Øygarden 10 February 2012

Southerly winds continue as does the very slow thaw.

At Toftøy at least one Nuthatch spettmeis was another new Øygarden species for 2012. Most of the usual suspects present here including a Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett.

 First winter Common Gull fiskemåke - quite scarce in Øygarden given the numbers in Bergen

 Herring Gull gråmåke

 This White-tailed Eagle havørn was a real frame-filler at Herdlevær - these reduced images really don't do it justice.

Common Snipes enkeltbekkasin present at Herdlevær and Dåvøy. Four Whoopers sangsvane sat on the ice at Tjeldstø later in the afternoon.

Øygarden 09 February 2012

Southerly gale with periods of snow / sleet.

Apalling conditions for the short time I managed to get outside for today.

At Breivik a small flock of Fieldfare gråtrost and a lone Redwing rødvingetrost struggled to feed in the fields. I quickly gave up at this rather exposed location and headed for somewhere more sheltered.

Hjelme produced lots of interesting footprints - mostly Woodcock rugde but probably smaller waders involved too. Three White-tailed Eagle havørn, the first Jay nøtteskrike of the year, a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and another Redwing rødvingetrost were also seen here.

At Tjeldsø the best bird was another Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin along with two Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin. A single Velvet Scoter sjøorre fed on the sea.

Dåvøy 08 February 2012 - Slav grebes

Overcast with cold southerly winds. The thaw continues but very slowly with temperatures hovering just above freezing.

Heavily cropped record shot of two Slavonian Grebes horndykker

Many Herring Gulls gråmåke are well on the way to summer plumage - starting to look clean and smart

A quick look at Dåvøy produced two Slavonian Grebes (Horned Grebe these days I suppose) horndykker - a nice surprise and the first of the year in Øygarden. Also present were at least four Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke.

An adult White-tailed Eagle havørn had obviously torn something apart on the shore - chunks of meat were spread all over. Looked like it might once have been a bird of some kind.

A slight increase in the Heron gråhegre roost there - now 19 birds present.

Skogsøy 06 February 2012 - Little Grebe and more

Best weather for ages - milder conditions set a big thaw off during the night. Overcast with light southerly winds.

A roadside Water Rail vannriske meant the morning school run took rather longer than strictly necessary...

The morning school run produced the surprise of the day - a roadside Water Rail vannriske was quite confiding. It ignored passing vehicles until it was scared off by a snow plough...

Skogsøy was relatively quiet but there was a moderate passage of Kittiwakes krykkje heading north (26 in an hour). Smaller numbers of other gulls also on the move. Just one Little Auk alkekonge passed. Best bird at Skogsøy was a Little Grebe dvergdykker feeding on the lagoons to the south of the lookout point.

Woodcock rugde still very much in evidence with fresh tracks in the woods and a sighting of another bird.

Tjeldstø 05 February - Jack Snipes

Southerly gales with driving snow at times.

With most freshwater frozen and ocvered with snow I checked a few of the likely spots for waders today. This proved quite productive with a minimum of five Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin and two Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin - the later two in the area that will be destroyed when the new school is built.

A second winter Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke seen from the sitting room was the only other sighting of note.

A quick look at Solberg produced more duck than of late  - no doubt forced inshore by the atrocious conditions. In the bay there were 40-50 Long-tailed Duck havelle, 25+ Eider ærfugl and a couple of Common Scoter svartand.

Very fresh Woodcock rugde tracks here too.

Øygarden 04 February 2012

Very cold due to strong southerly and temperatures below freezing.

 

 Above and below: third winter / 4cy Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke

Second winter / 2cy Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke

 Above and below: Red-breasted Mergansers siland at Herdlevær

At Herdlevær there was little to see with best birds a couple of Black-headed Gulls hettemåke. A Wren gjerdesmett still surviving there - just a couple more days until the weather breaks and things should become easier for this species again.

 Glaucous Gull polarmåke

A Glaucous Gull polarmåke appeared almost ghost like at Skogsøy but caught me with the wrong camera setting so pictures didn't turn out too well....

White-tailed Eagle havørn attacking a Herring Gull gråmåke

Back at Tjeldstø at least three Iceland Gulls grønlandsmåke, a third winter / 4cy, a second winter (same bird as the last few days) and a first winter quite possibly different from the previous bird put in a brief appearance but disappeared as two White-tailed Eagles havørn had a go at a Herring Gull gråmåke.

Tjeldstø 03 February 2012 - Iceland Gull

Southerly and overcast.

Confined to barracks all day again. Got out very briefly as the light went - and found the second winter / 3cy Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke with darker primaries again.

Other than that just 10 Chaffinch bokfink, a couple of Tree Sparrow pilfink and all the usual stuff in the garden.

Øygarden 02 February 2012

Bitingly cold southerly, overcast with light snow.

 Still plenty of Otters to see

Started at Hjelme Vest where seaduck numbers remain very low - with the exception of Long-tailed Duck havelle which numbered around 90. Just four Eiders ærfugl and a single Common Scoter svartand. Best bird here was a lone Curlew storspove.

Solberg was shrouded in smoke from heather burning further south at Herdlevær. Little on the sea here either.

 First winter Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke at Tjeldstø

At Tjeldstø a new Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke, this time a first winter / 2cy, joined small numbers of Herring Gulls gråmåke. I suspected a second bird yesterday but never refound it at the time.

Tjeldstø 01 Febraury 2012 - Strange gulls....

Light southerly and sunny

Didn't get out for anything other than a trip "to the shop" today. However, as I had spotted an interesting gull or two from the sitting room I thought it prudent to swing by and check things out more closely. I'm no expert but this second winter / 3cy Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke looks like a candidate for kumlieni. Comments welcome...

 Possible Kumlien's Gull - dark primaries obvious but may still be at the light end of the scale?

 Above and below: these photos look very interesting - the primaries are obviously quite dark

Another gull, no doubt just some freaky Herring Gull gråmåke variant looked quite distinctive, rather dark, deep-chested, smalled-headed and long-billed.

Unusual Herring Gull gråmåke or something "off the map"?

A couple of Woodcock rugde seen in the woods as it got dark - must be starting to have a hard time of things with the ground being so frozen.

No doubts about these - a pair of Goldeneye kvinand

Øygarden 17 January 2012

Southerly winds and overcast.

Moorehen sivhøne at Blomvåg

The Moorehen sivhøne was still present at Blomvåg.

At Tjeldstø good birds included a Goshawk hønsehauk, a single Greylag grågås and a Starling stær.

A walk in the woods beside Storevatnet produced little other than a Woodcock rugde.

Herdlevær 16 January 2012

Light southerly, calm and overcast.

A quick dash around Herdlevær produced nothing unexpected today. A couple of Black Guillemots teist, a Little Auk alkekonge and a Fieldfare gråtrost were the best of what was on offer.

Hjelme Vest 15 January 2012

Calm and mild

Excellent conditions again but once more little doing on the sea. Finally picked up a feeding Great Northern Diver islom. Otherwise just 60 Long-tailed Duck havelle and small numbers of Common Scoter svartand and even fewer Eiders ærfugl.

Øygarden 14 January 2012

Wonderfully calm and relatively mild.

 Above and below: record shots of the second year (first winter) Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke

Took things relatively easy today picking up a Kestrel tårnfalk at Ormhilleren, a Curlew storspove and a Puffin lunde at Solberg and a second year Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke at Tjeldstø.

A flock of 60 Common Crossbill grankorsnebb at S. Straumsundet was the biggest flock for some time.

Elsewhere an Eagle Owl hubro gave a single hoot during an hour or so of waiting.

Øygarden 13 January 2012 - Jackdaw

Strong north westerly gales, occasional wintery showers.

Spent the morning tramping through some pretty heavy terrain seeing very little indeed - but a male Black Grouse orrfugl made it all worthwhile.

A Jackdaw kaie near the "car park" at Skogsøy was the bird of the day and probably the first January record for Øygarden.

A couple of adult Iceland Gulls grønlandsmåke seen from the comfort of my living room provided some additional interest.

Skogsøy 12 January 2012

North westerly gale with occasional wintery showers

Herring Gull gråmåke at Skogsøy

With strong winds from the north some seawatching was called for. Unfortunately the winds were a bit too strong and there was very little passing. Luckily a Great Northern Diver islom came past struggling into the wind but gave up and turned south again. Otherwise just a few Gannet havsule and small numbers of gulls including a couple of Kittiwake krykkje.

Glaucous Gull polarmåke at Tjeldstø

Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke

Once again Tjeldstø produced the best sightings with the Glaucous Gull polarmåke still present and an adult Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke flew over as I tried to go to the shop.

Øygarden 11 January 2012 - White-winged duo!

Strong westerly with occasional short showers.

Once again work curtailed the birding but a brief dash out was most productive.

 Above and below: heavily cropped record shots of the Glaucous gull polarmåke

First bird I got onto when I lifted my bins at Tjeldstø was a 3rd year Glaucous Gull polarmåke resting with the other gulls at Husvatnet. Other birds at Tjeldstø included a flock of four Fieldfare gråtrost (first of the year), a Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a pipit piplerke, a few Kittiwake krykkje and the usual flock of 10 Tree Sparrows pilfink.

 Above and below: Adult Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke

Alvheim was just about dead but produced a nice adult Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke that flew past a couple of times. This is turning into a good winter for this species in Øygarden and the rest of Hordland too. Shetland is also getting more than its fair share of these....

Breivik 09 January 2012 - Iceland Gull

Southerly with heavy rain most of the day.

Work and familiy commitments meant there was virtually no time out and about today.

 Above and below: record shots of the adult Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke at Breivik

However, picked up the elusive Moorehen sivhøne at Blomvåg during some errands and later in the day a quick stroll at Breivik produced a cracking adult Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke feeding in the fields. Little else seen.

Skogsøy 07 January 2012

Fresh west north-west wind, couple of showers.

Conflicting weather forecasts yesterday evening meant it was a late snap decision to head to Skogsøy, something that paid off reasonably well.

The onshore winds produced some movement, but some species still not showing. Best bird was an unseasonal Fulmar havhest heading north, two Razorbill alke were also new for the year. Other stuff included 45 adult Kittiwake krykkje heading north, a Puffin lunde, small numbers of Little Auk alkekonge and a couple of Gannets havsule.

Øygarden 06 January 2012

Light northerly with occasional showers.

Rather little about considering the relatively good conditions.

Gannet havsule at Hjelme Vest

Hjelme Vest was again crushingly disappointing, just a few Gannets havsule and several Kittiwake krykkje of note. Very few duck and precious little else on the sea.

Much the same story pretty much everywhere I went today.

Things were somewhat better at Tjeldstø with a flock of three Greylags grågås the first of the year. Other birds inlcuded a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett.

Elsewhere in Øygarden the Moorehen sivhøne was seen again at Blomvåg.

Skogsøy 05 January 2012 - Iceland Gull

Light northerly with occasional short showers.

 Above and below: record shots of Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke

Fantastically long bill on this Curlew storspove - must be a female

Surprisingly pleasant conditions. Sat for a little over 1.5 hours and had a slow but steady trickle of stuff moving north. Most surprising bird was the very first - a Puffin lunde heading north. Not long after this a third year (or perhaps an adult) Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke flew past. An excellent start to the day!

Other stuff on the move were small numbers of Little Auk alkekonge, 14 Kittiwake krykkje, several Gannets havsule and the first Curlew storspove of the year. A Common Gull fiskemåke was a slightly unusual winter bird for Skogsøy.

Looked for the Lesser Scaup purpurhodeand but again it was not to be seen. Looks like it has probably moved on....