Even better weather than yesterday. Cloudless, sunny skies and a very light northerly breeze.
The day started off even better than anticipated with the first rarity of the spring - a Black Redstart svartrødstjert. It looked more like a female than an adult male but sang repeatedly - not sure whats going on there.
A fly over Lapland Longspur lappspurv which called repeatedly was rather earlier than usual and would appear to be the first March record for Øygarden! Other migrants included a small flock of Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, Golden Plover heilo, Skylark sanglerke and the first Reed Bunting sivspurv of the year.
A very brief look at the sea showed that although there was some migration (Oystercatcher tjeld, Common Gull fiskemåke and Red-throated Diver smålom) the passage was much reduced compared to yesterday.
On the way back to the car I found the best rarity garden in Øygarden (and probably the county of Hordaland) in a rather different state than usual. The trees are being heavily cut back and / or removed and another house will be built there. This is surely the end of this gardens magical rarity pulling power. This garden has had Isabelline Shrike rødhalevarsler, Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger and much, much more besides - perhaps the old "bombehagen" at Herdlevær will take over the title of best rarity garden in Øygarden?
We can but hope that the new house also gets a productive garden.....but this will no doubt take at least a few years.
The day started off even better than anticipated with the first rarity of the spring - a Black Redstart svartrødstjert. It looked more like a female than an adult male but sang repeatedly - not sure whats going on there.
A fly over Lapland Longspur lappspurv which called repeatedly was rather earlier than usual and would appear to be the first March record for Øygarden! Other migrants included a small flock of Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, Golden Plover heilo, Skylark sanglerke and the first Reed Bunting sivspurv of the year.
A very brief look at the sea showed that although there was some migration (Oystercatcher tjeld, Common Gull fiskemåke and Red-throated Diver smålom) the passage was much reduced compared to yesterday.
This Black Redstart svartrødstjert was obviously having a good day at Herdlevær - so much so that it sang repeatedly.
On the way back to the car I found the best rarity garden in Øygarden (and probably the county of Hordaland) in a rather different state than usual. The trees are being heavily cut back and / or removed and another house will be built there. This is surely the end of this gardens magical rarity pulling power. This garden has had Isabelline Shrike rødhalevarsler, Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger and much, much more besides - perhaps the old "bombehagen" at Herdlevær will take over the title of best rarity garden in Øygarden?
Beginning of the end for the best rarity garden in Øygarden?
We can but hope that the new house also gets a productive garden.....but this will no doubt take at least a few years.
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