Øygarden 09.01-11.01.2025 - Finches on the move / WB Diver

On 9th January I managed about an hour looking for stuff in the very north of Øygarden. Flocks of Siskin grønnsisik, a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin here and there, a Great Northern Diver islom and of course some White-tailed Eagles havørn were all that I managed to find of any note.

The terrace produced Oystercatcher tjeld, a Great Northern Diver islom in the bay and two more offshore, a distant Peregrine vandrefalk, the Starling stær again and the first House Sparrow gråspurv in the garden for 2025.

Mergansers siland photographed from my terrace

Starling stær visiting my feeders - it has concentrated on my peanut feeder.

The following day 20 minutes at Sæle gave decent telescope views of the first White-billed Diver gulnebblom of the year, a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, two small flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a few Black Guillemot teist and the usual.

The terrace did quite well again with a couple each of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, Oystercatcher tjeld, a Great Northern Diver islom heading north, a hunting Sparrowawk spurvehauk and all the usual garden visitors.

Oystercatcher tjeld on the shore in front of my house - this has been one of the better winters for overwintering birds.

On 11th January it was time to leave again but I popped in at Dåvøy and Tjeldstø before I left. Actually getting out of the car at Dåvøy produced Redpoll gråsisik, Siskin grønnsisik, Chaffinch bokfink, a Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and all the usual tits including a couple of Crested Tit toppmeis. A look at the sea here also produced a nice Slavonian Grebe horndykker.

Tjeldstø was relatively quiet but Redpoll gråsisik here too, four White-tailed Eagle havørn, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and the usual.

More Redpoll gråsisik from the terrace along with more Siskins grønnsisik definitely gives the impression that finches are moving down the coast.

There have been two Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy the last few days

First photo of the day - with settings still on sunny conditions from yesterday. Could have been a decent shot but I didn't hang around

One of last year's youngsters at Tjeldstø where there were two adults and two 2cy birds present

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.

Øygarden 04.01-05.01.2025 - Snow stops play

What is probably the most snow I have seen in Øygarden starting falling on the afternoon of 03.01 and continued through much of 04.01. The 5th January seemed very promising with nice calm and clear conditions until early afternoon when the snow started again.

There are still plenty of birds around but with all the parking areas snowed in and walking in the terrain simply exhausting it would be better to stick with drive-bys at places viewable from the road. However, this is not my chosen style unless I'm strapped for time.

Obviously a lot of species now having a hard time of it with larger numbers of Blackbirds svarttrost and Robins rødstrupe coming into gardens. Larger numbers of Chaffinch bokfink than usual have been noticable since late December.

Woodcock rugde and Snipe enkeltbekkasin must now be struggling - I've not been going into likely areas in order to avoid disturbance.

On 4th January a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk hunting over the garden was the first of the year. Walking from the house produced my first Tree Sparrows pilfink of the year at Nordvik where there were good numbers of Chaffinch bokfink and the usual garden visitors. Other than that just a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn from the terrace and a small flock of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb near Hatten.

On 5th January I managed to get parked at Herdlevær and attempted my usual round, however, thigh deep snow in places along with rocks/ice etc under the snow meant that I cut this short. I did manage my first Siskins grønnsisik of the year and a flock of 35 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt. Plenty of Chaffinch bokfink here too along with a lone Brambling bjørkefink.

After this we headed out with the intentions of a walk along a road or footpath somewhere but snow started and reduced visibility to nothing again. All was not lost though as the Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy showed up again after some days absence.

Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy

Øygarden 02.01-03.01.2025 - Winter!!

Strong northerly winds and a lot of snow put something of a brake on things 02.01 but unsurprisingly a number of new species for the year - most of them from my kitchen window. I set my scope up inside and checked a few times for a few minutes during the course of the day - this resulted in Great Northern Diver islom, Curlew storspove, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in the garden (rather than on the shore), a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld and some Kittiwake krykkje heading north. 

Away from the house I managed Woodcock rugde, Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost, a Common Gull fiskemåke, a few White-tailed Eagle havørn and the usual.

On 3rd January the weather was even worse, I had my car in for a service and work came back with a vengeance after the Christmas break. A Horned Grebe horndykker turned up off the terrace to save the day and a short trip out to pick my car up again produced a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Brambling bjørkefink.

Slavonian Grebe / Horned Grebe horndykker at Nautnes

Øygarden 30.12-2024- 01.01.2025 - New Year's Bird Race

 I kicked off the New Year's birdrace with a trip to Skogsøy with a view to picking up otherwise hard to get species. In other words, not to get the most species but a few of the harder ones. This was largely unsuccessful but 47 Kittiwake krykkje heading south during the hour I sat out there was a good number for the time of year. Other than this the seawatching produced just a Little Auk alkekonge and a Black Guillemot teist. Other birds at Skogsøy included a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, two Great Northern Diver islom and the usual.

I popped in at a few localities on the way home without seeing anything remarkable. Just under 30 species seen.

On the last day of 2024 I started with one of my daughters at Dåvøy picking up Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, Red-throated Diver smålom, Great Northern Diver islom, a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, the long-staying Little Grebe dvergdykker and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits along with most of the usual stuff. A good start to the day. After this I covered Heggøy which produced only a Common Scoter svartand and then Solberg which gave Gannet havsule, another White-tailed Eagle havørn and a small flock of Eider ærfugl.

Next up was Alvheim which was rather disappointing with just three White-tailed Eagle havørn and not a lot else. However, two Bullfinch dompap turned up just as I left - rarely an easy species in Øygarden:)

I finished up at Hjelme with a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a Fieldfare gråtrost and a White-tailed Eagle havørn robbing a Heron gråhegre of its catch. By this time the weather had turned - with snow in the air it was a sign that winter was seriously on its way.

The first day of 2025 started at Hjelme Vest under, mildly put, less than ideal conditions. So little on the sea other than a flock of 30 Long-tailed Duck havelle and a couple of Black Guillemot teist. Only one White-tailed Eagle havørn but at least 40 Kittiwake krykkje feeding offshore. Tjeldstø was next stop with just a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin in addition to the usual suspects. Bird of the day was Woodcock rugde with birds seen almost everywhere I went.

After returning home my terrace continued to produce with a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and Bullfinch dompap among the species seen.

In total I saw 47 species in Øygarden during the three days of the bird race, without actually going for a high number of species, with focus on the harder ones in a county context.

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Tjeldstø

In the evening the Northern Lights kicked off big time - affording some decent photo opportunities from my terrace.

Northern Lights from my terrace in the evening

Øygarden 21.12-29.12.2024 - Christmas shutdown

 With Christmas getting closer and work deadlines approaching there was even less field time than usual. 

A Kittiwake krykkje flew past my living room window on 21.12 and a Brambling bjørkefink put in an appearance in my garden together with the usual visitors.

On 22nd December I did the briefest of drive-bys and saw the Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy again and a flock of 12 Common Crossbill granskorsnebb at Alvheim. A (the?) Great Northern Diver islom turned up in front of the house again and a fishing trip at dusk produced, among other things, a nice Little Auk akekonge.

Great Northern Diver islom off the terrace

Little Auk alkekonge at Sture

Little Grebe dvergdykker still at Dåvøy

A non-birding trip to Skogsøy the following day was a wonderful experience but the only birds of any note were a couple of Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and good numbers of Kittiwake krykkje feeding offshore.

After a period of absence Fieldfares gråtrost started to show up in small flocks from 26.12 and increased in numbers thereafter peaking with a flock of 75 at Harkestad on 29.12. Numbers of Chaffinch bokfink also increased, with hindsight this seems like they knew what weather was on the way.

On 28.12 I managed to get out for a couple of hours picking up the Scaup bergand on Husvatnet and small flocks of Chaffinch bokfink at various places. I did my usual round at Herdlevær picking up a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a Little Auk alkekonge and not much else.

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Herdlevær

Øygarden 11.12-20.12.2024 - Great to be back!

 After the visit to Northumberland and a few quiet days in Oslo it was back to reality. After the enormous number of birds seen back home I was prepared to find things rather quiet and mundane back home. However, it was only work and the short days that made birding difficult - there was plenty to see whenever I made it out of the house (and even from the house).

On 11th December a nice Great Northern Diver islom from the terrace and my first local Little Grebe dvergdykker of the year at Dåvøy, another Great Northern Diver islom at Heggøy and a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Hatten were the best of the sightings.

Male Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Hatten

1cy Great Northern Diver islom at Heggøy

Great Northern Diver islom photographed from my terrace

Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy

The following day I didn't really get out but had 20 Goldfinch stillits fly over the terrace, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Sture and three Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Dåvøy where the Little Grebe dvergdykker was still present.

Great Northern Diver islom from the terrace again

On 13th December I spent a few hours out in a boat covering the area from Tvisloket south to Solberg. The sea was a little on the rough side for optimal birding but at least 10 Black Guillemot teist, a few White-tailed Eagle havørn, about 20 Long-tailed Duck havelle, a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre and an Oystercatcher tjeld were among the sightings at Tvisloket. Langøysund produced a few Grey Seal havert, five Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple more eagles and a Red-throated Diver smålom. Solberg held a Little Auk alkekonge, another Oystercatcher tjeld, a Common Gull fiskemåke and a Herring Gull gråmåke that made me look twice.

Common Gull fiskemåke

This Herring Gull gråmåke with "smooth" and rather dark undersides made me look twice. I did not see it in flight but the tail should eliminate a "smith"

Oystercather tjeld at Solberg

The female Scaup bergand remained on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

On 14th I was not out again other than a couple of short drive-bys whilst picking up packages at the shops. A Great Northern Diver islom at Harkestad and the Little Grebe dverdykker again at Dåvøy. A couple of Starling stær at Breivik were the first for some time.

Little Grebe dvergdykker with Mallard stokkand at Dåvøy

I was out even less on 15th with just the Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy again.

Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy

A Teal krikkand on Blomvatnet and the female Scaup bergand on Husvatnet were the only things of interest during an even briefer foray out of the house.

After that there was even less activity with not much to report.

Fieldfare gråtrost at Hellesøy.

Very few thrushes remain now.

Heron gråhegre at Alvheim.