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.