Tjeldstø 31 July 2006

Green Sandpiper skogsnipe
Common Gull fiskemåke

Best birds were a juvenile Green Sandpiper skogsnipe in the reserve and a White-tailed Eagle havørn was the first for some time. Lots of fledged Common Gull fiskemåke around too.

Tjeldstø 26 July 2006

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

One sinensis Great Cormorant mellomskarv today, otherwise quiet with the only other bird of interest being a Greenshank gluttesnipe flying over in the evening.

Tjeldstø 25 July 2006

sinensis Great Cormorant mellomskarv Common Gull fiskemåke feeding in the garden

Two sinensis Great Cormorant mellomskarv present today. Other birds included a Yellow Wagtail gulerle and the first Eurasian Wigeon brunnakke and Ruff brusfugl of the autumn. Good numbers of Willow Warbler løvsanger obviously on the move.

Tjeldstø 24 July 2006 - sinensis

Sinensis Cormorant mellomskarv

Juevenile White Wagtail linerle

A look out of the living room window revealled a Cormorant skarv sitting beside Husvatnet. A couple of record shots were taken and it turned out to be a "sinensis" Cormorant mellomskarv. This is something of a rarity in Hordaland - but no doubt many are overlooked.

Another bird worth mentioning was a Peregrine vandrefalk over the reserve.

Skogsøy 23 July 2006

Juvenile Grey Heron gråhegre at the Skogsøy colony

The fresh onshore wind that was blowing as I went to bed last night was gone when I rose at dawn. However, having already got up I went out to Skogsøy anyway. Hot, humid and calm conditions meant few birds and great clouds of gnats - not exactly ideal seawatching conditions. First bird to pass was a Green Sandpiper skogsnipe, the first I've had this autumn.

Otherwise just the usual: 40+ Northern Gannet havsule, a few Atlantic Puffin lunde and a Great Skua storjo.

A Collared Dove tyrkedue was an unusual bird at Herdlevær on the way home.

Tjeldstø 21 July 2006

Adult Starling stær flanked by birds of the year
One of this year's Starling stær

A walk through the reserve produced very little. Migratory restlessness obvious in both Oystercatcher tjeld and Greylag Goose grågås - both these species will be departing shortly. Lots of birds now going over to feed on the abundant supply of berries.

Only one juvenile Common Redshank rødstilk remaning in the reserve.

Tjeldstø 19 July 2006

Just back from a trip "back home" to Northumberland when a Peregrine vandrefalk flew over the house carrying a Common Gull fiskemåke chick - and with a flock of adult birds in hot pursuit.

Tjeldstø 11 July 2006

Barn Swallow låvsvale
White Wagtail linerle

Southerly with showers much of the day. Little in the reserve, with nearly all the Common Redshank rødstilk now cleared out. Lots of species feeding fledged young in the area, including Linnet tornirisk, Barn Swallow låvsvale and White Wagtail linerle.

In the evening a flock of 14 Northern Lapwing vipe were seen heading south and a Peregrine vandrefalk flew over the garden. Another bird of interest was a Northern Gannet havsule heading north up the fjord - relatively uncommon on the east side of Øygarden unless there are strong onshore winds.

Tjeldstø 10 July 2006

Not birding but two Arctic Skua tyvjo, a pale phase and a dark phase bird flew in off Hjeltefjord and over the garden - the first at Tjeldstø this year.

Skogsøy 08 July 2006 Pom Skua

Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke
"The evil eye"

Light southerly winds didn't exactly promise much in the way of birds, but nothing ventured nothing gained. The very first bird seen as I set the scope up at 05:23 was a summer plumaged Pomarine Skua polarjo heading north. Excellent!

Some movement of Common Scoter svartand south with around 170 in three hours, other stuff included a few northbound Arctic Skua tyvjo, several Great Skua storjo, seven Whimrel småspove migrating south and a Red-throated Diver smålom, also flying south.

Tjeldstø 05 July 2006

Very hot. Generally quiet birdwise, it seems that the majority of Common Redshank rødstilk left during the night with only one or two families remianing. The first Black-headed Gulls hettemåke and Kestrel tårnfalk of the autumn turned up and a few Swifts tårnseiler knocking about.

Tjeldstø 04 July 2006 Strange place to nest

The arrow points to where the swallows are nesting!

Hungry young being fedOn the lookout for mum and dad

During a swimming trip with the family I noticed some stange activity among some Barn Swallows låvsvale. They appeared to be flying in under a quayside to feed young in their nests, this quay is used by a local cement works for deliveries by sea and a variety of heavy machinery is in regular use there - indeed, a fork lift and a digger were driving around there whilst we were swimming.

A trip down there in the evening with the telescope confirmed this to be the case - probably three pairs have bred under the quayside. One family was feeding recently fledged young on the quay and droppings from the nests could be seen piled up on the stones underneath.

To nest so close to the sea (albeit a relatively calm area), with vessels mooring alongside and with so much activity above the nests struck me, to put it mildly, as unusual. Perhaps this is a unique breeding locality for this species?

Øygarden 04 July 2006 Red-backed Shrike

An early morning seawatch at Skogsøy produced the usual selection of species, although there were few auks and no Northern Fulmar havhest. Over 120 Northern Gannet havsule headed north as did a lone Red-throated Diver smålom and four of the six Great Skua storjo. Whimbrel småspove on the move again and some indication that Great Black-backed Gulls svartbak have also started moving south.

A quick check at Herdlevær gave the best bird of the day in the form of a female Red-backed Shrike tornskate.

Sedge Warbler sivsanger still singing at Breivik.