Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Skogsøy 26 March 2024 - Best Oystercatcher count since 2003....

Calm and sunny

With winds dropping and generally good conditions I thought it may be a good migration day. I was not wrong:) Highlight of four hours of seawatching was my best Oystercatcher tjeld count since 2003 with over 1600 heading north. A Merlin dvergfalk headed the same way as did 12 Shelduck gravand. Smaller numbers of the usual early spring stuff also on the move. Unusually there were more Shag toppskarv flying the "wrong" way (ie. north) than normal at this time of year.

A Dunnock jernspurv singing on the way out to the lookout was the first of the year and a Common Crossbill grankorsnebb was the first I've seen for a few weeks. Redwings rødvingetrost have now also joined the dawn chorus - first I've heard singing after the huge arrival last week.


Red throated Diver smålom N 2

Great Northern Diver islom S 1

Northern Gannet havsule N 2, S 1

Great Cormorant storskarv N 27, S 2

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 68, S 96 Uusally high number heading north today

Greylag Goose grågås N 11

Shelduck gravand N 12 A flock of 10 came swimming past before taking off and flying north

Eider ærfugl N 3, S 3

Long tailed duck havelle S 2

Common Scoter svartand N 9

Merganser siland N 8, S 7

Oystercatcher tjeld N 1626 My highest count since 2003. Wish I could have stayed longer:)

Eurasian Curlew storspove N 10

Common Gull fiskemåke N 217

Common Guillemot lomvi N 11

Razorbill alke N 18

Black Guillemot teist S 1

Atlantic Puffin  lunde N 2

Auk N 48, S 5

Merlin dvergfalk N 1

Common Scoter svartand (male on the left)




Oystercatcher tjeld were pouring past today.

Shags toppskarv heading south

...and Shags toppskarv heading north

Migrating Shelduck gravand





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