Saturday, January 28, 2023

Øygarden 26-27 January - Home at last

 Decent enough weather on both days.

After lunch on 26 January I managed to get out for my usual round at Herdlevær where there was not that much to be seen - although there was obviously some movement over the sea in the fresh northerly winds. Small numbers of auks headed south and a diver went north.

Following this I popped in at a few places on the way home picking up several new for the year - three of which were waders. A Curlew storspove fed in the fields at Breivik together with a few Greylags grågås - unusual winter behaviour for this species which tend to keep to the shore during the winter months.

Curlew storspove at Breivik

A flock of 12 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt rested on rocks at Tjeldstø where a Starling stær had joined a few Fieldfare gråtrost in the fields.

Other stops produced the first Woodcock rugde I've actually seen this year and I finally actually managed to identify some Common Crossbills grankorsnebb.

On 27 January I left the house pretty much as soon as the light was good enough and headed for Hjelme Vest. Here the sea was once again fairly quiet with tragically small numbers of Long-tailed Duck havelle and Common Scoter svartand. However patience paid off with just one each of Black Guillemot teist and Little Auk alkekonge, singles of Red-throated Diver smålom and Great Northern Diver islom, a couple of flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and at least two Curlew storspove.

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