Øygarden 01-02 January 2021 - New Year Bird Race Day 2 & 3

 Fantastic weather on 01 January and still pretty good on 02 January

The first trip of the year was to Hjelme Vest. A productive trip which produced most of the usual species. In the context of the New Year Bird Race Black Guillemot teist and Crested Tit toppmeis were the best species but really a Red-throated Diver smålom on the sea and two Great Northern Diver islom heading north were the best sightings.

At least 65 Long-tailed Duck havelle on the sea, a hunting Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, several White-tailed Eagle havørn, a few Common Scoter svartand, a Curlew storspove and a couple of Gannets havsule were also seen. One of the Gannets was a young bird - a very unusual winter record.

I popped in at a number of other localities but nothing out of the ordinary to see. Another Curlew storspove fed at Nautnes and gave good views in the scope from my terrace.

35 species was a reasonable start to the year - it would have been easy to see more but I was going for certain target species instead.

On 02 January I started at Dåvøy where the target species - Yellow-legged Gull gulbeinmåke finally put in an appearance - I had tried three times during the previous two days to see this long staying bird. A Velvet Scoter sjøorre and a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin were the first of the year here. A roost of 42 Grey Heron gråhegre were put to flight by two White-tailed Eagles havørn here too.

Next up was my usual round at Herdlevær, hoping for some passing auks but failing completely for these. However, it was far from a waste of time with two Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, four Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a Rock Pipit skjærepiplerke and a Kittiwake krykkje new for the year. Several Gannets havsule were feeding offshore and there was obviously a lot going on in the distance.

Tjeldstø was the next stop where the target species - Woodcock rugde was quickly located along with Several Snipe enkeltbekkasin. Chaffinches bokfink were the only other new for the year here.

Almost home I paused at Hatten where a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett was the first woodpecker of the year.

All in 51 species during the three days of the bird race, with 45 in the New Year.