Tjeldstø 22 August 2006

Best birds were two unseasonally early Barnacle Geese hvitkingås that dropped in together with 14 Greylags grågås. A couple of Ruff brusfugl and most of the usual suspects.

Skogsøy / Herdlevær 21 August 2006

Seawatching was surprisingly quiet, with very few Northern Gannets havsule and only one Great Skua storjo. The southbound Cormorant storskarv migration has begun with over 130 passing, Eurasian Shag toppskarv were also moving with more than 80 heading north. Best of the 11 species of wader were at least 10 Sanderling sandløper heading south and two Ruddy Turnstone steinvender north.

A few raptors were also on the move with at least three Kestrel tårnfalk and one Sparrowhawk spurvhauk seen.

Herdlevær was surprisingly productive, with the highlight being a Wood Warbler bøksanger - a really good bird locally. The supporting cast included a Garden Warbler hagesanger, two Whinchat buskskvett Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper, a few Common Whitethroat tornsanger and a Whimbrel småspove.

Tjeldstø 19 August 2006

Golden Plover heilo

The reserve produced a Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk and a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe as the highlights. Several Golden Plover heilo, a Sand Martin sandsvale and six Eurasian Teal krikkand were other indications of continued passage.

Øygarden 18 August 2006

Common Whitethroat tornsanger, Svellingen

Superb weather but generally rather quiet birdwise - the only bird of note was a Whimbrel småspove at Solberg.

Biridng from the house proved more productive with Tree Pipit trepiplerke, Yellow Wagtail gulerle, a Sand Martin sandsvale, 10 Ruff brusfugl and a Greenshank gluttesnipe all seen from the garden.

Øygarden 17 August 2006

Out boat fishing so not really birding at all; now that the freezer is full the next boat trip will be more focused on birding. However, nice views of a Black Guillemot teist on the sea, a dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo and an adult White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Small numbers of Common Tern makrellterne and Common Sandpiper strandsnipe.

Tjeldstø 16 August 2006

Peregrines vandrefalk on the lookout
Eurasian Teal krikkand

Rained most of the day but cleared up in the afternoon. An evening stroll around the reserve was productive with highlights being two Peregrines vandrefalk and two Wood Sandpiper grønstilk. Other birds included a couple of flyover Spotted Redshank sotsnipe, a Greenshank gluttsnipe and seven Ruff brusfugl.

All of which were more interesting than the technical best bird of the day - a Carrion Crow svartkråke - its just so hard to get excited about this species.

Skogsøy 15 August 2006

A camping expedition with the children rather than a birding trip, but nevertheless managed just over an hour of seawatching which produced plenty of migrating waders including over 840 Oystercatcher tjeld , a dozen or so Ruff brusfugl, a flock of 25 Redshank rødstilk, a Ruddy Turnstone steinvender, Greenshank gluttsnipe, eight Red Knot polarsnipe and more.

Highlights were one Green Sandpiper skogsnipe and a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe.

Skogsøy 13 August 2006

Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper

Slightly hazy with a light south easterly wind weren't exactly classic conditions for pelalgic seabirds so 10 Sooty Shearwater grålire were a pleasant surprise. Other birds durng a two hour seawatch included 5 Great Skua storjo and almost 60 Eurasian Shag toppskarv north, a juvenile Common Shelduck gravand south along with a number of waders including around 160 Eurasian Oystercatcher tjeld, a Red Knot polarsnipe and a Greenshank gluttsnipe.

At Herdlevær other waders included a Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove and two Common Sandpiper strandsnipe but the best birds here were a Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper and at least one Tree Pipit trepiplerke - both uncommon species in Øygarden.

Other birds on the move included a couple of flocks of Greylag Geese grågås and two Kestrel tårnfalk.

Tjeldstø 12 August 2006

An early morning walk around the reserve produced small numbers of waders including a ruff brusfugl, four Greenshank gluttesnipe and a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe. The sinensis Cormorant mellomskarv is still present on Husvatnet and a flock of 12 Cormorant storskarv heading south was the first flock of the autumn.

Tjeldstø 11 August 2006

Just back from Ormen Lange and not birding at all, but couldn't help noticing several flocks of migrating Greylag Geese grågås totalling some 280 heading south. Also a few flocks of Eurasian Curlew storspove, a Greenshank gluttsnipe and a Peregrine vandrefalk.

Most birds seen from my house, although I did do a spot of fishing.....