Øygarden 18-21.03.2025 - Back in the game

 Work continues to be as relentless as ever, gone it seems are the days of a few hours out midweek:(

Nevertheless this is Øygarden and my home office can produce as does a trip to the shops. I was out each morning briefly before work (thank goodness the days are significantly lighter now!).

I returned home on the afternoon of 18.03 and a grocery run gave several Lapwing vipe at Breivik.

Lapwing vipe at Breivik

On 19.03 a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, a nice flock of Teal krikkand and just being outside listening to displaying Lapwing vipe and Oystercatcher tjeld meant that half an hour at Tjeldstø were absolutely worth it. After work I managed a couple of drive-bys and caught up with two Rook kornkråke and two Jackdaw kaie at Breivik. 

The last two winters have been used to remove the sitka plantation in the middle of the reserve at Tjeldstø. This will undoubtedly benefit waders and wildfowl in the area.

More trees have disappeared at Husvatnet too - as has the bird hide bus stop which vanished during some work on the footpath. This is a shame as this bus stop / hide was better than the one beside Rotevatnet

Teal krikkand at Tjeldstø

Rook kornkråke with two Jackdaw kaie at Breivik

Robin rødstrupe at Dåvey

Lapwing vipe at Kollnes

Jackdaws kaie at Breivik

Up to three Otters and three White-tailed Eagles havørn provided entertainment even when I was stuck at home:)

On 20.03 I checked Hjelme briefly before work, turning up a nice White-tailed Eagle havørn, a pair of Bullfinch dompap, singing Chaffinches bokfink, a couple of Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett, Common Crossbills grankorsnebb and more.

Bullfinches dompap 

Although I do like my point and pray it is somewhat slower than the DSLR at getting going. This could have been a good picture if the camera was quicker at starting up.

From the terrace a few Teal krikkand, a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, two Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke, a couple of Gannet havsule and plenty more besides kept interest levels up.

After work I did a quick walk at Breivk which produced a Rook kornkråke, 120 Starling stær, a few Snipe enkeltbakkasin and several Lapwing vipe among other things.

A pre-work check at Tjeldstø on 21.03 gave more views of the Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett. A Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåveøy and a male Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes were among the other sightings.

Little Grebe dvergdykker

Male Stonechat svartstrupe

Oslo 08-16.03.2025 - Urban Birding

Ten days in Oslo during early spring proved quite pleasant despite taking things very easy and missing out on the "incidental" birding available back home in Øygarden where turning my head from the computer or a trip to the shops can produce something.

On 08 March I visited my Oslo favourite of Gressholm where a second year Goshawk hønsehauk, a flock of Ringed Plover sandlo, Skylark sanglerke, 20 Velvet Scoter sjøorre were present. During the boat trip there and back I also picked up some newly arrived Shelduck gravand and Stock Dove skogdue.

2cy Goshawk hønsehauk

Oystercatchers tjeld on Galteskjær

Ringed Plover sandlo at Gressholm

The next day a late and lazy stroll around Østensjøvannet gave the first Reed Bunting sivspurv of the year along with Coot sothøne, a male Wigeon brunnakke, a Pintail stjertand and more - including a few Whooper Swan sangsvane and plenty of newly arrived geese in the fields. The east of Norway is still in the grips of winter and the lake was mostly frozen - we even saw someone pull a nice Pike gjedde out of a hole in the ice - there were a lot of people ice-fishing:)

One of several Coot sothøne at Østensjøvannet

Pintail stjertand

During the week work commitments meant it was impossible to get out but a pair of Woodpigeon ringdue turned up in the back yard where Blackbird svarttrost numbers also increased (along with the level of song).

Next time I was out and about was 15.03 when a late and lazy trip to Gressholm was again on the cards. A couple of Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke were without doubt the highlight in an Oslo context. Ringed Plover sandlo numbers had increased and there were 40 Velvet Scoter sjøorre feeding close by.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke on Gressholmen.

The following day in fantastic sunshine we went for a walk at Bygdøy. Here there were obscene numbers of people around which obviously scared most stuff away. We managed to find some trails with fewer people and this resulted in a nice Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett along with Stock Doves skogdue and the usual suspects.

Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett on Bygdøy

Øygarden 02.03-04.03.2025 - Home briefly

 On 02 March I managed my usual round at Herdlevær. Some signs of spring with Oystarcatcher tjeld, Starling stær now back. A flock of 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt , White-tailed Eagles havørn and the usual also seen. 

Best bird was a female Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes - a bird that turned up whilst I was away.

A quick look at Hjelme in the afternoon produced the first local Jay nøtteskrike of the year along with a flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost, Brambling bjørkefink, Chaffinch bokfink and Starling stær.

Spring is well on the way, Crocuses at Herdlevær

Siskin grønnsisik have been common "all winter" but have suddenly started visiting my feeder.

Female Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes

Engerdal 14.02-20.02.2025 - Back to winter

With temperatures down to less than -23C it wasn't exactly warm, but the sun shone a lost of the time.

We arrived in the afternoon of  14.02 and in the evening heard a singing Tengmalm's Owl perleugle from the garden.

On 15.02 I did my usual round, some drumming woodpeckers but only Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett was the only species positively identified. Good numbers of Mallard stokkand on some open water on Engersjøen, a few flocks of Redpoll gråsisik, several Dipper fossekall and most of the usual suspects without anything special.

Dippers fossekall at Heggeriset

Redpoll gråsisik at the feeder in the garden

Whoopers sangsvane at Heggeriset

A long walk higher up on 16.02 produced none of the target species with just a Golden Eagle kongeørn of any interest. Some gamebird tracks but not as many as I usually see and no birds actually seen.

This Redpoll gråsisik looked rather pale and "snowball" like but was just a Common rather than the hoped-for Arctic

There was no meaningful time outside for the next couple of days but a Goshawk hønsehauk hunted over the garden on 17th February and I encountered a lovely flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis during a trip to the shops.

Part of the Mallard stokkand flock hanging around on open water near the power station.

On 19th February I was out bright and early for my first skiing of the year - just brilliant with nobody else seen for kilometre after kilometre. Unfortunately it was almost the same birdwise although tracks in the snow showed that something could turn up at any time. A few Common Crossbill grankorsnebb, a single Willow Grouse lirype and the usual woodland suspects were seen.

A Sparrowhawk spurvehauk caught a Redpoll gråsisik in the garden in the afternoon.

Just wonderful to be out skiing in Engerdal:)

In the evening a singing Tengmalm's Owl perleugle was a highlight.

Tengmalm's Owl perleugle singing from the neighbour's garden:)

Øygarden 10.02-12.02 - All time low?

Monday 10th February was spent doing the SEAPOP count, something that has not been done for a couple of years. The standard route is in the southern part of the "old" Øygarden. Although the weather was fantastic the day left me feeling rather depressed - I've never seen so few seabirds on the count - very small numbers of Eider ærfugl and Long-tailed Duck havelle and just one Common Scoter svartand gave very dismal results. A few Black Guillemot teist and a surprise Puffin lunde were also seen.

Puffin lunde

The next day I wasn't really out but picked up a Red-throated Diver smålom and the two long-staying Little Grebe dvergdykker were still present. Some Greylags grågås and six Whoopers sangsvane were on Husvatnet.

Heron gråhegre

Little Grebes dvergdykker

Red-throated Diver smålom

The following day I left Øygarden again without getting out at all.

Øygarden 02.02-09.02.2025 -

On 2nd February I did my usual round at Herdlevær, not much to report at all, although five White-tailed Eagle havørn feeding there and several Gannet havsule heading north during a brief coffee break. The albifrons Whitefront tundragås remained at Breivik. On the way home again a short stop at Tjeldstø produced my first local Goshawk hønsehauk of the year and later on I picked up three Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Hjelme.

The next day I was snowed under with work and only managed the briefest of drive-bys. A Common Seal steinkobbe at Dåvøy and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits in the garden along with the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn were all that I managed to see.

Common Seal steinkobbe at Dåvøy

The 4th February was only slightly better with an hour or so out of the house. A couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre near Tjeldstø and the long-staying albifrons at Breivik were the only sightings of note.

albifrons Whitefront tundragås at Breivik

I spent 20 minutes at Hellesøy on 5th February without anything unusual being seen. Several each of Black Guillemot teist and Long-tailed Duck havelle and a few White-tailed Eagle havørn were among the birds seen here.

A tip-off regarding a Golden Eagle kongeørn later in the day had me leaving the house at short notice. Although there were signs of it's presence (flocks of gulls and crows flying around in disarray) it initially proved difficult to locate. I connected with it over Dåvøy where it headed back to Staumsundet. A small flock of Starling stær at Tjeldstø and a single at Skjold may well have been returning birds. Shortly after this I had to leave for a work trip.

Little Grebe dverdykker at Dåvøy

I returned late on Friday 7th February and did some birding the the next day. I started at Herdlevær which was fairly quiet, though I did pick up a Little Auk alkekonge there along with a single COmmon Scoter svartand (very scarce this winter) and a couple of Eiders ærfugl. Four Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a small flock of Siskin grønnsisik and several very vocal Crested Tits toppmeis were among the other species seen here. A flock of 16 Starling stær near the car park were almost definitely new arrivals.

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Herdlevær

On Sunday 9th February I headed to Hjelme West under ideal conditions. Before I left the house round 150 Siskin grønnsisik headed south over my terrace in flocks of between 20 and 40. The woods at Hjelme were full of Siskin grønnsisik with smaller numbers of Redpoll gråsisik, Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and the usual suspects. The sea and islands were quite good in a recent perspective with a few Great Northern Diver islom, reasonable numbers of Black Guillemot teist (8+), a Red-throated Diver smålom, a Curlew storspove, a few Oystercatcher tjeld, 30+ Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a Turnstone steinvender among the sightings. Long-tailed Duck havelle numbers were horribly low (17) with just an Eider ærfugl or two as the only other ducks.

A Goshawk hønsehauk hunting past my terrace was the first I've seen from my house this year. At Tjeldstø there was a noticeable arrival of Greylags grågås - probably returning birds.