Øygarden 29-30 March 2021 - Great to be back

 Magic to be home again and to not wear a face mask!! Quarantine at home is no different from pre-COVID life with time divided between working at home and out in the field.

There was a lot of stuff to catch up on so I was barely out on 29 March - drove to Tjeldstø to pick up some groceries that were bought for me and that was about it. Despite that there were some photo opportunities- roadside Herons gråhegre performed well:)

Curlew storspove at Dåvøy - almost ridiculous looking bill!

I'm guessing this is the female judging by the bill length - the accompanying bird had a much shorter bill and was therefore probably the male

Adult Heron gråhegre catching what looked like a goby kutling of some sort - also at Dåvøy

Second year Heron gråhegre at Hatten - this one caught a Three-spined Stickleback trepigget stingsild

What a difference a week makes at this time of year! Despite (or perhaps because of) the calm, dull and wet weather there were a lot of new birds in on 30 March.

I started with my usual round at Herdlevær where two Meadow Pipits heipiplerke were the first I've seen this year (though the first in Øygarden were seen whilst I was away), Woodpigeons ringdue, Ringed Plover sandlo, singing Chaffinch bokfink, a Snipe enkeltbekkassin and more.

At Kollsnes four Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke were another new for the year (again, the first were seen in Øygarden over a week ago), a flock of six Linnet tornirisk (first of the year for the county as well as Øygarden) and a couple of Skylark sanglerke.

Husvatnet held the first Black-headed Gull hettemåke of the spring, a roding Snipe enkeltbekkasin and at least 20 Common Gull fiskemåke. A flock of 80 Starling stær flew over here - spring vibes:)

At Hatten a flock of four Lesser Redpoll brunsisik were present (they have been there for over a week now), 25+ Chaffinch bokfink, Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and plenty more.

Back home at Nautnes an odd Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke had the pulse racing for a bit with one white outer tail feather, very pale underparts, paleish legs and what appeared to be brownish back. Turns out the brown colour seems to be worn primaries. The rest I put down to the enormous variability of this species - I'm sure different populations must move through Øygarden. At least two White-tailed Eagle havørn, two pairs of Greylag now settled in and (drum roll please) the first House Sparrows gråspurv at my feeder this year.

At least three different Song Thrush måltrost singing at various locations really gave the day a springlike feel despite the conditions.

Blck-headed Gull hettemåke with Common Gulls fiskemåke and a Herring Gull gråmåke - Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

UN7 is back for a second spring! First ringed at a moulting site further south at Kårstø in 2019 this bird wintered in Germany in 2019 and was seen at Sture last year and is now back in the same place

A couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke

Ringed Plover sandlo back at its breeding grounds at Herdlevær

This Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke photographed from my terrace had me going for a bit

I had to be quick to take this shot - I came up over a ridge and saw this looking the other way - I knew it would fly as soon as it turned it's head - 3cy White-tailed Eagle havørn

Cracking bird!!