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.

Skogsøy 02 January 2019 - A day too late.....

Strong northerly winds gradually dropping during the day.

The first new species for the year was a Curlew storspove flying over my house whilst I was outside repairing my storm damaged bird feeder. Blue tits blåmeis could now also fly and reach my other feeders....

A late trip to Skogsøy produced the goods before I even started seawatching and was a species I looked for specifically yesterday as the weather conditions dictated that they must be around - a first winter Glaucous Gull polarmåke headed north with other gulls as part of a return movement of birds displaced by yesterday's storm. Among other new for the year were a Starling stær and several Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Mammals seen were the predictable Otter oter in front of the house and a nice (but lonely) Orca spekkhogger heading north at Skogsøy.

Øygarden 01 March 2018 - Cracking weather unless you have a long probing bill

Freezing calm and sunny.

Fantastic weather for humans, less so for those creatures who like to find their food in the upper layer of the soil. Calm and sunny but frozen. It did not feel cold but it never got warm enough to thaw much even in the middle of the day.

Took a lazy walk at Skogsøy but the lagoons which were the target area today were pretty much frozen. Just a couple of Whoopers sangsvane along with the usual duck. Over the sea a solitary Gannet havsule, a single White-tailed Eagle havørn and not a lot else were to be seen.

Fieldfare gråtrost

Redwing rødvingetrost

Starling stær - probably a returning migrant and quite possibly the only time this year I will bother photographing this rather photogenic species.

A drive-by at Herdlevær gave perhaps the best photographic opportunities of the day with Starling stær, Redwing rødvingetrost and Fieldfare gråtrost feeding on a patch of ground that looked like it had a chance of thawing.

Snipe enkeltbekkasin are having a hard time of things now

Most of the Whooper sangsvane family

Whoopers sangsvane

Tjeldstø was rather better with a family of Whoopers sangsvane, at least two Woodcock rugde, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a fly-over Greylag grågås and many of the usual suspects.

Another Woodcock rugde turned up very close to my house at Nautnes. They will start dying very soon if the weather remains as cold as is forecast.....

Øygarden 08 March 2017 - No Cropping!

Rather more wintery today with a fresh SE breeze and light snowfall from late morning onwards.

Didn't get out in any meaningful way at all today and had to make do with a 15 minute walk with the dog at Nautnes and a couple of drive-bys whilst running errands.

Starling stær outside the house

The day started with the first Starling stær I've seen from the house this year - and as usual I've realised I STILL haven't put some nestboxes up for them as I think I will find time to do every year.

As with the following images this is not cropped! Just shows what cracking views I had of this often difficult to photograph species,

This last shot was taken with my superzoom

Video of the same bird.

Yesterday's Snipe enkeltbekkasin were still present but worryingly were being harassed by a Magpie skjære today.

At Breivik there was a flock of at least 30 Starling stær and a couple of Skylark sanglerke.

Otherwise just a few White-tailed Eagles havørn, Crested Tits toppmeis and many of the usual suspects,

Hellesøy 18 December 2013

Another day of strong winds....

At Hellesøy there was little to be seen other than a couple of Starlings stær and two Mealy Redpoll gråsisik.

Starling stær

Cormorant storskarv

No white-winged gulls today....

Back home at Nautnes a Curlew storspove and the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn provided more interest

Tjeldstø 31 March 2013 - More arrivals

Sunny at first, clouding over later. Southerly winds.

Golden Plover heilo

Starling stær

Whoopers sangsvane

A stroll around the reserve produced the first Golden Plover heilo in Hordaland this year. Small numbers of Teal krikkand were the first I have seen this year but have been in the area for more than a week. Another new bird in was a Curlew storspove which displayed over Husvatnet.

Several Whoopers sangsvane on Husvatnet and most of the usual suspects also seen.

In the afternoon family errands resulted in the first Yellowhammer gulspurv of the year near Sture

Tjeldstø 18 March 2013

Strong easterly and feeling very cold.

Just time for the quickest of walks at Tjeldstø.

Best bird was a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk which caused some mayhem among the gulls.

Peregrine vandrefalk

 Starlings stær

Otherwise just more of the same and a further increase in numbers of Starling stær and Blackbird svarttrost.

Tjeldstø 09 December 2012

Southerly winds and snow - clearing up nicely after I came home.

Goshawk hønsehauk

 Struggling with gloves meant this photo is nothing like as good as it should have been...

 Both Snipe enkeltbekkasin chose to creep away rather than fly today

Starling stær

Strolled around the reserve and had a decent enough day given the conditions. Highlights were a Goshawk hønsehauk, a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin, two Redwing rødvingetrost and a Starling stær.