Øygarden 08 October 2007

Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger, Herdlevær. Click image for larger version

Willow Tit granmeis

Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett at Tjeldstø (click on image for larger version)

North westerly winds and a succesion of showers meant things didn't look too promising. However, this was far from the truth as a few hours birding produced some good birds.

Started off at Tjeldstø where a newly arrived Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett showed quite well. Other birds included Jay nøtteskrike, small numbers of Crossbill grankorsnebb, a Sparrowhawk spurvhauk and plenty of Redwing rødvingtrost in the fields.

Moving on to Herdlevær the undoubted highlight was a Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger which may have been a new bird as the area has been searched at least twice without result since the last one....other stuff included a Peregrine vandrefalk and a huge flock of Blue Tit blåmeis - numbering at least 60. Some of the irrupting Willow Tit granmeis are still about but numbers have dropped considerably with no large flocks present.

Øygarden 06 October 2007

A short stroll at Tjeldstø produced a few of the recent irruptive migrants including a Jay nøtteskrike and a Nuthatch spettmeis. Otherwise just a few Wigeon brunnakke and a couple of Lapwing vipe.

A quick look at Herdlevær produced a cracking Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger which called a few times. However, generally fewer birds around here than of late....

Herdlevær 02 October 2007

One of many Goldcrest fuglekonge at Herdlevær
Two migrating Nuthatch spettmeis

Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin going to ground...

Generally not as much about as the previous visit but far from dead. Best bird was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin. Other stuff on the move included a few Nuthatch spettmeis, a small flock of Brambling bjørkefink and most of the usual suspects including a Sparrowhawk spurvhauk.

Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett reported near Kollsnes.

Small numbers of Crossbill korsnebb and Twite bergerisk flying over at Tjeldstø

Hellesøy 01 October 2007

Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis - damn that leaf!

One of four Twite bergirisk today

The highlight of a short afternoon stroll at Hellesøy was a nice flock of Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis, unfortunately rather difficult to photograph. A small flock of Twite bergirisk were also present.

Other stuff included small numbers of Willow Tit granmeis also on the move, a small flock of Velvet Scoter sjøorre and a couple of Curlew storspove.

Herdlevær 30 September 2007

Record shot of Grey Wagtail vintererle at Breivik

Great weather once agai, although overcast at times. Plenty of activity today with highlights being a couple of Lapland Bunting lappspurv, a Shoveler skjeand and a flock of Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis.

Peregrine vandrefalk, a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and large flocks of Willow granmeis and Blue Tit blåmeis moving through.

A Grey Wagtail vinterle at Breivik was another decent bird.

Skogsøy 29 September 2007

Willow Tit granmeis

The third day of calm and sunny (almost wrote "nice" there!) weather in a row so therefore not much activity over the sea, just a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås, couple of Great Northern Diver islom and several Velvet Scoter sjøorre heading south.

Willow Tit granmeis still very much in evidence.

Tjeldstø 28 September 2007

Not out birding and therefore managed to clinch species #150 from the house in the form of a Nuthatch spettmeis - thanks to the current movement of otherwise mundane woodland birds that are uncommon out here at the coast.

Other stuff included a flcok of 17 Jays nøtteskrike flying over the garden, 15+ Willow tit granmeis moving through and a flock of at least 12 Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis.

Other migrants included a couple of flocks of Skylark sanglerke, a few Red-throated Diver smålom and at least one Snow Bunting snøspurv. All without leaving the house...

Øygarden 27 September 2007

Black-throated Diver storlom
Black-throated Diver storlom (right hand bird) - click picture for slightly larger image

The head and beak shape along with the bigger feet are good ID clues

Eurasian Teal krikkand "hitching a ride" among a flock of Cormorant

Started the day in FANTASTIC weather at Skogsøy. Higlight here was a good passage of Cormorants storskarv with 760 in two hours and another 200+ whilst I made my way back to the car. Unfortunately an idiotic camera setting mistake meant that even the best pictures were little more than record shots....

Good birds included three Great Northern Diver islom heading north, including an adult still in breeding plumage. Several Red-throated Diver smålom and a single Black-throated Diver storlom (uncommon out here at the coast).


Fifteen Barnacle Geese hvitkingås joined a migrating flock of Cormorant whilst a pale-bellied Brent Goose ringgås decided to go it alone. A single Black Guillemot teist was the first for a while.


Pick of the passerines was a Nuthatch spettmeis - a Skogsøy first for me! Thus continuing the trend of "unusual" woodland birds currenlty on the move, Willow tits granmeis and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett were also seen. More conventioanally interesting species included Grey Wagtail vinterle, a small flock of Twite bergerisk (a species becoming rarer and rarer each year....) and some small flocks of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Back at Tjeldstø five Jay nøtteskrike headed over the house....along with the much more usual White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Skogsøy 25 September 2007

Some impressive waves today....(click for larger version)

Herring Gull gråmake with pipefish havnål

Gannet havsule battling against the wind

Crap picture of two Pale-bellied Brents ringgås

Extremely difficult conditions today with a southerly gale whipping up salt spray which coated lenses and everything else too....

A few hours in the middle of the day produced 5 Red-throated Diver smålom heading south, a Great Skua storjo, two hrota (Pale-bellied) Brent Geese ringgås, a couple of Northern Fulmar havhest and about 40 Gannets havsule.

The only passeriens of interest were some Willow Tit granmeis - not a common species at Skogsøy and the first I have seen there for at least a couple of years....these birds are obviously on the move.

The best birds were probably two that got away - a99% certain Sabine's Gull and an interesting dark tern.

Tjeldstø 24 September 2007

Hopes were not high today - southerly gales and heavy rain made condtions rather difficult. However, never one to give up just because of the weather went out anyway. Nothing major, but a Peregrine vandrefalk saved the day and the first Sparrowhawk spurvhauk and Tufted Duck toppand of the autumn put in an appearance.

Plenty of Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin out in the reserve. Otherwise flocks of Redwings rødvingtrost, Fieldfare gråtrost and Blackbird svarttrost obviously wanting to be on the move....

Øygarden 22 September 2007

Woodpigeon ringdue feeding on unripe Elderberries

Just back from a flying visit to Falsterbo and no time for birding at all. However, obvious that things are happening with a number of unusual species seen during various activities I was invloved in during the day: at least one Jay notteskrike at Tjeldstø, a Nuthatch spettmeis (remarkably the first I have seen in Øygarden) near Nautnes and a few Willow Tit granmeis (not normally a common bird over much/most of Øygarden) near Rong.

Øygarden 17 September 2007

No birding recently but a flock of 34 Brent geese ringgås and three Velvet Scoter sjøorre heading south down Hjeltefjord indicated that things were on the move.

And indeed they were - a report of a Great Shearwater storlire from Svellingen had me out the door in no time. Hardly surprisingly no more passed during the half hour I managed in the field, but a Great Skua storjo, another 32 Brent Geese ringgås and a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom were worth the drive. Other species reported at Svellingen earlier in the day included a few Great Northern Diver islom and an Arctic Skua tyvjo.

Skogsøy 09 September 2007

Otters oter


Northern Gannet havsule

Highlight today was a family party of four otters oter which I just about managed to take a few pictures of.

Birdwise it was fairly quiet with the best bird being a Sooty Shearwater grålire heading north, there were a few other species of interest including a Shelduck gravand, a Great Skua storjo, the first few Red-throated Diver smålom of the autumn and waders including a couple of Turnstone steinvender and a Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove.

A Kestrel tårnfalk was also the first of the autumn.

Seawatching from Svellingen produced another Sooty Shearwater grålire later in the day, a Little Gull dvergmåke, 3-4 Arctic Skua tyvjo, a couple of Great Northern Divers islom and at least 60 "commic" tern.

Skogsøy 02 September 2007

Strong onshore winds and a succession of heavy showers made seawatching somewhat difficult.
A few hours in the middle of the day produced almost 60 Northern Fulmar havhest and around 80 Northern Gannet havsule heading north.

Other than that just a few Great Skua storjo knocking about and 26 Ruddy Turnstone steinvender flew south.

Tjeldstø 30-31 August 2007

Not birding at all but a Whimbrel småspove flew over on the evening of 30 August and Merlin dvergfalk sat on a neighbours tree on 31 August.

Tjeldstø 29 August 2007

Adult Arctic Tern rødnebbterne
Juvenile Arctic Tern rødnebbterne

A small flock of terns, largely Arctics rødnebbterne but with a few Common tern makrellterne with them taking advantage of the plentiful small fry in the area today.

Waderwise business as usual with a Greenshank gluttesnipe, a couple of Ruff brusfugl and a Turnstone steinvender as the best of the bunch. The other wader species were Curlew storspove, Golden Plover heilo, Ringed Plover sandlo and Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin.

Skogsøy 28 August 2007

Part of a flock of Ruff brusfugl at Breivik

Queit at Skogsøy today with the only birds of note three Great Skua storjo heading north and a Peregrine vandrefalk knocking around.

A flock of 11 Ruff brusfugl at Breivik on the way home...

Tjeldstø 27 August 2007

Greenshank gluttesnipe

A sinensis Cormorant mellomskarv on Husvatnet was yet more evidence that this sub-species is, or has been, grossly under recorded in Hordaland. The first two Wigeon brunakke of the autumn also turned up.

Small numbers of waders included a few Ruff brusfugl and a Greenshank gluttenipe,

Passerines flocking with some big flocks of Linnet tornirisk, Redpoll brunsisik and Meadow Pipit heipiplerke feeding in the area. A couple of Reed Bunting sivspurv were the first for a while.

Skogsøy 25 August 2007

Peregrine vandrefalk

A quiet yet productive day at Skogsøy - a couple of Sooty Shearwater grålire being the highlights. Other stuff included three Great Skua storjo and several Turnstone steinvender. Small numbers of Gannet havsule and only one Kittiwake krykkje....

Repeated views of at least one Peregrine vandrefalk, a White-tailed Eagle havørn. Passerine migration was represented by a couple of Wheatear steinskvett and the first Twite bergirisk flock (ca 20) of the autumn.

Tjeldstø 23 August 2007

Some of the Ruff brusfugl at Tjeldstø today

Back in the country again after a trip to Mallorca.

Calm and sunny conditions meant it was a pleasant walk around the reserve. Waders were the highlight with 13 Ruff brusfugl, four Golden Plover heilo, a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe, a Green Sandpiper skogsnipe, 14 Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a Lapwing vipe and a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe in the area.

Other species worth a mention were two Whinchat buskskvett, a Tree Pipit trepiplerke, two adult White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Great spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a very early Goldeneye kvinand. And a Carrion Crow svartkråke