The weather throughout was calm and sunny with light easterly winds.
After a couple of long days at work it was back to the home office on 25th October. From the terrace Waxwings sidensvans flying over, Red-throated Diver smålom on the sea, migrating Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and a Tree Sparrow pilfink that seems to have moved into my "garden".
Two Whoopers sangsvane were seen at Tjeldstø during a quick dash to the shops between meetings. First of the autumn and "bang on time".
On 26th October I again did not have time for what I like to do on a Thursday but did actually leave the house to go birding. Sæle was quiet with Blackcap munk, Bullfinch dompap and a selection of other late autumn migrants present.
Breivik held a late Golden Plover heilo, Waxwings sidensvans, a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a few Meadow Pipit heipiplerke along with small flocks of the usual thrushes.
The terrace produced Goldfinch stillits, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and the usual.
A Firecrest rødtoppfuglekonge was reported from Hernar (where I would have normally gone) and the same birders picked up two Grey Phalarope polarsvømmesnipe at Sæle. This latter find prompted an afternoon boat trip but apart from all the usual Black Guillemot teist, Long-tailed Duck havelle, Common Scoter svartand, 30 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt etc the only bird of interest was a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker.
On Friday 27th October I opted for an all dayer on Hernar. Plenty of species and something going on most of the time without any real rarities. In a Hernar context the best bird was a Yellowhammer gulspurv - only the third for the island. Other stuff included a late Wheatear steinskvett, Water Rail vannrikse, several Blackcap munk, Little Auks alkekonge, a skulky Chiff-chaff gransanger feeding in the grass, eight Twite bergirisk and the usual thrushes, finches etc. Around 45 species all in.
The next day I did my usual round at Herdlevær, some good sized Fieldfare gråtrost flocks on the move and several large Crossbill korsnebb flocks flying over. A fair bit passing over the sea including several Little Auk alkekonge, a few Velvet Scoter sjøorre, two Great Northern Diver islom, a Peregrine vandrefalk and more. A typical late autumn morning in other words.
A small flock of Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb were seen at Hatten on the way home and an afternoon fishing trip near Sture produced more Little Auk alkekonge, a Goshawk hønsehauk, a flock of 20 Waxwing sidensvans flying over and a Woodcock rugde among other things.
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