Øygarden 30 May 2012 - cute theme

Sunny with northerlies

 Lapwing vipe chick near Kollsnes

 Above and below: female Teal krikkand with 13(!) young

Started the day with an abortive trip to Hernar. Ferry now on summer timetable so half day is no longer Wednesday - wish I'd had time to check! The trip to Hellesøy was not completely wasted though as the first Merlin dvergfalk I have seen in Øygarden this year flew over.

The day then took a further downturn with yet more work....but still managed a couple of very short walks which produced a flock of 30 pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås heading north past Skogsøy and a variety of newly hatched young birds.

Øygarden 29 May 2012 - Eagle Owl

Sunny with northerly winds again.

Yet again only a very short time spent at a few localities.

Eagle Owl hubro

Solberg was better for mammals than birds today. In addition to the usual Otter oter there were also several Orcas spekkhogger offshore - difficult to judge an exact number.  Otherwise just a pair of Common Tern makrellterne, several Arctic Tern rødnebbterne and the usual suspects.

Elswhere an Eagle Owl hubro was seen near fresh prey.

Øygarden 26 May 2012

Glorious weather but no time to get out and about birding.

Common Tern makrellterne at Tjeldstø

Despite not birding I caught up with many of the species that arrived whilst I was away including Common Tern makrellterne, Arctic Tern rødnebbterne, Cuckoo gjøk, Whitethroat tornsanger and Sedge Warbler sivsanger.

Lesser Whitethroat møller singing at Tjeldstø, a single White-billed Diver gulnebblom heading north at Herdlevær and most of the usual suspects for the time of year.

Herdlevær 07 May 2012 - Seawatching still rules...

Light southerly winds and sunny.

Yet another short trip out, grabbed an hour's seawatching which once again proved quite productive:

All heading north:
Gadwall snadderand: 2 (with Barnacle Geese)
Red-throated Diver smålom: 66 (passage must have been well into triple figures today)
White-billed Diver gulnebblom: 1
GN /WB Diver kjempelom: 1
Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås: 440
Tufted Duck toppand: 9
Velvet Scoter sjøorre: 11
Common Scoter svartand: 9
Whimbrel småspove: 9
Oystercatcher tjeld: 28

A Lesser Whitethroat møller was seen in one of the gardens - first in Øygarden this year.

Tjeldstø 06 May 2012

North westerly winds, mostly sunny but some wintery showers.

Not really out today but picked up a Greenshank gluttsnipe beside Husvatnet and in the evening a Carrion Crow svartkråke flew over the garden.

Otherwise plenty to see without anything out of the ordinary. At least two Greylag grågås pairs with newly hatched goslings and a female Mallard stokkand also seen with young

Herdlevær 05 May 2012 - More short seawatches

Strong northelies yet again after gales in the night. Regular heavy snow / hail showers

A forty minute seawatch between 1020 and 1110 hit a lucky break in the weather and really produced the goods - during this short seawatch two White-billed Diver gulnebblom, a flock of seven Pomarine Skua polarjo, several  Arctic Skua tyvjo and at least one Great Skua storjo were seen.

Over 400 Barnacles Geese hvitkinngås also passed (three flocks) along with decent numbers of Kittiwake krykkje, the usual seaduck and small numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom.

An equally short return visit later in the day produced another Pomarine Skua polarjo, another Great Skua storjo and a couple more Arctic Skua tyvjo.

In the evening a surprise bird in the garden was a Hawfinch kjernebiter - the second from the house and only the third I have seen in Øygarden.

Herdlevær 04 May 2012 - Short seawatch

Fresh northerly winds continue.

Managed to grab an hours seawatch at Herdlevær which produced two White-billed Diver gulnebblom, 19 Red-throated Diver smålom, several Razorbill alke, over 60 Barnacle Geese hvittkinngås, a Fulmar havhest and  two dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo.

Øygarden 03 May 2012 - Golden Eagle

Northerly winds continue.

Obviously some movement stilll going on.

A very quick look at Solberg proved that the day should have been spent at Skogsøy - obviously good numbers of divers passing.

At Tjeldstø I finally connected with a couple of House Martin taksvale among increased numbers of Swallows låvesvale, a second year Golden Eagle kongeørn soared over and the Pinkfoot kortnebbgås remained with the Greylags grågås.

A pair of Ringed Plover sandlo were found breeding at the same location as they did last year. Good news there at least.

Øygarden 02 May 2012 - Missing stuff....

Fresh northerly winds but sunny.

The last few days have been good with more diver migrations past Skogsøy, another Crane trane, Golden Eagle kongeørn, the first Arctic Skuas tyvjo and Whimbrel småspove etc etc.

Above and below:  Lapland Longspur lappspurv at Breivik

 Pinkfoot kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø

Rook kornkråke at Skogsøy

Still really struggling to get out and about but managed a quick dash round a few localities today - good birds present at all stops!

At Solberg a second year Great Northern Diver islom headed north and a Peregrine vandrefalk flew past.

Husvatnet at Tjeldstø produced a lone Pinkfoot kortnebbgås.

A drive by at Herdlevær/Skogsøy connected with the Rook kornkråke that has been hanging around there since 29.04.

At Breivik a cracking male Lapland Longspur lappspurv gave excellent views.