Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Hernar 28 May 2013 - Gamble pays off!

Light easterlies and sunny in the morning, turning to northerly in the afternoon.

Just about record short of the Marsh Harrier sivhauk

 Took a major gamble and spent the whole day on Hernar - something I don't think I have done in the spring before. The day started very well with a male Marsh Harrier sivhauk heading north. Not much to look at in the just about record shot below but seen well in the scope. This was a new species for Hernar and the first of the year in Hordaland. Normally Marsh Harrier turn up in Øygarden in late April and early May so this bird was rather later than previous records.

A few flocks of Brent Geese ringgås headed also north but there was little in the way of migrant passerines other than two Spotted Flycatchers gråfluesnapper during the rest of the morning. Things died off around 1200 when the wind turned and I began to regret the gamble.

Female Rosefinch rosenfink

Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper

Female Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper


Around 1500 a flurry of activity (re)saved the day - a female Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper was closely followed by a female Redstart rødstjert and a nice female Rosefinch rosenfink.

Generally plenty to see - Twite bergirisk, Wheatears steinskvett etc but some species notably missing still for example Sedge Warbler sivsanger which are normally present at this time of year.

An interesting phylloscopus warbler looked rather like a Chiff-chaff gransanger but sang very oddly indeed. I attempted a sound recording with my mobile but haven't had time to check it out.

Above: normal Chiff-chaff gransanger singing with a normal voice at the other end of the island

Relatively short primary projection = Chiff-chaff gransanger

On most photos the legs looked rather dark....

No pale cheek patch, indistinct supercillium, obvious eye ring
Above three shots - a very strange sounding phylloscopus that looks  (but did not sound) like a Chiff-chaff gransanger

Linnet tornirisk

Above and below: Twite bergirisk

Blackbird svarttrost


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