Friday, March 17, 2017

Skogsøy 16 March 2016 - One step further towards a seawatching hide

Strong S, drizzle then showers.

Up bright and early to get a couple of hours seawatching in before meeting some people who have the will and the way to get a seawatching hide built at Skogsøy. Not where we first hoped / planned but WAY better than not having the option. Very optimistic!

One of the smaller Oystercatcher tjeld flocks to pass today

Some Gannets havsule passed "too" close today - but I was too focused on too far out too see this bird before it was too late


Ravens ravn were showing well today too - and had I been trying to take photos there were plenty of opportunities


As usual this early in the season it was Oystercatcher tjeld that dominated with around 285 heading north. 260 of these in the first hour - again very normal that the Oystercatcher passage drops off very rapidly after dawn. Other stuff included small numbers of Gannet havsule and a light movement of Mergansers siland heading south. Interesting to compare with 2006 when I sat out at Skogsøy for at least 6 hours every day from 15.03 to 31.05. See here for details.

The first Red-throated Diver smålom of the year also cruised passed and on the way out I had the first roding Woocock rugde of the year - I strongly suspect that this was a bird that dared to overwinter and is now reaping the benefits of being on the spot to grab the best territory.



At least as cool and impressive as any of the birds today this inshore naval vessel gunned past with a roar of jet engines.

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