Øygarden 28 March 2010

Male Siskin grønnsisk in the garden
Female Siskin grønnsisik

Rook kornkråke

Rook kornkråke with Hooded Crows kråke

Only out for the briefest of walks. Once again rather dull and wet but picked up the two Rooks kornkråke beside the car park at Skogsøy and then a male Wheatear steinskvett at Kollsnes - the first trans-Saharan migrant to return to Øygarden this year.

Skogsøy 27 March 2010 - Migration at last

Whiskey gets a mink.

Migrating Shag toppskarv

Part of a Common Scoter svartand flock

A few hours seawatching just after dawn gave typical results for the time of year including a few new including a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke, two Shelduck gravand (rather oddly flying south), a Fulmar havhest and a Red-throated Diver smålom heading north.

Small numbers of Oystercatcher tjeld, around 200 Common Gulls fiskemåke and several Black-headed Gulls hettemåke all headed north and apprximately 130 Shag toppskarv went south.

Other birds seen included several Curlew storspove, a Goshawk hønsehauk and a White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Whisky, my dog, did his bit for conservation on the way home by catching and making short work of a mink....well done!

Tjeldstø 25 March 2010 - Mistle Thrush

Whooper swans sangsvane finally getting access to fresh water feeding for the first time this winter....

Record shots of Mistle Thrush duetrost at Tjeldstø

Obviously more stuff arrived during the night, south easterly winds and rain no doubt to blame...

Best bird was a Mistle Thrush duetrost but also the first two White Wagtail linerle of the year.

A Black-headed Gull hettemåke and sveral Common Gull fiskemåke joined the usual Herring Gulls gråmåke on Husvatnet.

A few Ringed Plover sandlo rested on one the islands at Solberg.

Tjeldstø 24 March 2010

Greylag grågås pair out in the reserve
Female Chaffinch bokfink

Nothing new in today though the Goshawk hønsehauk was still about

Tjeldstø 23 March 2010

Once again not really out much but managed a quick dash around the reserve. (Spent all morning updating website - especially my interesting recent trip to the Black Sea).

The only new bird today was a Meadow Pipit heipiplerke. Seems like more Greylags grågås are in, a Goshawk hønsehauk had a go at them and three White-tailed Eagles havørn seemed pretty interested too.

Now five Teal krikkand, six Skylark sanglerke and plenty of Lapwing vipe about. Both Husvatnet and Rotevatnet thawing rapidly.....

Tjeldstø 22 March 2010

Too busy with household stuff to get out and about today. A Redpoll brunsisik in the garden and a flock of 11 Skylark sanglerke feeding in one of the fields during a 10 minute walk with the dog was all I managed.

Øygarden 21 March 2010

Almost a record shot of the extremely shy Stock Dove skogdue at Sture

Woodpigeons ringdue, Tjeldstø

Lapwings vipe on the ice at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

An excellent day out. Rather foggy to start with but no wind and no rain and an obvious arrival of migrants meant that expectations were kept high.

Plenty of new stuff in today with the highlight being a Stock Dove skogdue at Sture.

Tjeldstø produced at least six Woodpigeon ringdue, three Teal krikkand, 26 Lapwing vipe, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and plenty more including a Goshawk hønsehauk.

Blackbird svarttrost were seen in large numbers both a Tjeldstø and Sture where there were also a couple of Song Thrush måltrost - another new for Øygarden this year.

150 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt at Hjelme Vest which was otherwise quiet and another 50 or so seen at Tjeldstø.

A heavily oiled Gannet havsule sat out on the rocks at Hjelme Vest - a sign that something has happened offshore?

Tjeldstø 19 March 2010

Very wet and with strong southerly winds. Most of the snow now melted but the lakes are still covered in ice. At least 20 Lapwing vipe, 200 Starling stær, several Oystercatcher tjeld, a Curlew storpove and 12 Greylags grågås were all signs that at least the birds seem to think spring is on the way....

A Ringed Plover sandlo flew over - the first in Øygarden this year.