Herdla 05 May 2022 - Off the reservation again

 Light southerly breeze, rain during the night clearing shortly after dawn.

Once again I went off the reservation and left Øygarden (twice in two months - starting to be a habit). A short guiding trip meant there was not really time to do anything else.

Herdla produced a few things of interest with the highlight being seven islandica Black-tailed Godwits svarthalespove. Another delightful sighting were two sets of Lapwing vipe chicks (2x3), great to see the work being done there paying off:)

A couple of hundred Golden Plover heilo, two Whimbrel småspove, five summer plumaged Dunlin myrsnipe and a selection of other waders were present, an adult White-tailed Eagle havørn did a fly-by and small numbers of Velvet Scoter sjøorre and Long-tailed Duck havelle were still on the sea there.

Getting on for 40 species noted, but there was not the time to cover even the usual route.

Although my camera largely stays in my rucksack when guiding I just had to take a few pics....

islandica Black-tailed Godwits svarthalespove coming in to land

Cracking summer plumaged Golden Plover heilo

Mum says "stop moving and hide, there are strange and potentially dangerous creatures nearby"

....and then keeps an eye on the kids and the danger

these three were sat under Dad but scattered when he stood up to feed

Unlike human offspring Lapwing chicks do what they are told by their parents immediately. When Mum says "sit still and hide" they do exactly that. Straight away:)

Tjeldstø and Dåvøy 04 May 2022 - Another "day off"

 Short drive-bys and breakfast at Tjeldstø were the birding activities today.

Tjeldstø was where I spent the most time (not saying much!) and thus produced the best birds. A Ring Ousel ringtrost fed out in the reserve with other thrushes. Lesser Whitethroat møller and Goldfinch stillits were among the other things seen here. It is really looking like Goldinch stillits are becoming a regular thing in the breeding season:) Another Goldfinch stillits at Nautnes too.

One of a few Redshank rødstilk at Dåvøy - I had actually gone there to check out a colour ringed Curlew storspove that was seen there. No sign of it unfortunately

Ring Ousel ringtrost with Fieldfare gråtrost at Tjeldstø

Golden Plover heilo here and there, some newly arrived Wheatear steinskvett and most of the usual species seen here and there.

A female Stonechat svartstrupe was seen briefly close to a suspected breeding locality:)

Skogsøy 03 May 2022 - Cheeky pre work seawatch pays off

 Another day of sun and light northerly breeze.

I rushed out to Skogsøy for a cheeky pre work seawatch and as such didn't stay anywhere near as long as I would have liked.

But it was yet again worth the effort with good numbers of both White-billed and Red-throated Divers. The most unusual sighting was a Pale-bellied Brent Goose (hrota) ringgås that headed south and was seen at the southern end of Øygarden some 45 minutes later. A very early record for this speces that usually passes at the end of May / early June. Several Arctic Tern rødnebbterne passed as did a couple of 2cy Great Northern Diver islom along with a selection of the usual suspects.

Most of the Eiders ærfugl on the move today were males. So maybe the few females are non-breeders?

Still small flocks of Oystercatcher tjeld heading north - WAY past peak time for these birds

Red-throated Divers smålom

A couple of White-billed Diver gulnebblom catch the dawn sun:)

All the White-billed Diver gulnebblom the last few days have been adults....

Between 05:45 and 10:00 I had the following:

Red throated Diver smålom N 802

Great Northern Diver islom N 2

White Billed Diver gulnebblom N 23

Northern Gannet havsule N 24, S 16

Great Cormorant storskarv N 2, S 3

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 8,S 21

Brent Goose ringgås S 1 (hrota)

Eider ærfugl N 10,S 9

Long tailed duck havelle N 4

Common Scoter svartand N 53,S 6

Merganser siland N 2

Oystercatcher tjeld N 22

Bar tailed Godwit lappspove N 1

Whimbrel småspove N 5

Common Gull fiskemåke N 9

Great black backed Gull svartbak S 4

Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje N 55

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne N 4

Common Guillemot lomvi N 2

Razorbill alke N 10

Tjeldstø 02 May 2022- Taking the day off / VJ is back

 Wind more from the west in the morning with some much needed drizzle/rain showers.

Took the day off and got some work out of the way:)

Despite that I still clocked up a couple of new species for the year - a singing Lesser Whitethroat møller close to the shop at Tjeldstø and several Arctic Terns rødnebbterne heading north past the terrace.

Other sightings included the usual breeding waders, White-tailed Eagle havørn, a resting Golden Plover heilo at Tjeldstø and a Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Breivik.

However, the best sighting today was something of a relief - VJ3 is back! I had heard rumours he may be still going strong and although I haven't actively been looking I have kept my eyes open. I first saw him in April 2018 and he has returned and raised (or at least hatched) young that year and ever since. He was accompanied by a mate and behaved very protectively. He was not reported last winter from anywhere but in previous years he has been sighted in Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands.

My old friend VJ3:)

None of the other neck ringed birds have been reported in Øygarden this year, but at least one was in Denmark in March:)

Skogsøy 01 May 2022 - Never Leave!

Light Northerly winds and sunny.

Another day, another cracking seawatch - along with a lesson we never learn: Never Leave.

1st May is traditionally a date where birders other than myself make the trek out to Skogsøy. A relatively poor turnout of just six birders sat and enjoyed a very decent passage of divers. We talked about the dangers of leaving but left anyway. One turned back and had an extra 21 WBD in just one hour!! This took the day total to 45 - so over 90 in JUST TWO DAYS!!!

I started seawatching at 0530, others joined shortly after 0600 and still others after that. Turning up early bags the variety as many species slow right down not long after dawn. Not the divers though, these normally reach a peak late morning / early afternoon. The hourly stats showed things definitely slowing down so we chose to leave. How wrong we were!

The totals for 0530-1300

Red throated Diver smålom N 1234

Great Northern Diver islom N 2 2K. +One adult feeding

White Billed Diver gulnebblom N 23 (+21 14:30-15:30!!) And an adult on the sea earlier on

Northern Gannet havsule N 47, S 2

Great Cormorant storskarv N 10, S 2

Eurasian Shag N 13, S 74

Shelduck gravand N 4

Mallard stokkand N 3

Eider ærfugl N 2

Common Scoter svartand N 63

Merganser siland N 48, S 2

Oystercatcher tjeld N 78

Dunlin myrsnipe N 1

Bar tailed Godwit lappspove N 1

Whimbrel småspove N 2

Eurasian Curlew storspove N 3

Black headed Gull hettemåke N 1

Common Gull fiskemåke N 175

Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje N 15

Common Guillemot lomvi N 1

Razorbill alke N 3

Black Guillemot teist N 2

Other species included 4 Teal krikkand resting on the sea and a hunting Merlin dvergfalk.

Before I left the house I heard the first Common Sandpiper strandsnipe of the year from my terrace.

A Bar-tailed Godwit lapppove joined a flock of Oystercatcher tjeld heading north - not a common bird during the spring migration

Common Gulls fiskemåke continue to pass in much smaller numbers with rather more non adult birds among them

A few Curlew storspove headed north - well past the peak now

A Dunlin mysnipe tagged along wth some much larger Oystercatcher tjeld

As usual Gannets havsule gave some good photo opportunities

Adult Great Northern Diver islom on the sea

...and the same bird with sunlight flashing off it's bill. Could easily be confused with another species based on a one off photo!

A good day for Mergansers siland - just under 50 passed

Some of the Red-throated Diver smålom came by at close range

...others didn't but made up for it by forming large flocks:)

Some obligatory heavily cropped WBD shots

Later in the afternoon some came a lot closer

A couple of Whimbrel småspove

Skogsøy 30 April 2022 - Skogsøy WBD record smashed!

 Light northerly winds and light cloud cover.

Late April and early May is traditionally the best time of year for migrating divers in Øygarden. It was with high hopes that I set off for Skogsøy very early in the morning.

I seawatched from 05:30 to 14:10 and by and large it was mega! Most expectations were fulfilled and then some! A truly massive 45 White-billed Diver gulnebblom - all cracking adults at superb scope range represented a Skogsøy best. Another fed on the sea. The supporting cast included 815 Red-throated Diver smålom, a Gadwall snadderand (a local scarcity), an adult Great Northern Diver islom, a decent passage of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås and a hunting Merlin dvergfalk. It was hard to leave as things were still going strong.

Two other seawatchers situated at Herdlevær sat for another 1.5 hours or so and clearly notched up another couple of WBD setting a new county record of 47!

A reasonable passage of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås today - at very varying ranges, some were dots on the horizon whilst others passed overhead.

Adult Great Northern Diver islom

Red-throated Divers smålom - the biggest single flock was 41 birds!

Cormorant storskarv with Shag toppskarv - sometimes it is crazy to see how these two can be confused!

A good movement of Tufted Duck toppand today

White-billed Divers gulnebblom - what late April is (almost) all about here in Øygarden.

Now for the numbers:

Red throated Diver smålom N 815

Great Northern Diver islom N 1 adult

White Billed Diver gulnebblom N 45 adult

Northern Gannet havsule N 21, S 2

Great Cormorant storskarv N 9, S 5

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 40, S 90

Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås N 776

Wigeon brunnake N 3

Gadwall snadderand N 1 (with a male Tufty)

Tufted Duck toppand N 16

Eider ærfugl N 3, S 4

Long tailed duck havelle N 25

Common Scoter svartand N 85, S 7

Velvet Scoter sjøorre N 5

Merganser siland N 23

Oystercatcher tjeld N 35, S 3

Black headed Gull hettemåke N 4

Common Gull fiskemåke N 170

Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje N 3

Common Guillemot lomvi N 7

Black Guillemot teist S 1

On my way home I checked up on the long-staying Coot sothøne which has been present for a week now - arriving on the day I left. A good local rarity:)

Coot sothøne - arguably a better bird than the WBDs and certainly many times rarer!