Øygarden 29.01- 0.02.2025 - Playing catch-up

Having spent some time in Oslo it was great to be back in Øygarden from a birding point of view - Oslo has some birds but in my day to day life there it is hard to find the time to get out to where they are. One of the main advantages of where I live is that "incidental" birding is just so much better. Going outside on my terrace or a trip to the shops is just so much more productive.

Quite a few birds turned up after a storm whilst I was away so it was a case of trying to catch up on stuff I had missed.

I arrived home after dark on 28.01. The following day I was stuck in meetings almost the entire day but managed to sneak out for an hour after work. Only a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and a flock of 25 Siskin grønnsisik from the house along with couple of Shags toppskarv that provided some interest by catching stuff. The long-staying Greylag grågås flock at Sæle gave a local new for the year. A flock of 22 Fieldfare gråtrost, two Redwing rødvingetrost, six Starling stær and eight Goldfinch stillits were also present here.

Fieldfare gråtrost at Sæle

2cy Shag toppskarv from my terrace

Shag toppskarv finally managed to swallow its catch - a Sea Scorption ulke.

The two long-staying Little Grebes dvergdykker were still present at Dåvøy.

On 30th January I managed a couple of hours out in a boat in pretty good conditions. Unsurprisingly this resulted in several new species for the year locally including Razorbill alke, Little Auk alkekonge and Guillemot lomvi. Black Guillemot teist were rather obvious with around 15 seen. A flock of over 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a few Oystercatcher tjeld , at least 12 White-tailed Eagle havørn and a Great Northern Diver islom were among the other sightings.

Guillemot lomvi near Hellesøy

After work I headed out again following a message about an albifrons White-fronted Goose tundragås at Breivik. I connected with this and picked up a male Tufted Duck toppand on Husvatnet on the way home.

albifrons Whitefront tundragås at Breivik

Friday 31st was a particularly frustrating day as the weather was just fantastic. After work (thank goodness the days are getting longer!) I popped in at Tjeldstø for a few minutes, here a Turnstone steinvender was new for the year. Four Purple Sandpiper fjærplytt, a Long-tailed Duck havelle and one of last year's White-tailed Eagle havørn all showed well, if rather distantly in the scope.

After this I kicked off the year's fishing with a 4.5kg Cod torsk , a decent haul of Whiting hviting and a squid.

On 1st February I took my first trip to Skogsøy where a Great Northern Diver islom gave point blank views as it flew south moments after I sat down. Things were generally rather quiet but a Kittiwake krykkje heading north, a Gannet havsule heading south and a single Little Auk alkekonge meant it was not a complete waste of time.

3cy White-tailed Eagle havørn at Skogsøy - one of four White-tailed Eagle seen at this locality.

The way home produced a couple of Mute Swan knoppsvane at Sture (still not a common bird in northern Øygarden) and eight Collared Dove tyrkedue at Oen.

Mute Swans knoppsvane at Sture - probably the same bird that turned up at Hellesøy in December.

Oslo 19.01-26.01.2025

 A walk at Bygdøy down to Huk on 19th January gave the usual suspects including the wintering flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt and a few Woodpigeon ringdue. Best birds were a Goshawk hønsehauk and a male Goosander laksand that flew over.

On 22.01 I headed to the office and used my lunch break to scan the sea at Fornebu. A few Scaup bergand, a lone Guillemot lomvi and a flock of at least 250 Velvet Scoter sjøorre were the best birds.

Other than that I wasn't out at all and managed just a Peregrine vandrefalk and a couple of flyover Raven ravn from the flat. My terrace back west is somewhat more productive....

On 25th January we did a walk around Malmøya in Oslo. Some interesting habitat there that might just have some potential at other times of year but nothing noteworthy seen at all.

The following day I took the boat out to Gressholmen and, as usual, there was something to see. A male Goosander laksand was probably the best bird, at least 240 Goldeneye kvinand fed quite close in until they were scared off by kayaks. A couple of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and two Greylags grågås put in an appearance.

Oslo 12.01-18.01.2025 - A week in the east

My first birding in Oslo was predictably to Gressholmen. Highlight here were a few Waxwing sidensvans feeding on rowan berries. To take some pictures I had to take off my gloves and rucksack which were immediately inspected closely by a Great Tit kjøttmeis before it joined the Waxwings.

Otherwise good numbers of Goldeneye kvinand and Herring Gulls gråmåke feeding in the area and a flock of 50 Velvet Scoter sjøorre off Nakkholmen.

Great Tit kjøttmeis

Waxwing sidensvans

A quick stroll in the Botanic Gardens on the way home produced the usual suspects including a Hawfinch kjernebiter and a flyover Goshawk hønsehauk.

I was working and/or ill the rest of the week without getting out of the house at all. A Sparrowhawk spurvehauk almost caught the Blackbird svarttrost that lives in the back yard and would probably have caught it had it not been for a Magpie skjære that intervened.

Here showing the "fake eyes" on the back of the head

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

Feeling rather better on 18.01 we took a walk in downtown Oslo finding a singing Dipper fossekall, a Wigeon brunnakke and a Cormorant storskarv. Walking home through the Botanic Gardens produced a Brambling bjørkefink among the usual species there. 

Cormorant storskarv

Dipper fossekall

Wigeon brunnakke

Øygarden 09.01-11.01.2025 - Finches on the move / WB Diver

On 9th January I managed about an hour looking for stuff in the very north of Øygarden. Flocks of Siskin grønnsisik, a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin here and there, a Great Northern Diver islom and of course some White-tailed Eagles havørn were all that I managed to find of any note.

The terrace produced Oystercatcher tjeld, a Great Northern Diver islom in the bay and two more offshore, a distant Peregrine vandrefalk, the Starling stær again and the first House Sparrow gråspurv in the garden for 2025.

Mergansers siland photographed from my terrace

Starling stær visiting my feeders - it has concentrated on my peanut feeder.

The following day 20 minutes at Sæle gave decent telescope views of the first White-billed Diver gulnebblom of the year, a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, two small flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a few Black Guillemot teist and the usual.

The terrace did quite well again with a couple each of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, Oystercatcher tjeld, a Great Northern Diver islom heading north, a hunting Sparrowawk spurvehauk and all the usual garden visitors.

Oystercatcher tjeld on the shore in front of my house - this has been one of the better winters for overwintering birds.

On 11th January it was time to leave again but I popped in at Dåvøy and Tjeldstø before I left. Actually getting out of the car at Dåvøy produced Redpoll gråsisik, Siskin grønnsisik, Chaffinch bokfink, a Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and all the usual tits including a couple of Crested Tit toppmeis. A look at the sea here also produced a nice Slavonian Grebe horndykker.

Tjeldstø was relatively quiet but Redpoll gråsisik here too, four White-tailed Eagle havørn, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and the usual.

More Redpoll gråsisik from the terrace along with more Siskins grønnsisik definitely gives the impression that finches are moving down the coast.

There have been two Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy the last few days

First photo of the day - with settings still on sunny conditions from yesterday. Could have been a decent shot but I didn't hang around

One of last year's youngsters at Tjeldstø where there were two adults and two 2cy birds present

Øygarden 06-08.01.2025 - Winter starting to bite

I thought I would try harder to keep reporting and this blog updated more regularly this year but am already struggling despite barely being out at all.

With wintery conditions persisting some sensitive species are being pushed into areas where they don't normally show. On 6th January I drove to the shops and stopped for a few seconds a couple of times resulting in Water Rail vannriske, Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin and not much else.

The garden / terrace continues to produce some new species for the year in the form of Goldfinch stillits (a flock of 12) and a few Tree Sparrow pilfink. Blackbird svarttrost numbers in the garden continue to increase as heavy snow cover and freezing temperatures take their toll. A male Brambling bjørkefink also turned up on my feeders and a second year Kittiwake krykkje did a nice fly past - I had to go back inside to get my camera and change the battery so only managed a couple of shots as it flew away.

Goldfinch stillits in the garden

Kittiwake krykkje from the terrace

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin wishing it had migrated instead of attempting to overwinter

Water Rail vannriske

On 7th January I left for a work trip to Haugesund in the morning but picked up a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre at Harkestad along the way. Goldfinch stillits in the garden again before I left along with some Siskin grønnsisik that did not come into the garden but fed on pine cones nearby.

I returned on 8th January just before the light went, picking up a different Water Rail vannrikse and came home to find a Starling stær among the hordes of birds in my garden.

Øygarden 04.01-05.01.2025 - Snow stops play

What is probably the most snow I have seen in Øygarden starting falling on the afternoon of 03.01 and continued through much of 04.01. The 5th January seemed very promising with nice calm and clear conditions until early afternoon when the snow started again.

There are still plenty of birds around but with all the parking areas snowed in and walking in the terrain simply exhausting it would be better to stick with drive-bys at places viewable from the road. However, this is not my chosen style unless I'm strapped for time.

Obviously a lot of species now having a hard time of it with larger numbers of Blackbirds svarttrost and Robins rødstrupe coming into gardens. Larger numbers of Chaffinch bokfink than usual have been noticable since late December.

Woodcock rugde and Snipe enkeltbekkasin must now be struggling - I've not been going into likely areas in order to avoid disturbance.

On 4th January a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk hunting over the garden was the first of the year. Walking from the house produced my first Tree Sparrows pilfink of the year at Nordvik where there were good numbers of Chaffinch bokfink and the usual garden visitors. Other than that just a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn from the terrace and a small flock of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb near Hatten.

On 5th January I managed to get parked at Herdlevær and attempted my usual round, however, thigh deep snow in places along with rocks/ice etc under the snow meant that I cut this short. I did manage my first Siskins grønnsisik of the year and a flock of 35 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt. Plenty of Chaffinch bokfink here too along with a lone Brambling bjørkefink.

After this we headed out with the intentions of a walk along a road or footpath somewhere but snow started and reduced visibility to nothing again. All was not lost though as the Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy showed up again after some days absence.

Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy

Øygarden 02.01-03.01.2025 - Winter!!

Strong northerly winds and a lot of snow put something of a brake on things 02.01 but unsurprisingly a number of new species for the year - most of them from my kitchen window. I set my scope up inside and checked a few times for a few minutes during the course of the day - this resulted in Great Northern Diver islom, Curlew storspove, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in the garden (rather than on the shore), a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld and some Kittiwake krykkje heading north. 

Away from the house I managed Woodcock rugde, Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost, a Common Gull fiskemåke, a few White-tailed Eagle havørn and the usual.

On 3rd January the weather was even worse, I had my car in for a service and work came back with a vengeance after the Christmas break. A Horned Grebe horndykker turned up off the terrace to save the day and a short trip out to pick my car up again produced a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Brambling bjørkefink.

Slavonian Grebe / Horned Grebe horndykker at Nautnes

Øygarden 30.12-2024- 01.01.2025 - New Year's Bird Race

 I kicked off the New Year's birdrace with a trip to Skogsøy with a view to picking up otherwise hard to get species. In other words, not to get the most species but a few of the harder ones. This was largely unsuccessful but 47 Kittiwake krykkje heading south during the hour I sat out there was a good number for the time of year. Other than this the seawatching produced just a Little Auk alkekonge and a Black Guillemot teist. Other birds at Skogsøy included a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, two Great Northern Diver islom and the usual.

I popped in at a few localities on the way home without seeing anything remarkable. Just under 30 species seen.

On the last day of 2024 I started with one of my daughters at Dåvøy picking up Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, Red-throated Diver smålom, Great Northern Diver islom, a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, the long-staying Little Grebe dvergdykker and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits along with most of the usual stuff. A good start to the day. After this I covered Heggøy which produced only a Common Scoter svartand and then Solberg which gave Gannet havsule, another White-tailed Eagle havørn and a small flock of Eider ærfugl.

Next up was Alvheim which was rather disappointing with just three White-tailed Eagle havørn and not a lot else. However, two Bullfinch dompap turned up just as I left - rarely an easy species in Øygarden:)

I finished up at Hjelme with a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a Fieldfare gråtrost and a White-tailed Eagle havørn robbing a Heron gråhegre of its catch. By this time the weather had turned - with snow in the air it was a sign that winter was seriously on its way.

The first day of 2025 started at Hjelme Vest under, mildly put, less than ideal conditions. So little on the sea other than a flock of 30 Long-tailed Duck havelle and a couple of Black Guillemot teist. Only one White-tailed Eagle havørn but at least 40 Kittiwake krykkje feeding offshore. Tjeldstø was next stop with just a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin in addition to the usual suspects. Bird of the day was Woodcock rugde with birds seen almost everywhere I went.

After returning home my terrace continued to produce with a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and Bullfinch dompap among the species seen.

In total I saw 47 species in Øygarden during the three days of the bird race, without actually going for a high number of species, with focus on the harder ones in a county context.

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Tjeldstø

In the evening the Northern Lights kicked off big time - affording some decent photo opportunities from my terrace.

Northern Lights from my terrace in the evening