Øygarden 31 Dec 2005

Day two of the New Years Bird Race.

Only a couple of hours in the field today, but nevertheless added 10 more species.

Solberg:
Eurasian Curlew storpove 1
Goldcrest fuglekonge 2

Alvheim
Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt 12
White-tailed Eagle havørn 1

Svellingen
Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt 25
Eurasian Curlew storspove 2
Woodcock rugde 1
Peregrine vandrefalk 1
White-tailed Eagle havørn 2
Velvet Scoter sjøorre 2

Tjeldstø
Jay nøtteskrike 1
Tree Sparrow pilfink 15+

Chaffinch bokfink 2
Whooper Swan sangsvane 5
Woodcock rugde 1

Skogsøy 30 Dec 2005

Day one of the three day New Year Bird Race:

Technically the best bird was a Carrion Crow (svartkråke) at Herdlevær but to me two Great Northern Diver (islom) together on the sea were far better, not to mention good views of at least two White-tailed Eagle (havørn).

Managed to take pictures of varying quality of some of the species.

Great Northern Diver Islom 2
Great Cormorant Storskarv 5
European Shag Toppskarv 40
Grey Heron Gråhegre 3
Mallard Stokkand 3
Common Eider Ærfugl 400
Long-tailed Duck Havelle 30



Common Scoter Svartand 30
Common Goldeneye Kvinand 18
Red-breasted Merganser Siland 10



White-tailed Eagle Havørn 2
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Spurvehauk 1
Common Snipe Enkeltbekkasin 1
Common Gull Fiskemåke 1
Herring Gull Gråmake 100
Great Black-backed Gull Svartbak 20
Common Guillemot Lomvi 1
Black Guillemot Teist 2
Winter Wren Gjerdesmett 5
European Robin Rødstrupe 2
Common Blackbird Svartrost 2
Redwing Rødvingetrost 1
Crested Tit Toppmeis 2
Coal Tit Svartmeis 2
Great Tit Kjøttmeis 4
Black-billed Magpie Skjære 4
Hooded Crow Kråke 20

Carrion Crow Svartkråke 1

Common Raven Ravn 3
Common Starling Stær 9
European Greenfinch Grønnfink 12

Common Crossbill Grankorsnebb 10

Solberg 29 Dec 2005

Not birding today, but a fishing trip at Solberg produced a lovely Black Guillemot (teist) which I managed to snap a couple of pictures of, an Oystercatcher (tjeld) and at least one White-tailed Eagle (havørn).

Øygarden 28 Dec 2005

Dåvøy, 28 Dec 2005

Solberg:
A quick visit here paid off with a Red-necked Grebe (gråstrupedykker) on the sea, along with 5 Velvet Scoter (sjøorre), 20+ Long-tailed Duck (havelle) and an Eurasian Curlew (storspove).

In the evening another locality provided interest in the form of 2 Eagle Owl (hubro) coming out of their roost at 16:30.

Øygarden 27 Dec 2005

Fantastic weather, temperatures around freezing but calm and sunny.

Solberg:
Distant views of a Gyr Falcon (jaktfalk) sitting on one of the islands eating its prey. This species is barely annual in Øygarden; today's individual was at least the second record for 2005. At one point I had the falcon and a White-tailed Eagle (havørn) in view simultaneously.

Also Eurasian Curlew (storspove) and a Velvet Scoter (sjøorre) among the usual Long-tailed Duck and Eiders.

Alvheim:
A Great Northern Diver on the sea was the best bird here.

Svellingen:
A distant unidentified falcon was probably Peregrine (vandrefalk). More unusual was an Oystercatcher (tjeld), a scarce bird in winter. Snow Bunting (snøspurv) flying over.

Hope this lot stay around for the New Year "bird race" at the weekend.

Tjeldstø 26 Dec 2005

Returned home in fading light to see a superb Northern Goshawk (hønsehauk) fly right over the house.

Also 9 Redwing (rødvingtrost).

Tjeldstø 22 Dec 2005

Some good birds today, the best being a Jack Snipe (kvartbekkasin), a Jay (nøtteskrike) in the garden and a Black Guillemot (teist) on the fjord.

Supporting cast included at least one White-tailed Eagle (havørn), 4 Purple Sandpiper (fjæreplytt) and 2 Common Snipe (enkeltbekkasin)

Øygarden 21 Dec 2005

Very grey and wet! Heron (gråhegre) feeding beside Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

Solberg:
1 Curlew (storspove), 4 Purple Sanpiper (fjæreplytt)
10+ Cormorant (storskarv) gorging themselves on herring
40 Long-tailed Duck (havelle)

Alvheim:
2 Jay (nøtteskrike)

Tjeldstø 20 Dec 2005

Seven Greylags (grågås) still present. Other birds of interest included a Yellowhammer (gulspurv) and a Brambling (bjørkefink), both in the garden.

Tjeldstø 19 Dec 2005

One of 14 Whooper Swans (sangsvane) present at Tjeldstø today.

Other birds of interest included 7 Greylags (grågås), probably of Icelandic origin, a Woodcock (rugde), Common Snipe (enkeltbeakkasin) and 15 Redwing (rødvingtrost)

J. Bell