this morning and heard again this evening, the first seen here since 2016 according to records on Artportalen.

There will be three at the obs again tonight: Matt, Espen and Emma

Wind: Southeast
Strength: Light, 2-5 m/s
Temperature: 4-7
Visibility: Very good
Cloud cover: Started clear but got cloudier in the afternoon
Precipitation: None

Ringing day totals:

Total: 25

Another steady ringing session produced the firsts Chiffchaff of the season and a small influx of Robin was evident with 24 new birds ringed. A Long-eared Owl flew from the scrub by Bredmar Pond.

There will be three at the obs tonight: Espen, Matt and Emma.

Wind: Southwest
Strength: Light, 2-7 m/s
Temperature: 2-5
Visibility: Very good
Cloud Cover: Clear, 0/8
Precipitation: None

Ringing day totals:

Total: 37

The first ringing day of the season came with the highlight of a Dunnock wearing a French ring, we weren’t expecting our first control quite so quickly but hopefully it is a good omen for the season!

Other bird news came in the form of a Grey Wagtail which was heard by Micke by the lighthouse this morning and then flew north.

Total: 45