Skogsøy 11 July 2009 - Manx

Precious little time to be out and about but a quick trip to Skogsøy produced the goods this morning. A typical first half of July seawatch with a lone Manx Shearwater havlire heading north as the best bird. Manx Shearwater is classed as a local rarity but in reality this species is quite regular at this time of year. A Great Skua storjo beat up a Great Black-backed gull svartbak and a good numbers of Puffin lunde and Gannet havsule were on the move.

Some good flocks of Arctic Tern rødnebbterne - the largest over 50 - were a welcome sight. Otherwise just small numbers of Fulmar havhest, Kittiwake krykkje and the usual auks.

A Kestrel tårnfalk hunting was the only other species of interest.

Skogsøy 24 June 2009

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn with stick

Anxious parent - Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

Newly fledged Meadow Pipit heipiplerke - and to think the Meadow Pipits on the Hardangervidda are still sitting on eggs....

Lesser Redpoll brunsisik

Relatively quiet couple of hours seawatching early on. Just a couple of Arctic Skua tyvjo, four Red-throated Diver smålom and small numbers of Puffin lunde on the move.

A singing Lesser Whitethroat møller and at least one pair of Tree Sparrow pilfink at Herdlevær.

Back home a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn flew over the garden - oddly one of them an adult which was carrying a stick - bit late for nest building now I would have thought.

Tjeldstø 22 June 2009

Redshank rødstilk with stickleback stingsild
Redhsank rødstilk

Lapwing vipe

Curlew storpsove

Nothing out of the ordinary today but plenty of the usual species about - some of which gave good views. Mergansers siland with newly hatched young, at least one new brood of eiders ærfugl hatched, a Redshank rødstilk chick and plenty of other fledglings seen.

Hardangervidda 20 June 2009

Willow Warbler løvsanger - pushing the definition of tree limit....

Late evening Bluethroat blåstrupe

Early morning Bluethroat blåstrupe


Short-eared Owl jordugle
Lots of frogs and even a toad seen

A rare birding trip away from Øygarden and up into the mountains was most productive. At least as much a family outing as a birding trip a couple of nights camping produced some quality species including a pair of Hen Harrier myrhauk, a Short-eared Owl jordugle, LOADS of Bluethroat blåstrupe, Dotterel boltit, Lapland Bunting lappspurv and plenty more besides....

Skogsøy 14 June 2009 - quality!

Pale phase Pomarine Skua polarjo

Dark phase Pomarine Skua polarjo

Crested Tit toppmeis

A few hours seawatching in calm conditions around dawn were quite productive - typically for mid June it was quality rather than quantity. Higlights were the first Long-tailed Skua fjelljo of the spring, three Pomarine Skua polarjo and an adult White-billed Diver gulnebblom.

The supporting cast included a couple of Arctic Skua tyvjo, 11 Red-throated Diver smålom and double figure numbers of both Fulmar havhest and Puffin lunde. A passing Dunlin myrsnipe was the first I've had in Øygarden this year (late!).

On land just the usual suspects including the singing Lesser Whitethroat møller.

Skogsøy 12 June 2009

Willow Warbler løvsanger
Willow Warbler løvsanger

Lesser Whitethroat møller

Late and lazy day. Virtually nothing passing, the only bird of any interest at all was a single Arctic Skua tyvjo. At least one singing Lesser Whitethroat møller and a pair of Willow Warbler løvsanger feeding young right in front of me were the only other sightings worth a mention.

Tjeldstø 11 June 2009

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn over the garden

Curlew storspove chick

Anxious parent

A quick walk around the reserve didn't produce anything much of interest, just four singing Sedge Warbler sivsanger, a pair of Twite bergirisk and some Curlew storspove chicks.

Øygarden 25 May 2009 - Black-tailed Godwits

Black-tailed Godwit svarthalespove

Otter chasing Teal krikkand (click picture for larger image)

At Kollnes there were now four Black-tailed Godwit svarthalespove (three reported there the last couple of days). Perhaps the Tjeldstø bird has joined them.

No sign of the egret at Tjeldstø but entertainment was provided by an Otter hunting a Teal krikkand which seemed to be performing some kind of distraction display, forever leading the Otter on before flying off again. At least seven Sand Martin sandsvale and several House Martin taksvale feeding with Swallows låvesvale over Husvatnet.

The Carrion Crow svartkråke remains at Herdlevær.