Herdlevær 16 October 2011 - Short-eared Owls and the one that might have got away

Strong southerly winds yet again.

First bird was a pipit seen and heard calling - sound "off" for Tree Pipit trepiplerke and very likely to have been an Olive-backed Pipit sibirpiplerke. Having checked the field guides and "Calls of Eastern Vagrants" the call was absolutely spot on - less hoarse and less drawn out than Tree Pipit - but who dares claim OBP on call.....? Unfortunately I did not manage to find it again.

 Above and below: Short-eared Owl jordugle

 Chiff-chaff gransanger

 Shag toppskarv

Part of a flock of Common Scoter svartand

Best of the rest were four Short-eared Owls jordugle sheltering from the wind - sightings of multiple owls are virtually unheard of in Øygarden so these put a nice Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger into second place.

Other migrants included the first Woodcock rugde of the autumn, two Wheatear steinskvett, a Dunlin myrsnipe, a couple of Blackcaps munk and a Chiff-chaff gransanger.

All in all an excellent few hours birding....

Tjeldstø 15 October 2011

Barely out.

Four Greylags grågås and two Lapwing vipe beside Husvatnet were the first here for some time. Otherwise just the usual selection of thrushes, Brambling bjørkefink etc.

A Little Grebe dvergdykker and two Common Scoter svartand were seen on Rotevatnet earlier in the day.

Herdlevær 09 October 2011 - Bad weather, good birds

A howling southerly gale and torrential rain meant conditions were difficult today.

My so-called waterproff Paramo gear failed miserably to keep me dry but the first Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin of the year was ample compensation for any discomfort. A male Ring Ousel ringtrost was another bonus bird whilst a Short-eared Owl jordugle was blown in off the sea and sat on the rocks for a short while before being blown away again.

Record shot of Short-eared Owl jordugle

 Redwings rødvingetrost feeding on rowan berries

Loads of thrushes about with hundreds of Redwings rødvingetrost and smaller numbers of Fieldfare gråtrost, Blackbird svarttrost and Song Thrush måltrost. Small flocks of Brambling bjørkefink also sheltering in the bushes.

Herdlevær 03 October 2011 -Yellow-broweds

An hour spent at Herdlevær produced two Yellow-broweds gulbrynsanger as the best birds.

 Above and below: record shots of one of the Yellow-broweds

Other migrants included Goldcrests fuglekonge, a couple of Blackcap munk and a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe.

Tjeldstø 02 October 2011 - sibes

Light NW wind, very pleasant conditions.

Barely out of the garden before a Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke flew over calling repeatedly. Always a good start to the day....A Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger also put in a very vocal appearance a little down the road.

 Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke

Tree Sparrows pilfink

 

Lots of birds, largely finches and thrushes on the ground were already moving on as I did the rounds. A couple of lateish Swallows låvesvale fed over the marshes and other sightings included a migrant Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett, a Blackcap munk, a Chiff-chaff gransanger and a flock of 16 Tree Sparrows pilfink.

At least 10 Snipe enkeltbekkasin about but only a few Golden Plover heilo.

Skogsøy 01 October 2011

Frash southerly, sunny but hazy over the sea.

 Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

 Arctic Tern rødnebbterne

 Oiled Gannet havsule

 Steady passage of Gannets havsule today - part of plock pictured here

Common Gulls fiskemåke were obviously migrating

A good migration day, most passerines passing inland of the lookout. A little over two hours seawatching around dawn proved that southbound migration was in full swing. At least four Kestrel tårnfalk, two Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, three Red-throated Diver smålom, an Arctic Tern rødnebbterne, the first Black-headed gull hettemåke for some time, a couple of Grey Plover tundralo, a Turnstone steinvender, a Tree Pipit trepiplerke and at least 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke were the best sightings. A single Great Skua storjo headed north.

Other birds included over 170 Gannet havsule, 105 Cormorant storskarv, 80 Common Gull fiskemåke and a Wigeon brunnakke.

In the woods and overhead there were plenty of migrants with a Grey Wagtail vinterle the best of the bunch (first in Øygarden this year), many flocks of Chaffinch bokfink, plenty of Brambling bjørkefink and a few Reed Bunting sivspurv were among the passing flocks. Singles of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Ruff brushane were also noteworthy sightings on the way back to the car.

Barely a drive-by at Herdlevær produced the first Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett I've had this year.

Tjeldstø 30 September 2011

Light southerly and sunny.

 Adult male Wheatear steinskvett

Immature / female Wheatear steinskvett

An evening stroll around the reserve produced relatively little. A couple of Whetear steinskvett, two Twite bergirisk and a Kestrel tårnfalk were the best of what there was.

Herdlevær 29 September 2011 - Pinkfeet

Very strong southerlies, almost sunny.

Generally pretty quiet. Highlights were a flock of four Pinkfeet kortnebbgås flying south and a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk.

Waders were limited to a few Dunlin myrsnipe and a couple of Golden Plover heilo.

 Peregrine vandrefalk

 Above and below: Pinkfeet kortnebbgås

 Raven ravn

 Gannet havsule

 Cormorants storskarv

Common Gull fiskemåke

Migrant passerines included a Willow warbler løvsanger, a Wheatear steinskvett and a few flocks of Blue tit blåmeis.

Hernar 28 September 2011 - Nuthtach

Strong SW and very dull with occasional light showers.

Not exactly ideal conditions for Hernar but took the chance anyway. Plenty of birds about including a few potentially interesting things that got away....

Highlight was a migrant Nuthatch spettmeis - the first I have seen in Øygarden this year. Migrants included a couple of Blackcap munk, two Willow warbler løvsanger, a Chiff-chaff gransanger and three Siskin grønnsisik.

 Nuthatch spettmeis on Hernar -  perhaps there will be an irruption this year

 Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

Goldcrest fuglekonge at Hellesøy

Other sightings were around 40 Twite bergirisk, a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.

Herdlevær 27 September 2011

Strong south westerly, sunny at times.

A rather better day than yesterday on all counts.

Highlights were a Peregrine vandrefalk going after Common Gulls fiskemåke and a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe (starting to get quite late for this species).

 First year Peregrine vandrefalk and Common Gull fiskemåke

 Common Gull fiskemåke

 Dunlin myrsnipe and Ringed Plover sandlo

 Dunlin myrsnipe

 Golden Plover heilo

 Kestrel tårnfalk

intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke

Other stuff included a Kestrel tårnfalk, a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom, several Dunlin myrsnipe, a Ringed Plover sandlo, a couple of fly over Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and a male Blackcap munk.

Øygarden 26 September 2011 - wet and windy

Gale force southerly winds and rain - torrential at times. Conditions difficult to say the least.



At Solberg a few very dark looking Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke sheltered with other gulls on the islands.

Sæle produced a Grey Plover tundralo but otherwise just the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk etc.

A few Red-throated Diver smålom flew past the house later in the day - amazingly the first for Tjeldstø this year.

Øygarden 25 September 2011

Strong southerlies and overcast once again.

At Herdlevær star bird was a nice Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger but generally few migrants about.

A couple of Lapwing vipe at Breivik were the first I have seen for some time.

Other birds reported included a fly over Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke at Hellesøy and a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Sæle.

Herdlevær 24 September 2011

Southerly and overcast.

Waders included a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe, a Dunlin myrsnipe and some small flocks of Golden Plover heilo. A Common Tern makrellterne flew past - no doubt one of the last we will see this year.

A heavily oiled Gannet havsule dived into the sea after fish but did not manage to take off again - seemingly waterlogged.

A couple of Wheatear steinskvett, Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke and most of the usual suspects also seen.

 Above and below: Dunlin myrsnipe on the shore

 Oiled Gannet havsule looking rather worse for wear

Shag toppskarv shwoing off a fine "beer belly".

Later in the day a Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper and a Common Redstart rødstjert were seen.

Skogsøy 23 September 2011 - Onshore winds

With the wind firmly onshore since yesterday the only choise for a seawatcher was Skogsøy. However, as usual, onshore winds in autumn failed to produce the hoped for seabirds.

 Gannets havsule

For the first couple of hours there was at least plenty to see:

Gannet havsule S 166
Red-throated Diver smålom S 4
Great Skua storjo N 2
Kittiwake krykkje S 1
Guillemot lomvi S 3
Black Guillemot teist S 1
Arctic Tern rødnebbterne S 4

Other stuff included small numbers of the usual waders, some distant auks, a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and a Peregrine vandrefalk giving chase to a Curlew storspove.

Migrant passerine included a feeding flock of Fieldfare gråtrost and a lone Wheatear steinskvett.

Tjeldstø 22 September 2011

Strong SW with a few short but heavy showers.

Little at Solberg, just the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn etc.

At Tjeldstø the highlight was the Grey Plover tundralo still in the reserve with around 20 Golden Plover heilo.
A flock of 30-40 Meadow Pipit heipiplerke also present together with a couple of Wheatear steinskvett.

Tjeldstø 21 September 2011

Strong southerly, mostly dry.

Checked Breivik breifly without anything much of interest.

 Part of a Golden Plover heilo flock

 Grey Plover tundralo

Raven ravn

At Tjeldstø around 60 Golden Plover heilo, a Grey Plover tundralo and four Ruff brushane were present. Other birds of note included a Peregrine vandrefalk and a Kestrel tårnfalk.

Øygarden 20 September 2011 - Richard's Pipit

Southwesterly wind, sunny after a wet start.

A late start to seawatching showed that I managed to catch the tail-end of some movement. Around 15 Red-throated Diver smålom, a flock of eight Pale-bellied Brents ringgås and a couple of Arctic Terns rødnebbterne all headed south along with a selection of waders and a small flock of Common Scoter svartand.

 View at Skogsøy

 Gannet havsule

 Herring Gull gråmåke

Ruff brushane at Tjeldstø

Whilst thinking about giving up and heading elsewhere a report of a Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke at Breivik meant there wasn't much to think about anymore. After a thorough search I gave up - only to hear (and see) it flying over.

Migrants at Herdlevær included a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper and a couple of Chiff-chaff gransanger.