Øygarden 01-09 September 2023 - New tripod head = seawatching

Another period with little time in the field. However, my new tripod head arrived and meant that I could actually attach my scope to the tripod so seawatching was in fact possible.

I spent a couple of hours at Skogsøy on 1st September but it was rather quiet, just a lone Manx Shearwater havlire heading north at nice range and a smattering of the the usual wader species.

A similar session the following day gave the same kind of result. Sanderling sandløper and several of the usual waders were passing in small numbers a Peregrine vandrefalk gave a superb photo opportunity that I completely missed with my point and pray, perhaps I should replace my proper camera with another proper camera instead.....

This falcon flew over as I left and was probably not the same bird I saw whilst seawatching.

Looks rather bulky....

At least 20 Goldfinch stillits at Tjeldstø on the way home, a Greenshank gluttsnipe from my terrace and what I presume was the same Black-throated Diver storlom at Skjoldpollen were the best of the rest.

On 03 September I managed my usual round at Herdlevær. Not a lot going on here either, a few Sanderling sandløper and a few other species of wader.

I was not out the next few days but picked up a male Stonechat svartstrupe beside Husvatnet on my way to the shops. Otter put in appearances regularly outside my house.

Dunnock jernspurv in the garden, after characteristically "absent" for a few months they are suddenly more obvious.

Otter photographed from my terrace

Massively cropped image of a male Stonechat svartstrupe at Husvatnet

On 07 September I tried a half day at Hernar. Again it was rather quiet with little in the way of migrants, though I did my first local Yellow Wagtails gulerle of the year(!) along with Reed Bunting sivspurv and Sparrowhawk spurvehauk. The Twite bergirisk flock was "back" (didn't see any during my last visit - at least 40 were present much to my relief.

A lone Common Crossbill grankorsnebb

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

Reed Bunting sivspurv

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

Back home an Arctic Tern rødnebbterne fed in the bay outside my house and a Green Sandpiper skogsnipe put in a surprise appearance at Husvatnet.

The next day was yet another day not out and about but produced the best bird of the period - a 2cy Golden Eagle kongeørn that turned up with two White-tailed Eagles havørn and then headed south over the house. This is a relatively rare species in Øygarden and although not even a new species for the garden it has been a few years since I saw one here.

Also from the terrace: a Peregrine vandrefalk, four Sparrowhawk spurvhauk, my first local House Martin taksvale of the year (!!) and at least 150 Starling stær.

Above two images with the point and pray

This one with a beat-up old reserve DSLR