Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Brynhild (Norwegian Sector) 07-10 May 2020 - Offshore migration

Back to work again - good for the finances and bad for seawatching. But not quite birdless.

Spent 01-05 May jacked up in a fjord outside Stavanger and then headed out to sea to the Bryhild template. The transit produced a couple of Wheatear steinskvett on the helideck, a Great Skua storjo, Fulmars havhest and more but there wasn't really much of an opportunity to keep an eye open.

Female Redstart rødstjert taking a break onboard


The House Martin is just about visible in this "habitat shot"
The picture above this was taken from the same place, just zoomed in!

House Martin taksvale


On 07 May a female Redstart rødstjert turned up. The following day a House Martin taksvale spent some time onboard and alternately flew around hunting insects and resting. With my point and pray superzoom there was not much chance of a flight shot😀 Also brief views of a phylloscopus warbler and several Gannets havsule.







Sedge Warbler sivsanger - first of the year for me!


Chiff-chaff gransanger

On 09 May a Sedge Warbler sivsanger, a Chiff-chaff gransanger and one other phylloscopus warbler turned up. The Chiff-chaff even gave a brief burst of song - a totally surreal sound in the the middle of the North Sea with the background noise of the platform! A Great Skua storjo flew over and a selection of the usual seabirds turned up.

Giant barnacle thingy growing in huge numbers on the legs of the platform

Jack-up legs

No comments: