I returned to Øygarden as the light went on 18 March to find the fields were FULL of migrants - big flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost, Fieldfare gråtrost, Blackbird svarttrost and Starling stær were EVERYWHERE. A new species for the year were a couple of Golden Plover heilo with them.
The following day I had a guiding trip and given the forecast of fresh southerly winds and rain I actually left Øygarden and did Herdla along and a quick look at my old haunts near Gullfjell. Just under 50 species noted during the course of the day. At Herdla a cracking 2cy White-billed Diver gulnebblom vied for top spot with a lovely male Lapland Bunting lappspurv. Four albifrons White-fronted Geese tundragås, a maleShelduck gravand, a flocks of Dunlin myrsnipe, Ringed Plover sandlo, Golden Plover heilo, Curlew storspove, all the usual seaduck, huge numbers of Skylark sanglerke, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and more meant this locality was a great success. Elsewhere Dipper fossekall, small numbers of Whoopers sangsvane, Goosander laksand and even a couple of "inland" Long-tailed Ducks havelle meant there was always something to see.
A business trip saw me leave Øygarden again on Wednesday morning but I did pick up the first local Black-headed Gull hettemåke of the year and a flock of around 20 Lapwing vipe on my way. Before I left a couple of Tree Sparrow pilfink turned up in my garden and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk flew over.
It was long after dark on Thursday before I returned and Friday was spent largely confined to the home office where a couple of Goldfinch stillits and a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke turned up in the garden. A trip to the shops produced the Stonechat svartstrupe pair at Kollsnes among other things.
On Saturday 23 March I took the morning off and did my usual round at Herdlevær and visited both Breivik and Tjeldstø.
Other than a Rook kornkråke Herdlevær did not produce any surprises. Breivik produced two Rook kornkråke and two Jackdaw kaie. Nearby at Kollsnes a flock of 23 Skylark sanglerke was a good number for these parts. Tjeldstø held couple of pairs of Teal krikkand, singing Song Thrush måltrost, displaying Curlew storspove and more.
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