Guiding 29.05-02.06.2026 - Road trip 2

Another road trip! This time again not really birding far from the car but a good number of species were amassed including some specialities / target species.

I picked up in Olso on 29th and predictably headed north to Engerdal. We stopped at Hamar along the way where we kicked off with a few Common Crane trane, at least three Little Ringed Plover dverglo, Osprey fiskeørn, Grey Wagtal vintererle and a nice selection of wildfowl, waders and woodland birds. 

A pit stop at Trysil was made to view a herd of Whoopers sangsvane where we also saw Goldeneye kvinand with very newly hatched young and a variety of waders.

A few drive-bys in Engerdal gave six Little Gulls dvergmåke, a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre, several Common Scoter svartand, Black-throated Divers storlom, Whinchat buskskvett, great views of Golden Plover heilo, lots of Arctic Hares and a nice female Marsh Harrier sivhauk (a new species for me in Engerdal).

30th May was spent covering more localities in Engerdal picking up a few Siberian Jays lavskrike, brief views of a Hawk Owl haukugle, Mistle Thrushes duetrost, Whimbrel småspove, Curlew storspove, Green Sandpiper skogsnipe, Bramblings bjørkefink and more. 

Siberian Jay lavskrike

The next day was essentially spent on the road but we picked up Norway's National bird - Dipper fossekall before we left along with rarer sightings (in a local Engerdal context!) which included Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke and Herring Gull gråmåke.

A roadside Moose elg was a nice bonus, a very regular occurrence in Engerdal

We ate lunch at the wetland centre at Dokka where a female Marsh Harrier sivhauk was the best bird. Other new species for the trip here included several Great Crested Grebes toppdykker.

Birds seen along the road included a Goshawk hønsehauk and some "interesting" Canada Geese kanadagås sightings at much higher altitudes than normal.

We arrived at Halne in the evening and were treated to Bluethroats blåstrupe and most of the usual suspects.

On 1st June we spent the morning on the Hardangervidda where highlights included Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin, more Bluethroat blåststrupe and Shorelarks fjellerke. The usual selection of waders were seen along with several Willow Grouse lirype and a single Ptarmigan fjellrype.

The day ended in Øygarden where we had a pair of Stonechat svartstrupe with at least one recently fledged young, Sedge Warbler sivsanger, Lapwing vipe with young and a flock of 30 Pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås heading north.

Most of 2nd June was spent birding around Øygarden with highlights being multiple White-tailed Eagles havørn, a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, Crested Tits toppmeis, a flock of three Crane trane (best bird in a local context!), a 2cy Rook kornkråke (another good local find, probably the same bird as earlier). Lots more new species for the trip were added here too including Shag toppskarv, Red-throated Diver smålom, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Common Cranes trane at Tjeldstø

Female Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett

Engerdal 25-27.05.2026 - Back to birding

With a few days between guiding trips I stayed in Engerdal and spent some time checking my usual spots rather than having focus on particular species and this paid off - at least in a local context - with a number of notable species.

Generally quite a lot of birds about with swarms of hirundines over the lakes where insects were obviously hatching. Swifts tårnseiler were present but in smaller numbers than usual.

On 25th a nice selection of duck were still present on Galtsjøen with 10 Velvet Scoter sjøorre, eight Common Scoter svartand and a pair of Scaup bergand present. This locality also gave a singing Icterine Warbler gulsanger, superb views of two Crane trane and a small flock of Yellow Wagtails gulerle.

Common Scoter svartand

Crane trane

White Wagtail linerle

Scaup bergand

Drevsjø held two adult Little Gulls dvergmåke, Osprey fiskeørn and several Red-throated Diver smålom.

Almost record shot of Little Gull dvermåke

Osprey fiskeørn

A good variety of species were seen at various localities - plenty of Kestrel tårnfalk around, a roadside male Hen Harrier myrhauk and plenty more.

Common Tern makrellterne at Sorken

Golden Plover heilo at Drevsjø

Goosander laksand

Male Hen Harrier myrhauk

Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk

On 26th I hiked through wet and boggy terrain to a wader localitiy without any big surprises. Bramblings bjørkefink, Black Grouse orrfugl, Yellow Wagtails gulerle and more were seen along the way. The only waders present were Golden Plover heilo, Redshank rødstilk, Greenshank gluttsnipe and Wood Sandpipers grønnstilk. A pair of Black-throated diver storlom were holding territory there too.

Male Goosander laksand

My last day before heading south to pick up new people produced six Little Gull dvergmåke at Drevsjø hawking insects together with around 20 Arctic Terns rødnebbterne. An Osprey fiskeørn fished here too.

Elsewhere I had a Slavonian Grebe horndykker, a few Siberian Jays lavskrike, Moose elg and a good range of other species - both birds and mammals.

Greenshank gluttsnipe at Drevsjø

Redshanks rødstilk, Engerdal

Slav Grebe (or Horned Grebe as we are supposed to call them these days) horndykker

Engerdal is at it's best at this time of year:) Great birding and lovely to meet both friends and family. 

View from Galten

Long dead Capercaille storfugl found hanging on an electric fence in Engerdal

Guiding 17-23.05.2026 - Road trips

Norway's national day was spent at Herdla once the local parade had been watched. The target species here were Velvet Scoter sjøorre and Golden Plover heilo both of which performed well. A couple of late Long-tailed Duck havelle were still present too along with a few Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås and a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås. For me a lone Ruddy Turnstone steinvender was probably the best bird here. The Lapwings vipe had lots of young running around and the other local breeding waders showed well too.

After this we managed great views of a few Nutcracker nøttekråke.

Nutcracker nøttekåke. Photo by Mel Hafting

We did Øygarden on 18th May where Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett played hard to get but eventually gave nice views in the afternoon. A very brief Rosefinch rsenfink was bird of the day for me. White-tailed Eagle havørn did not perform as well as they have been doing with just a distant 3cy flying and an adult or near adult sitting at slightly better range.

At Hellesøy a couple of Great Northern Diver islom on the sea along with a couple of Black Guillemot teist and a few Shag toppskarv (also a target species this time around). Cuckoo gjøk, Snipe enkeltbekkasin, lots of Wheatear steinskvett and most of the usual suspects turned up.

Woodcock rugde were seen roding from the terrace each evening.

The morning of 19th was spent at Hordamuseet in Bergen where at least three Hawfinch kjernebiter showed well and a good variety of woodland species showed with Blackcaps munk, Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper and many more present.

A rather poor photo of one of at least three Hawfinch kjernebiter present

A visit to Radøy on 20th gave great views of a pair of Green Woodpecker grønnspett visiting a hole. Another target species present here was a pair of Marsh Tit løvmeis - a rarity out in Øygarden but a lot commoner just inland:) A Swift tårnseiler flying over here was the first I've seen this year.

Frustratingly a calling woodpecker sounded very much like White-backed (softer than the GSW we heard and saw) but did not give views good enough to confirm ID

Green Woodpecker grønnspett at Kjenes

We popped back to Hordamuseet on the way home and found two Tawny Owls kattugle roosting, one "normal" rusty bird and another rather greyer.

Tawny Owls kattugle, Bergen

White-tailed Eagle havørn with mackerell flying past my terrace

On the way home a 2cy Rook kornkråke had us head scratching for a bit at Breivik but scope views and photos clinched things in the end.

On 21st we headed up to the Hardangervidda. A stop at Garen produced lots of birds but none of the target species. A couple of Crane trane, several Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk were the best birds alongside Yellow Wagtails gulerle, Red-throated Diver smålom, Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, Common Sandpiper strandsnipe, Redshank rødstilk and Wheatears steinskvett.

Dyranut gave a couple of Shorelark fjellerke and a flyover male Hen Harrier myrhauk as best birds. A distant Ring Ousel ringtrost sang from the cliffs here. A couple more Shorelark fjellerke were at Tråstølen and the commoner waders showed up at various places (Dunlin myrsnipe, Golden Plover heilo, Ringed Plover sandlo and Redshank rødstilk)

Halne produced at least Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin as well as Bluethroats blåstrupe, Ring Ousel ringtrost, a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin and the usual.

Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin showing the distinct white tips to the wing coverts (other features were seen but not photographed)

The next morning it was more of the same with at least one Great Snipe dobbeltbekkassin, several Bluethroat blåstrupe, Willow Grouse lirype, various waders and more. Most of 22.05 went to driving to Engerdal but some roadside birds were seen including a Siberian Jay lavskrike on Golsfjellet.

Singing Bluethroat blåstrupe at Halne

The 23rd was dedicated to Engerdal where Siberian Jay lavskrike showed well at one of the usual spots. Driving the roads during a period of rain was not very productive but a pair of Black Grouse orrfugl showed well as did Tree Pipit trepiplerke and some other species. After the rain a walk in the woods gave a nice female Capercaille storfugl and a couple of singing Mistle Thrushes duetrost.

Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper, Common Redstart rødstjert, Brambling bjørkefink and Yellow Wagtails gulerle were seen at a number of localities.

A brief stop at Galtsjøen produced three Velvet Scoter sjøorre, five Common Scoter svartand and a pair of Great Scaup bergand.

My morning drive also gave a roadside Black Woodpecker svartspett, Sibe Jay lavskrike, Moose and more.

Øygarden 08-16 May 2026 - Family first

My better half made it over for the best part of a week and my oldest daughter suddenly made it over too💗 So birding continued but not at quite the same pace.

On 8th May I covered several localities without anything surprising. Migrants obviously continue to arrive and Common Sandpiper strandsnipe were suddenly "everywhere" even though some have been present for weeks. Cuckoo gjøk also turning up at more and more places.

Male Teal krikkand on Husvatnet

The next day the birding gods deemed it fit to present the Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett in exactly the spot I failed to see it during the previous guiding trips. I had started to think they had moved on.....

The male Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett showed well again on 10th May too and even drummed on a streetlight (although street is way too big a word in this context). The first Lesser Whitethroat møller of the year turned up nearby (a very late first arrival around here - they are normally present before the end of April)). A Greenshank gluttsnipe at Sæle was a surprise find - not often they show up at this locality in the spring. More Common Whitethroat tornsanger were singing and my first local singing Blackcap munk (!!) too. Small numbers of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb around too - must be breeding.

Male Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett

..and striking a Wryneck pose

Greenshank gluttsnipe at Sæle

Lesser Whitethroat møller at Hjelme

On 11th May it was time for another trip to Skogsøy. This resulted in one of the poorest spring seawatches in history with just two White-billed Divers gulnebblom and a male Scaup bergand saving the day - the latter species is no longer even annual on direct migration like this. A second year Great Northern Diver islom fed on the sea moving rapidly south with each dive

Arctic Terns rødnebbterne

Juvenile Gannets havsule starting to be more numerous now

Just about record shot of the male Scaup bergand

Obligatory White-billed Diver gulnebblom image

After this a female Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper at Hjelme was the first I've seen in Øygarden this year. Still plenty of White-tailed Eagles havørn to see.

On13th May the best sightings were a Whinchat buskskvett at Nautnes where I also had Twite bergirisk, Whimbrel småspove and a good selection of finches which are now going through around 3kg of sunflower seed per day. Stonechat svartstrupe were seen at two breeding localities:)

A lone Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås turned up on Husvatnet on 14th May.

Woodcock rugde still roding over the woods near my house on calm evenings.

Hernar 07 May 2026 - Last minute save

Hopes were not high to start with given the weather over the previous couple of days. But the island failed to deliver even on this. There were virtually no migrants present at all. Several Willow Warbler løvsanger and a few Chiff-chaff gransanger were the only warblers seen during the morning.

Several new species for the Hernar 2026 list turned up with a displaying Common Sandpiper strandsnipe, a migrating Whimbrel småspove, flyover Siskin grønnsisik, a distant flock of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås and a Common Tern makrellterne fishing in the harbour.

Overall there was less activity than my first visit back in late April.

Having given up and headed back to catch the boat home some Ravens ravn suddenly flew up alarming and unexpectedly a relatively young Golden Eagle kongeørn turned up rather than the expected White-tailed Eagle havørn. A new species for the island according to the national database and always a good bird to see in Øygarden anyway. Result! The morning was saved at the last minute:)

Back on the "mainland" migrants were in fact around - a nice male Whinchat buskskvett was more or less the first bird seen as we got off the boat.

Common Terns makrellterne are suddenly back with several at Dåvøy, a couple at Nautnes and three at Hellesøy. 

Nautnes produced Greenshank gluttsnipe, displaying Snipe enkeltbekkasin, roding Woodcock rugde and the usual.

A nice flock of hirundines at Husvatnet consisted largely of Swallows låvesvale but there were at least four Sand Martins sandsvale and a House Martin taksvale present too. The two Whoopers sangsvane remained on Rotevatnet.

Common Terns makrellterne at Dåvøy

Common Tern makrellterne at Hellesøy

Whinchat buskskvett at Hellesøy

Early morning Red Deer hjort