Thursday, April 23, 2020

Dåvøy and Hernar 23 April 2020 - Back in business and a personal first for Øygarden!

Arrived home last night after four weeks in the northern Norwegian sector (more about that later I hope).

Northerly breeze with light cloud cover, sunny at times.





My first ever Stork in Øygarden!


Kicked the day off at Dåvøy where a Stork was the first I have seen in Øygarden  - the last one was seen whilst I was at the top of a mast on a vessel in Bergen. This one was a lot more cooperative:)


Black Guillemot teist

Chiff-chaff gransanger - one of many seen today

Curlew storspove



Long-tailed Duck havelle

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke


Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt - several small flocks present today - and the birds are moulting into breeding plumage,

White Wagtail linerle


After this a trip to Hernar - the first of the year - was on the cards. The islands on the way out produced a flock of Curlew storspove, small numbers of Teal krikkand, several flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, at least four Black Guillemot teist, Long-tailed Ducks havelle and the usual.

Hernar gave up the expected - small numbers of Wheatear steinskvett, Twite bergirisk, Linnet tornirisk, displaying Snipe enkeltbekkasin, Golden Plover heilo, White Wagtail linerle and plenty more besides.

A drive-by at Breivik saw the first two Swallows låvesvale of the year along with singing Skylark sanglerke and a another flock of Golden Plover heilo.

Having missed a significant part of the spring there were plenty of new species for the year. Chiff-chaff gransanger were everywhere and a Willow Warbler løvsanger sang in my garden.


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