Friday, February 01, 2019

Øygarden 28.01 - 01.02 - Winter has arrived.....

I arrived back home to a good covering of snow. Temperatures have been above freezing during the day and a little below at nights so the snow is gradually disappearing.

Typically given the conditions Woodcock rugde and Snipe enkeltbekkasin have become a lot more obvious. Both are relatively common even in winter but are hard to see when conditions are good for them. I have seen a few or several of each on a few occasions during the week - despite most of my birding being short trips in fading light after work.



 

Guillemots lomvi at Herdlevær 01.02
These birds were very vocal and called to each other often


A very stuffed juvenile (2K) Peregrine vandrefalk
I checked where the bird had been sitting and found some Goldeneye feathers.....


Redwings rødvingetrost

Snipe enkeltbakkasin - one of four seen on 01.02

Woodcock rugde - photographed in rapidly fading light by my driveway on 28.01. Daft ISO values but a nice sighting.


Redwings rødvingetrost have also started to show, with the first bird at Sele on 31.01 followed by a couple more at Herdlevær on 01.02.

Other than Redwing a couple of other new species for Øygarden this year were a Woodpigeon ringdue apparently displaying at Hjelme and Tree Sparrows pilfink finally showing at Herdlevær.

Curlews storspove also featured with a flock of three from my kitchen window the largest count.

Hjelme West produced, among other things, Guillemot lomvi, Black Guillemot teist and Great Northern Diver islom on 31.01.


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