Nutcracker

I have reported in a previous post about the large movement of Nutcrackers in Scandinavia with several hundred being seen in southern Sweden and tens being reported across Denmark at coastal migration spots. However, unless you have been in the right place at the right time it has been very difficult to catch up with one. Until now! Over the last few days one has been frequenting some hazel bushes near the green of the second hole on Dragør golf course, near Kongelunden. It is an area I know well as Kongelunden is one of my two local patches, so I headed off down there early this morning to see if I would be lucky. Sure enough, within about 15 minutes of arriving, a Nutcracker flopped out of the wood and into the small stand of hazel. After collecting a nut it flew back into the wood, probably to hide it somewhere, and then reappeared a few minutes later. It did this at least 8 times in the two hours I was there, so it looks as if it is pretty settled, as long as the nuts last... It got spooked a few times by golfers but, as soon as they moved on to hole 3, it was back.. A cracking bird and one I have wanted to catch up with for a long time. Given the numbers on the move this autumn, maybe there's a chance one will make it across the North Sea to the UK... now that would cause some excitement!

Details of the Kongelunden bird can be found at: www.dofkbh.dk.

The visible migration today at Kongelunden was exceptional with the sky full of Chaffinches, Bramblings, Siskins and the occasional wagtail. Three Hawfinches were a highlight. Incredibly, at Falsterbo today they logged nearly half a million Chaffinches! Now that's what I call vis-mig!