Herdlevær 31 October 2011 - Shrike

Fresh southerly, overcast but very little precipitation.

Just about the first bird today was an interesting shrike. The orange tail started the adrenalin pumping but after some observation I think this bird is "just" a Red-backed Shrike tornskate with a redder than normal tail. A few birders came out and twitched it - a year tick for some and county ticks for others....

Other birds included a decent flock of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb, a late Wheatear steinskvett (looking rather Greenland-like as have many of the recent birds), several Kittiwake krykkje and a Little Auk alkekonge.

Kittiwake krykkje

Common Crossbill grankorsnebb

Øygarden 30 October 2011

Fresh southerly and heavy showers at times.

A Jay nøtteskrike and a Brambling bjørkefink at Hjelmo.

At Sæle a minimum of 10 Blackcap munk fed in the elderberry bushes and plenty of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb again.

Hjelme West was largely quiet with best sightings a flock of 80 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and an Otter.

Record shot of a male Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb (right hand bird) together with a Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Bird of the day was seen on the way home - a Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb together with a Common Crossbill grankorsnebb between Hatten and Nautnes.

Herdlevær 29 October 2011

 Very strong southerly, showers.

 Goshawk hønsehauk being chased by Hooded Crow kråke

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

 

Difficult conditions yet again. Not much seen with best bird being a massive Goshawk hønsehauk.

Seven Greylags grågås at Breivik.

Øygarden 28 October 2011

Fresh WSW, sunny with some showers.

A late start today. Popped in at a few localities which produced some typical late autumn species.

 Mistle Thrush duetrost at Tjeldstø

 White-tailed Eagle havørn at Solberg - it seems the vast majority are ringed

 Above and below: Wheatear steinskvett at Alvheim

At Solberg there was an obvious but frustratingly difficult movement of seabirds inlcuding Little Auks alkekonge and Kittiwakes krykkje. Seeing distant flocks disappear in wave troughs most of the time was too much to cope with and lacking the time to make it to Skogsøy I gave up.

At Alvheim a late Wheatear steinskvett gave good roadside views - a continuation of the excellent late autumn run this year. A Chiff-chaff gransanger was another late migrant here.

At Tjeldstø a Mistle Thrush duetrost was the bird of the day, other species included a Woodcock rugde, three Skylark sanglerke, several Little Auk alkekonge, the first Velvet Scoter sjøorre for some time, a very late Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and at least 60 Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Herdelvær 27 October 2011

Strong SSE winds and torrential rain most of the time.

Difficult to say the least. Highlight was at least one Wheatear steinksvett. Other migrants inlcuded Common Crossbills grankorsnebb - a species that has been very obvious recently.

Other stuff inlcuded a few Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt and most of the usual suspects.

A flock of eight Lapwing vipe were at Breivik / Kollsnes.

Hernar 26 October 2011 - Black Redstart

Strong Easterly and sunny.

A decent enough half day on the island - though quiet compared to Monday.

Highlight was a Black Redstart svartrødstjert that gave brief views just before the boat back to the mainland. A couple of Tree Sparrow pilfink were the first I've had on Hernar this year.

Other stuff included a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin and a late Wheatear steinskvett.

 Lots of Blackbird svarttrost on the move recently

One of two Tree Sparrow pilfink on the island today

 Common Redpoll gråsisik

 Mink

Song Thrush måltrost

A brief stop at Sæle on the way home produced 10 Blackcap munk and a Chiff-chaff gransanger. 

Herdlevær 25 October 2011

Fresh easterly wind, warm and sunny again.

Another good morning out, although nothing quite like yesterday. Highlights were a flock of four Wheatear steinskvett, a Great Northern Diver islom, Peregrine vandrefalk and a Lapland Bunting lappspurv.

 White-tailed Eagle havørn

 First year Great Northern Diver islom

 Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

 Gannet havsule

 Red-breasted Merganser siland

Herring Gull gråmåke

Other sightings included a decent passage of Sparrowhawk spurvehauk (at least 10), a Goshawk hønsehauk, several Little Auk alkekonge and good numbers of Fieldfare gråtrost, Starling stær and Woodpigeon ringdue on the move.

At Tjeldstø a Swallow låvesvale flew south and at least one, probably two Pintail stjertand were seen briefly on Husvatnet.

A harrier sp kjerrhauk and a Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb were among other birds reported today.

Hernar 24 October 2011 - Migration!

Fresh south-easterly and SUNNY. Very warm for so late in the year.

A SUPERB day spent birding Hernar. There was non-stop action from dawn until we left at 16:45. Plenty of visible migration and lots of stuff on the island itself.

 Rook kornkråke

 Twite bergirsik - numbers have now dropped to only seven birds

 Above and below Little Auk alkekonge - good numbers passing with many at close range

 Goshawk hønsehauk

 Above and below Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

 Red-throated Diver smålom

 Female Blackcap munk

Part of a Waxwing sidensvans flock

Highlights included a Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb and a Rook kornkråke (both new species for the island), 10 Waxwing sidensvans, two Lapland Buntings lappspurv, a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, at least one Water Rail vannrikse, Short-eared Owl jordugle and Goldfinch stillits.

The supporting cast included a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, 700 or so Little Auk alkekonge, a couple of Goshawk hønsehauk, several Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, a Woodcock rugde, four rather late Swallows låvesvale, a Wheatear steinskvett, small numbers of Twite bergirsik and around 20 Red-throated Diver smålom.

Hundred of thrushes, 150 or so Woodpigeon ringdue, several flocks of Greylag grågås, Bramblings bjørkefink and a steady passage of Common Gull fiskemåke meant there was always something to see.

At least seven Blackcap munk and a couple of Chiff-chaff gransanger also present.

What a day!



Breivik 22 October 2011

Strong SSE wind and rain.

So-called waterproofs woefully ineffective again.

Best bird was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, also a couple of Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a flock of Brambling bjørkefink and the usual suspects.

A breif look at Herdlevær produced a couple of Reed Bunting sivspurv and a Blackcap munk of interest

Herdlevær 21 October 2011

Very strong southerly winds, dull and wet. Again.

Highlights today were a tristis-like Chiff-chaff gransanger and a late Wheatear steinskvett.

 White-tailed Eagle havørn #1

 White-tailed Eagle havørn #2

 Above and below Cormorant storskarv

Common Gull fiskemåke

Other birds inlcuded the first Kittiwake krykkje for some time and the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn etc.

Photography only possible using obscene ISO values today.

Skogsøy 20 October 2011

North-westerly near gale and showers.

A late start to an hour or so seawatching. Unsurprisingly little passing, just small numbers of Gannets havsule and seaduck including a several Long-tailed Duck havelle.

 Gannet havsule diving

 Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn

 Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

As good as the weather got whilst I was out...

The walk out produced the best bird of the day - a lone Waxwing sidensvans - the first I have seen in Øygarden this year. Otherwise just White-tailed Eagle havørn, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk etc.

Back home the garden proved quite productive with a couple of Blackcap munk, a Brambling bjørkefink and a small flock of Tree Sparrow pilfink as the best sightings.

Herdlevær 17 October 2011

Just for a change gale force southerly winds....

Not quite up to yestarday's standards but far from a waste of time.

 Two Dunlin myrsnipe

 Common Scoter svartand

 Song Thrush måltrost

 Gannet havsule

 Above and below Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt

Best bird today was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin. Other waders were a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a couple of Dunlin myrsnipe and two Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt.

Not much in the way of migrant passerines other than some mixed thrush flocks, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a couple of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Three Long-tailed Duck havelle were the first of the autumn.

A brief look at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø, produced the same four Greylags grågås that have been present for a few days, a Goldeneye kvinand (the first I've seen this autumn) and several Wigeon brunnakke.