Dåvøy and Alvheim 25 December 2010

Dåvøy was if anything even quieter than most places of late but one of the few birds on the sea there was a splendid Slavonian (Horned these days I suppose) Grebe horndykker - in exactly the same place as the previous winter. A couple of Black guillemot teist, a White-tailed Eagle havørn and several Fieldfare gråtrost were among the other sightings.

Alvheim produced a flock of 15 Mealy Redpoll gråsisik, a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, three Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and best of all - a Woodpigeon ringdue flying over - a rare winter sighting for Øygarden.

Tjeldstø 24 December 2010 - more snow

We certainly got a white Christmas - snowed most of the day.

The garden was once again the most productive place with 8 Mealy Redpoll gråsisik, 25-30 Chaffinch bokfink, four Starling stær and the usual.

The woods were very quiet but all the usual Goldcrest fuglekonge, Coal Tit svartmeis and Crested Tit toppmeis were seen along with the bird of the day - a Treecreeper trekryper. A single Wren gjerdesmett still held out there too.

Hjelme West 23 December 2010

Quiet again. A distant Great Northern Diver islom, a flock of 30 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a Curlew storspove were the highlights.

A porpoise nise gave prolonged views as it basked on the surface - first I've seen for a while.

Solberg 22 December 2010 - Otters

Otter enjoying a fish

Starling stær in the garden

First winter Great Northern Diver islom

Still very quiet both bird and weatherwise. Almost no duck today but a first year Great Northern Diver islom made up for that. A single Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and about 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt also seen here.

A party of four otters played in the snow on one of the islands and another showed very well closer in.

A Brambling bjørkefink, a few Mealy Redpoll gråsisik, 19 Tree Sparrow pilfink, 15+ Chaffinch bokfink, four Starling stær, nine Blackbird svarttrost and the usual in the garden.

Tjeldstø 21 December 2010

White-tailed Eagle havørn out in the reserve

Still covered in snow and totally frozen. Remarkably at least one Woodcock rugde survives in the area with fresh tracks in todays new snow beside a tiny trickle of unfrozen water. Other than that a few Starling stær in the garden among all the usual garden visitors.

Hjelme West 20 December 2010

Goldeneye kvinand
Female Merganser siland

Mergansers siland

Merganser siland with small flatfish

Very cold, calm and quiet again. Most of the usual wintering birds present including a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker, a Curlew storspove, 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a Velvet Scoter sjøorre, a Black Guillemot teist and five White-tailed Eagle havørn.

A Goshawk hønsehauk flew over the road at Sæle.

The Heron gråhegre roost at Dåvøy held 31 birds and there were the usual Goldeneye kvinand and Mergansers siland present.

Skogsøy 19 December 2010

Rather quiet. On a positive note 10 Whoopers sangsvane included six first year birds. Rather few seaduck and just a few Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a White-tailed Eagle havørn of any note.

At Tjeldstø a Goshawk hønsehauk was seen from the house.

Solberg 18 December 2010 - Merlin

Goldfinch stillits
Female Scaup bergand and male Merganser siland

Only had time for a very short visit to Solberg where there were few birds to be seen. However, among these were some good winter sightings including a Merlin dvergfalk, a female Scaup bergand, a Goldfinch stillits and a Curlew storspove.

Øygarden 14 December 2010

Red-throated Diver smålom at Solberg

Solberg was pretty quiet with a Red-throated Diver smålom the best bird otherwise just small numbers of the usual duck and a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn.

A big flock of Greenfinch grønnfink in the garden with 105 the best estimate, also several each of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik and Chaffinch bokfink along with 16 Tree Sparrow pilfink and the usual visitors to the feeder - currently using 2.5 kg of sunflower seed per day....

A couple of Redwing rødvingetrost, a small flock of Fieldfare gråtrost, five Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis and two Waxwing sidensvans also seen at Tjeldstø.