Øygarden 07-08 March 2026 - Grey-headed Woodpeckers in the mood?

Having been away all week with a work thing I spent most of 7th March out and about. The day started calm and foggy - so no good for sewatching. I headed to Hjelme where I frustratingly had what was probably the second Mistle Thrush duetrost of the year. But a pair of Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett seemingly inpsecting potential nest sites was a welcome distraction. Let's hope they stay:)

A few hours out and about with #2 daughter gave the first Song Thrush måltrost of the year at Tjeldstø, the first Lapwings vipe at Kollsnes and Tjeldstø and a nice selection of the usual suspects. On my way home three female Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes were nice to see, although far from as sensational as the ongoing influx in the east of Norway where this species is rather more uncommon.

Male and female Grey-headed Woodpeckers gråspett

This video is worth watching to the end. Then it becomes understandable why the woodpecker seemed to be just staring at the pole for no good reason:)

Lapwings vipe at Kollsnes

Otherwise a noticable increase in the number of Greylags grågås, Oystercatcher tjeld and Starling stær and small numbers of Fieldfare gråtrost around. A look at the sea at Sæle gave 42 Long-tailed Duck havelle, a Velvet Scoter sjøorre, 11 Common Scoter svartand and several Black Guillemot teist, now starting to turn black.

On 8th March I decided to give Skogsøy a go but the visiblity was too poor for any meanigful seawatching. A Shelduck gravand was the only migrant of note. A Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke was back at the usual breeding spot and another early Song Thrush måltrost sang here too.

The drive to Skogsøy before the sun came up gave Tawny Owl kattugle and quite a lot of birdsong - largely Robins rødstrupe and Blackbirds svarttrost but also Wren gjerdesmett giving it a go.

I popped in at a few places on the way home - some more signs of spring without anything special, Chaffinch bokfink at places I haven't seen them at during the winter, a couple of migrating Skylark sanglerke at Hjelme.

Skylarks sanglerke at Hjelme