Øygarden 23.08-28.08.2006 - It hurts to work

With the migration season upon us and ideal conditions it is even harder than normal to sit at my laptop analysing data, answering emails and sitting in Teams meetings. 

Arriving home on Saturday evening I headed out to Skogsøy the next day rather later than I intended. Birdwise this transpired to not be the best of choices with the best birds being seven Knot polarsnipe heading south. Cormorants storsskarv were heading south, small numbers of Gannets havsule on the move and a few Common Scoter svartand passed. Barely worth the effort but some whales saved the day, regular blows with a high and diffuse blow at 12-15 minute intervals although I never saw the animals themselves.

On my way back to the car I received reports of a Rosy Starling rosenstær and a Barred Warbler hauksanger close to where I had parked my car. I did not locate the starling but manged brief but good views of the warbler. A Garden Warbler hauksanger and a Whitethroat tornsanger were among the species I saw whilst searching for the rarer species.

A couple of early hours before work at Herdlevæar on 24th August gave some results with a Green Sandpiper skogsnipe heading south over my house as I left. Herdlevær produced a couple of Sanderling sandløper, a Tursnstone steinvender, Greenshank gluttsnipe and various other wader species.

The following day I managed a hour or so before work at Tjedstø which gave a couple each of Ruff brushane and Golden Plover heilo. Rather surprisingly there were three rather young Tufted Duck toppand together with their mother on Rotevatnet - a rather late date to see such young birds.

On the way home an early Brambling bjørkefink was present at Hatten

Golden Plover heilo at Tjedstø

Another short pre-work trip on 26th August gave several hundred Starling stær in the Herdlevær / Skogsøy area, a hunting Merlin dvergfalk, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and more.

Another short foray after work gave a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper at Skjold and a Whinchat buskskvett at Nautnes.

Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper at Skjold. Note the median wingbar in the lower photograph

Some lovely evenings from the terrace:)

There was not really any option other than to log off and head to Hernar on 27th August. I did not see any rarities but there were plenty of migrants including several Spotted Flycatchers gråfluesnapper, at least three Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper, a few Common Redstart rødstjert, two Lesser Whitethroat møller and plenty of other passerines. A steady southbound passage of Golden Plover heilo and Ringed Plover sandlo was augmented with several Ruff brushane. At least two White-tailed Eagle havørn, 16 Twite bergirisk,  a Whinchat buskskvett and a Kestrel tårnfalk were among the other migrants. Well over 40 species noted.

Redstarts rødstjert

Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper

Whichat buskskvett

White-tailed Eagle havørn

The boat home came all too soon. I didn't want to leave....

The next day I was confined to barracks trying to catch up on my absence the previous day. Just a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and two migrating Snipe enkeltbekkasin were seen from my terrace.

Oslo 13.08-22.08.2026 - Stuck

Normally when I am in Oslo I manage to get out at least a few times. 

During this visit I made it out just the once - somewhat predictably to Gressholmen. There was a nice variety of birds to be seen without anything special. Waders included a Greenshank gluttsnipe and a Redshank rødstilk. Other stuff included a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett - likely to be a migrant / dispersing bird as I think this was the first I've recorded on the island this year.

During the first few days there were still plenty of Swifts tårnseiler flying around and "screaming" over the house. At some point they vanished so have no doubt now departed until next year.

Common Gull fiskemåke

A lot of the gulls in Oslo carry bling. 

A birder's Pavlovian response is to note the number and enter the details online.

Unfortunately this was as uninteresting as most I report from Oslo - it has essentially only been recorded from Oslo.

Greenshank gluttsnipe

Redshank rødstilk

Herdla, Bergen and Øgarden 10.08-12.08.2026 - The weather is here, wish you were lovely

Some people have been complaining about the weather. There is nothing wrong with the weather and in fact it has been about the best it could be for some of the birding in the area around Øygarden and Bergen with southerly winds and rain dropping a lot of migrating birds.

I had a great day of guiding on 10th August, choosing to start at Herdla where there was a good variety and decent numbers of waders. The waders were rather more flighty than normal, this was down to some raptors that were in the area. A Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and at leasr two White-tailed Eagle havørn were present. Waders included a minimum of eight Greenshank gluttsnipe, several Ruff brushane, nine Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove, a Knot polarsnipe and many more.

After Herdla we covered some inland locations picking up some noisy Nutcrackers nøttekråke, Whinchat buskskvett, Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper, Tawny Owl kattugle, Grey Wagtail vinterlerle and more.

Grey Wagtail vintererle at a regular site

Tawny Owl kattugle knows exctly how to deal with the weather:)

After this is was back to work but a drive-by at Tjeldstø the following evening gave a couple of Greenshank gluttsnipe, a Redshank rødstilk and a Ruff brushane. Strangely a Tufted Duck toppand turned up again after quite a period of absence - were they gone or just hiding somewhere?

Ruff brushane at Tjeldstø

Tufted Duck toppand at Husvatnet

Øygarden 04.08-09.08.2026 - "Good" weather at last!

Birders often have a very different take on what good weather is. At this time of year southerly winds and rain count as good and towards the end of the period this is exactly what we got. This brought down some decent birds. I am not complaining about the weather at least:)

Still some Greylags grågås around although the migration is definitely underway.

Some of the Greylags grågås at Nautnes 4th August

Thursday 6th August was spent guiding around my old haunts prior to the move to Øygarden. So Unneland, the lower reaches of Gullfjell and "the back roads". Not quite as many species as last time but a number of different ones including Grey Wagtail vinterle, Tawny Owl kattugle, Spotted Flycatcher gråfuesnapper, Yellowhammer gulspurv and Jay nøtteskrike. A most enjoyable day out:) Non bird sightings included an Adder hoggorm (roadkill) and lots of tiny toads.

Tawny Owl kattugle at Unneland

I didn't leave the house on 7th August but as usual a White-tailed Eagle havørn flew over and the first Cormorant storskarv of the autumn fished in front of my house. Otherwise just the usual Common Sandpipers strandsnipe and so on. A light but noticable passage of Common Gulls fiskemåke heading south over the house too.

Cormorant storskarv at Nautnes

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn photographed from the terrace

Strong winds and at times heavy rain set in at the weekend. This meant that I really did have to get out and about!:)

My usual round at Herdlevær on 8th August gave eight species of wader including a Ruff brushane and the first Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt of the autumn. A lone Lapwing vipe was also present. On my way to and from Herdlevær a Carrion Crow svartkråke was at Breivik - incredibly shy it flew up well ahead of the local hoodies. A quick check at Tjeldstø on the way home produced a Greenshank gluttsnipe, a flyover Dunlin myrsnipe, several Curlew storspove, some Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.

Carrion Crow svartkråke at Breivik

I did pretty much the same the following day picking up a nice Green Sandpiper skogsnipe and a Whimbrel småspove at Herdlevær. The Stonechats svartstrupe performed again at Kollsnes. Tjeldstø produced a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn, a young Merlin dvergfalk chasing crows, a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe and a Greenshank gluttsnipe among other things. Another nice day out in "bad" weather.

Digiscoped Merlin dvergfalk at Tjeldstø

Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes

Øygarden 27.07-02.08.2026 - Tringa time

Another week without much serious birding although a broken work laptop gave me the opportunity for some seawatching in promising conditions on 27th.

With onshore winds and no chance to do anything sensible workwise I spent a few hours at Skogsøy on 27th. Gannets havsule, a single Arctic Skua tyvjo and a lone Puffin lunde were the only avian items of interest. However, at least three Orcas spekkhoggere were great to see - and quite unexpected given the state of the sea. One was a huge male whose massive dorsal fin was visible over even the biggest waves:)

After this I took mum out for a walk where we heard a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Sæle. The birds are definitely there for those with time to get outside:)

On 29th a couple of short family walks in the afternoon produced a singing male Common Crossbill granorsnebb at Hatten and a Greenshank gluttsnipe at Tjeldstø whilst looking for predatory plants. Some Redshak rødstilk still around - either hangers on from the breeding season or migrants passing through.

A nice sunset from my terrace:)

The next time I left the house was a very short walk in the neighbourhood on the evening of 31st July, this resulted in a Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk that flew in and landed in front of my house:) Unusually this bird posed nicely for the camera and is the first I've seen in Øygarden this year:)

Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk

 

My usual walk at Herdlevær on 2nd August provided just a few Common Sandpiper strandsnipe and the usual suspects.

Probably a Silver-studded Blue. I'm still sticking to birds....

A couple of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke seen heading south. 

Øygarden 18.07-26.07.2026 - Off the reservation guiding saves the week

 Another week mostly in front of the work computer unfortunately, but some time was spent out of office.

On 18th with a northerly gale blowing I gave Skogsøy a try but there was not much of interest, just Gannets havsule and a few Arctic Terns rødnebbterne moving in the 1.5 hours I spent seawatching.

Common Tern makrellterne photographed from my terrace as it fished for its young.

A morning walk at Hjelme before work on 22nd gave just the usual suspects including Lesser Whitethroat møller. Back home at work it was very encouraging to see a pair of Common Terns makrellterne fedding two fledged young - at least the breeding season has not been a total wipeout.

A short drive with my mum in the afternoon gave excellent views of an Otter at Dåvøy:)

Otter enjoying a meal at Dåvøy

A morning of guiding close to Bergen on 23rd saved the birding week. I visited my old haunts around the area I lived in before moving out to Øygarden and Gullfjell provided the best birds from my point of view in the form of Dipper fossekall and Ring Ousel ringtrost. But there were birds everywhere and it took hours even to get to Gullfjell. 40 species was not a bad total for a morning in late July. Plenty of Whichchat buskskvett, Blackcap munk, several Sedge Warbler sivsanger, all three of the usual hirundines and some Swifts tårnseiler were among the species seen. Gullfjell gave some excellent photo opportunities but I didn't even have my camera with me. A great morning out!

The rest of the week was restricted to looking out of the home office window (White-tailed Eagle havørn daily) and a few drive-bys. A Wigeon brunnakke at Tjeldstø on 24th July was a sign of migration. A stroll at Solberg on 26th produced little but some Siskin grønnsisik gave good views. Later in the day the drive to my daughters gave excellent views of a Wheatear steinskvett.

Young Common Gulls fiskemåke at Tjeldstø

Siskin grønnsisik at Solberg

Wheatear steinskvett at Breivik

What I think is probably a Silver-studded Blue but could be Idas Blue. I had no idea you have to see the legs very well to be sure and naively assumed what I thought was a reasonable picture would be enough for identification. I'll stick to birds for the time being:)

Øygarden 07.07-17.07.2026 - A new species for Øygarden!

Not often I manage to get a new species in Øygarden these days but it happened this week.

As usual I spent all day working on 7th July with just the usual stuff from the terrace including a nice Whte-tailed Eagle havørn. Much the same the following day but a shot lunch break produced a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Hjelme along with a couple of Lesser Whitethroat møller.

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn photographed from the home office

Several Common Tern makrellterne chicks were still present at Dåvøy on 8th July. These were well on the way to being fledged and were almost ready to fly. An Arctic Tern rødnebbterne chick at the same place was much younger and nowhere near flying....

In the evening a report of singing Quail vaktel at Tjeldstø made me leave the house but there was nothing going on in the half hour I had time to spend there. I returned early the next mornig and had better luck with at least two birds singing. These were no doubt birds displaced by meadows being cut - and ironically just a couple of days later this very productive field was laid bare and all the birds, including the Quail moved on. They just do not have a chance.

Quail vaktel singing at Tjeldstø - a new species for Øygarden!

After the early mornng Quail I headed to Hernar for the morning. There were painfully few warblers with a few of the usual suspects not seen and only just over 30 species seen. An Arctic Skua tyvjo was the best bird.

Young Wheatear steinskvett on Hernar

From Thursday afternoon in addition to getting back to work I was also dog sitting a non birding dog. But it was enough to get me away from the computer for a little bit each day:)

The dog walk on 11th June produced a couple of Swift tårnseiler at Tjeldstø - never a common species in Øygarden and something I see only a few to several times a year. In the reserve at Tjeldstø the Redshanks rødstilk obviously had young as they were very distressed when I passed by with the dog.

Concerned Redshank rødstilk parent at Tjeldstø

By this time at least one of the Quail vaktel had relocated to Sture where I heard it singing whilst three birders from town were twitching it,

I was barely out of the house for some days so it was more of the same until 16th when I managed a few very brief drive-bys. A dead tern at Dåvøy was likely to have been an Arctic Tern rødnebbterne based soley on where the nests / young had previously been. A single pair of Common Tern makrellterne were still looking after a well grown chick. A couple of larger Starling stær flocks were seen including around 120 at Breivik.

A pair of White-tailed Eagles havørn were unpopular with the local Common Gulls fiskemåke on 12th July

A couple of the Common Gull fiskemåke chicks at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø. At least some young are almost good to go:)

Common Tern makrellterne at Dåvøy

One of this year's Redshank rødstilk at Dåvøy

On 17th July all I managed was a couple of minutes at Husvatnet. Best birds here were a couple of Sand Martin sandsvale - clearly migrants as this species does not breed locally. Fully fledged Lapwing vipe and Redshank rødstilk were also present - good to see that there has been at least some success.