Skogsøy 16 January 2021 - Auk movement

 Fresh SE wind, frozen and bitingly cold.

I spend a huge part of my life being too warm. Today was not one of those days:)

There was quite a bit of movement today, although most of the passing birds were very distant. Well over 80 auks headed south and around 30 north. Only a handful were specifically identified, though the vast majority were Guillebills alke/lomvi. Seven Razorbill alke were the first for the county this year and just one Guillemot lomvi was identified.

A few Gannets havsule, a Velvet Scoter sjøorre, 18 Common Scoter svartand and at least 20 Kittiwakes krykkje were among the other birds passing. A Great Northern Diver islom turned up on the sea right in front of where I was sitting and a Peregrine vandrefalk hunted in the area. As I left five Whoopers sangsvane came in over Herdlevær and seemed to be losing height with a few to landing at Skogsøy.

Great Northern Diver islom

Herring Gull gråmåke

Velvet Scoter sjøorre

Adult Cormorant storskarv followed by a 2cy bird

Adult Shag toppskarv followed by a 2cy bird

On the way home small numbers of Redwing rødvingetrost, Fieldfare gråtrost and Starling stær fed in the still frozen and snow covered fields at Breivik.

Back home a couple of Woodcock rugde in the garden and a Curlew storspove feeding on the shore were the highlights. A couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn were present as usual.

Uncropped image of a bird I think is a 5cy - photographed from my terrace

Same bird as above

On 15 January I did not get out birding but did buy some more bird food. Just Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Woodcock rugde in/from the garden along with the more usual garden birds.