Typically the weather turned just as I had some limited possibilities to get out and about.
On 16th September I did my Herdlevær walk in between work tasks - and got absolutely drenched. Normally my boots keep me warm and dry but this time I even ended up with wet feet from rain running down my legs on the inside of the boots! However, all was not lost - the drive to Herdlevær produced Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove, Curlew Sandpiper tundrasnipe and Ruff brushane among other things:)
Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove (with Ruff brushane and Meadow Pipit heipiplerke)
Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove / Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix)
Curlew Sandpiper tundrasnipe with Ruff brushane
Curlew Sand was a new species for this locality!
Curlew Sandpiper tundrasnipe
Ruff brushane
Herdlevær gave Peregrine vandrefalk, small numbers of waders, Wheatear steinskvett, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and so on.
The next day I did an all-dayer on Hernar. Conditions were about as bad as they can be with strong northerly winds and some heavy showers early on. However, this was my only chance to get out and I crossed my fingers that some of what had turned up during the last week or so might still be around. I struggled to get over 40 species but there were some migrants about with several Chiff-chaff gransanger, some Goldcrests fuglekonge, Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesanpper, Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper, Lapland Bunting lappspurv, a Tree Pipit trepiplerke and more. Given the conditions I was not disappointed and just glad to be out.
It looks like Hernar is going to become harder to get to - unsurprisingly there are now plans to cut down on the boat service. We need a massive increase in birding activity to keep the boat running. There should be increased services in the autumn at least!
Things did not look good at all for a day of looking for migrant passerines.....
...things did improve though - but the strong northerly wind only eased off just before I left
Kestrel tårnfalk
Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper
Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper
Robin rødstrupe
Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper.
On Friday 19th September I did a quick round at Herdlevær again - this time spending a massive 15 minutes with my scope whilst I ate my sandwiches - resulting in a flock of pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås heading south along with Red-throated Divers smålom and a Guillemot lomvi. Otherwise rather quiet but small numbers of various waders were present and a couple of Otters turned up.
The next day I finally also made it out to Skogsøy with a strong south westerly blowing. Just the usual here with no surprises with over 30 Red-throated Diver smålom, a few Kittiwakes krykkje, a single Black-headed Gull hettemåke and small numbers of various other gull species passing. Five Arctic Tern rødnebbterne were potentially the last of the autumn.
I checked Tjeldstø on the way home and just as I left a flock of geese came over, these were obviously interesting but I didn't confirm ID immediately. I raced after them as it looked like they would land at Ådnevika - they didn't but I managed better views and confirmed that they were indeed Bean Geese. Speeding onwards I headed to Breivik where I found them restless in the fields. I managed to get views in the scope and some photos - these were Taiga Bean Geese taigasædgås - potentially the biggest flock ever in Øygarden! Needless to say these proved a popular target for the Bergen based twitchers.
1cy Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Skogsøy
Taiga Bean Geese taigåsæedgås flying over Tjeldstø
Taiga Bean Geese taigåsæedgås in the fields at Breivik
Taiga Bean Geese taigåsæedgås almost landing at Ådnevika
With my mum visiting from the UK there was something of a reunion and I also ended up looking after a non-birding dog:) So, rather predictably, not much in the way of time in the field. Good migration conditions for most of the period and we did manage some short walks, drive-bys and of course my terrace provided for much of the interest.
Butterflies came into my garden in good numbers with up to 10 Red Admiral and a Painted Lady visiting simultaneously.
Jays nøtteskrike typically became more obvious with several sightings during the period, waders were moving through, increased numbers of Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett, a Willow Tit granmeis and Coal Tits svartmeis seem to be on the move - perhaps indications of something bigger going on.
I arrived back in Øygarden on the afternoon of 2nd September to find a small flock of Golden Plover heilo at Breivik.
Golden Plover heilo at Breivik
On 6th September things started to get frustrating with obvious migration seen from the terrace, including a flock of nine Common Crossbill grankorsnebb, Sparrowhawks spurvehauk, a Greenshank gluttsnipe and more seen.
An afternoon stroll at Tjeldstø the next day was more of the same with a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe dropping in briefly, a few Kestrels tårnfalk, flocks of Golden Plover heilo, Common Gulls fiskemåke and more heading south.
Stonechats svartstrupe and a couple of Whinchat buskskvett were the best sightings on 11th September but again visible migration was obvious with Golden Plover heilo and Kestrels tårnfalk passing.
Some rain on 12th September had an immediate effect with more Ruff brushane grounded. From the terrace Greenshank gluttsnipe, Peregrine vandrefalk , White-tailed Eagles havørn and more.
Ruff brushane at Breivik
Whinchat buskskvett at Kollsnes
Otter photographed from my terrace
White-tailed Eagles havørn from the terrace
On 13th September I managed to do my Herdlevær walk which produced two Merlin dvergfalk, good numbers of Golden Plover heilo and a few Stonechat svartstrupe before I even got there. The walk itself produced a Lapland Bunting lappspurv, small flocks of Teal krikkand and Wigeon brunnakke, a Lapwing vipe and small numbers of the usual waders.
Stonechats svartstrupe at Kollsnes
Teal krikkand, Dunlin myrsnipe and a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Herdlevær
Sunday 14th September was another productive day, the morning walk with the dog produced Willow Tit granmeis, Ruff brushane, Ringed Plover sandlo and more at Tjeldstø and a roadside Grey Wagtail vinterlerle on the way home.
A Collared Dove tyrkedue and a Chiff-chaff gransanger turned up in the garden and a walk at Sæle produced a nice selection of birds including Blackcaps munk, a Treecreeper trekryper, Chiff-chaff gransanger and more.
Collared Dove tyrkedue in the garden
Grey Wagtail vinterle near Nautnes - the first I have seen locally this year
Treecreeper trekryper at Sæle - the first I have seen in Øygarden this year!
On 15th we drove past a few places on the way to the airport. Very much the usual suspects with White-tailed Eagles havørn and more Stonechats svartstrupe seen.
A rather late Lapwing vipe - probably the same bird seen at Herdlevær a couple of days previously
A morning out with Oslo Birder on 27th August was just fantastic, out birding with another birder is magic:) We visited Årnestangen and Svellet and saw huge numbers of birds. Although things felt a bit quiet (at least on the passerine and raptor side of things) there was still plenty to see.
Årnestangen gave a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, an Osprey fiskeørn and a Marsh Harrier sivhauk along with a nice variety of waders which included six Little Stints dvergsnipe and a Temminck's Stint temminkssnipe. Passerines included Bluethroat blåstrupe, Whinchat buskskvett, Lesser Whitethroat møller, a flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis, Willow Tit granmeis and more.
Svellet was even more productive with 90 Cranes trane, around 1000 Teal krikkand, over 200 Ruff brushane, a couple of Black-tailed Godwit svarthelespove, a massive feeding frenzy of Cormorants storskarv and more.
On 30th August it was time to visit Gressholmen. This turned out to be a very nice visit with a Slavonian Grebe horndykker as the best bird. Also three Greenshank gluttsnipe, eight Dunlin myrsnipe, Common Sandpiper strandsnipe, an Oystercatcher tjeld and a Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper.
Good numbers of Eider ærfugl in Oslofjord:) Plenty of young mussel too so there should be plenty of food for them.
Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett
Just about record shot of Slavonian Grebe horndykker (seen well in the scope though!)
