Øygarden 31 December 2009

New Years Bird Race Day 1

Spent most of the day out and about checking various localities. Fantastic weather yet again - although snow and ice cover must be making life difficult for many species.

Started off at Herdlevær where the best bird was a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker. The only Velvet Scoter sjøorre of the day was also seen here.

Next stop was Herdlevær where highlights were a couple of Goldfinch stillits and a Merlin dvergfalk. A flock of 17 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt and at least five White-tailed Eagles havørn were also present.

Alvheim produed a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and cracking views of a Great Northern Diver islom.

Finally we made it up to Hjelme West where new species were limited to Rock pipit skjærpiplerke and Black Guillemot teist. However, at least one more Great Northern Diver islom and more than 60 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt were also seen here.

At Tjeldstø a brief look around (mostly in my garden) gave 10 Tree Sparrow pilfink, a Brambling bjørkefink, 15 Chaffinch bokfink, at least one Woodcock rugde and four Redwing rødvingetrost.

Last new bird of the day was a Goshawk hønsehauk near Rong.

Christmas 2009

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin are finding it hard with so much sbnow and ice...
Snow Buntings snøspurv living up to their name

White-tailed Eagle havørn

Very little time out and about. Generally the usual winter fare with three Snow Bunting snøspurv at Tjeldstø 24 December, Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin pretty much daily, occasional Woodcock rugde, Redwing rødvingetrost and a Brambling bjørkefink at the feeder together with (among other things) 14 Chaffinch bokfink and 12 Tree Sparrow pilfink.

A Great Northern Diver islom was on the sea at Solberg on 26 December, a flock of 35 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt at Hjelme West the next day and of course plenty of White-tailed Eagle havørn about.