Sunday, May 31, 2020

Hernar 27 May 2020 - Back in Black

Calm with some high cloud early on, sunny later.

After a couple of days dealing with work-related stuff (though you might well ask how on earth this should be necessary when I don't technically have a job) it was time to do some more birding. 

Hernar was the name of the game and almost the very first bird I put my binoculars onto was a cracking male Black Redstart svartrødstjert. This is the fifth time I have seen this species on the island and is a rather late spring record.


Male Black Redstart svartrødstjert

Carrion Crow svartkråke (or black crow - continuing the black theme for the day)


The long-staying Carrion Crow svartkråke was unsurprisingly still present. There was not much in the way of other migrants - just a male Blackcap munk and a flock of six Woodpigeon ringdue that made a brief stop on the island before heading off to the north. However, numbers of Sedge Warblers sivsanger, Whitethroat tornsanger had both increased.

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne - a cracking bird posing among flowering thrift and goose droppings

Common Tern makrellterne

Many Swallows låvesvale nest in the fishing cabins at Nautnes. Here one poses briefly on a boat.


Checked out a small breeding island near my house - plenty of Common Tern makrellterne and some Arctic Terns rødnebbterne are settling in there. Fingers crossed as always!



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