Saturday, April 30, 2016

Skogsøy 30 April 2016 - Another day at the coal face

Calm and sunny with SE winds again. Actually got too warm today for the first time this year.....

Experience has shown that there are never two big days in a row so expectations were again not terribly high. Things started off quietly but the pace picked up and it was another decent day of migration.



Top of the list was a Black-throated Diver storlom heading north, along with 9 White-billed Diver gulnebblom, the first Pomarine Skua polarjo of the year, 316 Red-throated Diver smålom and a single male Orca spekkhogger.

New for the year in Øygarden for me were three Shelduck gravand, a Golden Plover heilo, There were plenty of Gannets havsule, much better numbers of Oystercatcher tjeld, a decent count of Common Scoter svartand and also more in the way of auks than yesterday.

And to show that I very occasionally take pictures that are not of birds:


Note that even the dog is staring intently out to sea.....


We had to say goodbye to our Polish friends who have been seawatching there for the last three days after hitch-hiking out to Skogsøy from the airport and living in a tent for a few days - a truly impressive feat - respect!!. Evidence that Skogsøy's reputation is known well beyond Norway.....

The day's tally was:

Red throated Diver smålom 347 N
Black throated Diver storlom 1 N
White Billed Diver Gulnebblom 11 N
Northern Fulmar havhest 1 N
Northern Gannet havsule 146 N, 6 S
Great Cormorant storskarv 6 N, 14 S
Eurasian Shag toppskarv 13 N, 15 S
Shelduck gravand 3 N
Teal krikkand 1 N, 2 S
Tufted Duck toppand 3 N
Eider ærfugl 21 N, 7 S
Long tailed duck havelle 20 N, 2 S
Common Scoter svartand 332 N
Velvet Scoter sjøorre 7 N
Goldeneye kvinand 2N
Merganser siland 11 N
Oystercatcher tjeld 231
Golden Plover heilo 1 N
Whimbrel småspove 3 N, 1 S
Eurasian Curlew storspove 2 N, 1 S
Pomarine Skua polarjo 1S
Black headed Gull hettemåke 1 S
Common Gull fiskemåke 55 N
Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje 2 N
Common Guillemot lomvi 1 N
Razorbill alke 10 N
Atlantic Puffin lunde 2 N

An Arctic Skua tyvjo was seen after I left.

Other stuff inlcuded a few Twite bergirisk.

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