Monday, November 07, 2016

Øygarden 05-07 November - Mostly from the terrace...

Winter has arrived. Still calm with largely E or SE winds but the temperature has dropped the last day or two with a fair bit of ice about on 7th,


White-tailed Eagle havørn doing an evening flypast the terrace with what look like animal entrails in its claws. Images have been lightened considerably!


On 05 November a short walk at Hjelme Vest produced reasonable numbers of Common Scoter svartand (at least 40), about 20 Long-tailed Duck havelle, a couple of Tufted Duck toppand, a late Oystercatcher tjeld, a Great Northern Diver islom and several Red-throated Diver smålom heading south. Good numbers of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb in the woods too.

A trip to the shops on the same day gave five Scaup bergand together with three Tufted Duck toppand on Rotevatnet, Tjeldstø.

Mega of the day were some Mute Swans knoppsvane reported from further south in Øygarden. Great record!

On 6th November I managed about half an hour of seawatching at Skogsøy. Plenty on the move with at least 200 Common Scoter svartand being the most obvious movement. Smaller numbers of other duck were mingled in with these and included at least 10 Velvet Scoter sjøorre, several Long-tailed Duck havelle and some Eiders ærfugl,


Velvet Scoter sjøorre from the terrace at Nautnes on 07 November

Evening Whooper Swans sangsvane at Tjeldstø


The 7th was spent almost exclusively at home with just a Velvet Scoter sjøorre, a small flock of Waxwings sidensvans and the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn of any note. The trip to the shop in failing light gave the first Whoopers sangsvane of the autumn and a slight diversion on the way home produced a Razorbill alke, several Common Scoter svartand and a Long-tailed Duck havelle at Heggøy.

Tomorrow I WILL be birding!!

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