Herdlevær 31 March 2014 - More migrants

Sunny again but with a fresh northerly making it feel rather colder today.

A look at Herdlevær proved to be quite productive - highlights being a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk and a pair of Wheatear steinskvett - both new for Øygarden this year. A White-wagtail linerle, some Snipe enkeltbekkasin and various other migrants on the land.

Migrating Common Gulls fiskemåke

Greylags grågås

Oystercatcher tjeld

The first Wheatear steinskvett of the year

Gannet havsule

An hour spent seawatching produced a steady movement of Common Gull fiskemåke and several flocks of Oystercatcher tjeld heading north. Several Gannet havsule, small numbers of Curlew storspove, a couple of Black Guillemots teist, several other auks and a Great Northern Diver islom also passed here.

Elsewhere a Chiff-chaff gransanger fed by the road at Alvheim and feeding thrushes gave good views at Sture.

Chiff-chaff gransanger

Redwing rødvingetrost

In the afternoon a Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke flew over the house - not the first in Øygargen this year by a long way but the first I have seen.

Skogsøy 29 March 2014 - Another productive non-birding day

Calm and sunny again. The fantastic weather continues.

Kicked the day off with a very vocal Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett from the terrace at home. Some indications of passage over Nautnes too with small flocks of what were presumably Lesser Redpolls brunisik and small numbers of Meadow Pipits heipiplerke flying over. White/pied wagtail linerle also heard flying over here.

Another late and lazy trip to Skogsøy was rather more successful than yesterday birdwise with highlights being a Black-throated Diver storlom and a couple of Puffins lunde. Several Red-throated Diver smålom, a few Black-headed Gulls hettemåke and a light northward movement of Common Gulls fiskemåke. Other stuff here included Guillemot lomvi on the sea and a Razorbill alke heading north.

Skogsøy 28 March 2014 - Sunbathing

Hot and sunny!!

A late and lazy trip to Skogsøy produced virtually no migration but singing Redwings rødvingetrost were the first I've had in Øygarden this year. Curlew storspove, Meadow Pipit heipiplerke and others all displaying. Incredibly warm out at the look-out point - good for sunbathing if not birding....

Migrating Cormorants storskarv

Ravn ravn

Nautnes produced Lesser Redpolls brunsisik, a fly over Snow Bunting snøspurv and a nice Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke feeding on the shore in front of the house. In the evening a roding Woodcock rugde was a new species for the house list.

Rock pipit skjærpiplerke taken from the terrace at Nautnes

Øygarden 27 March 2014 - Catch-up

Sunny with light northerly winds

A brief check at a few localities allowed me to catch up on a few of the species that arrived whilst I was away and get one more new for the year in Øygarden - a Dunnock jernspurv. Singing Meadow Pipits heipiplerke and a Willow tit granmeis were among the other species seen here.

Greylag grågås at Breivik

The first Meadow Pipit heipiplerke of the year for me

At Tjeldstø well over 100 Greylags grågås now present and four Teal krikkand on Rotevatnet were the first I've seen in Øygarden this year.

A single Ringed Plover sandlo was displaying at the most usual breeding site for this species.

Øygarden 04 March 2014 - Pied wag and more

South Easterly winds and overcast but still calm and dry.

Pied Wagtail svartryggerle at Tjeldstø

Just about record shot of Slavonian Grebe horndykker at Dåvøy

A quick check at a few localities produced some good sightings - the highlight being a male Pied Wagtail svartryggerle at Tjeldstø where there were also increased numbers of Greylag grågås, a flock of Starling stær and six Lapwing vipe. A small flock of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt here were also present - first I've seen on the east side of Øygarden this year.

Dåvøy produced a Slavonian Grebe horndykker - first sighting in Øygarden this year but the bird will probably have been present most of the winter. More Starling stær and another Lapwing vipe here too.

Several Oystercatcher tjeld were at Solberg.

Herdlevær 03 March 2014 - Short Seawatch

Light Easterly winds, sunny and "warm"

Mergansers siland displaying at Herdlevær

Another day of fantastic weather. A short (and late!) seawatch at Herdlevær produced a small southward movement of Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple of Guillemots lomvi and a lone Razorbill alke. Otherwise just the usual suspects.

Skogsøy 02 March 2014 - Spring

Light SE, light cloud cover and some drizzle.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Skogsøy

A late, lazy and short trip to Skogsøy produced the first Razorbill alke and Little Auk alkekonge of the year in Øygarden (unprecedently late!).  Small numbers of Gannets havsule passing and most of the usual suspects on the sea including a Velvet Scoter sjøorre and a Black Guillemot teist.

Some of the Lapwings vipe at Tjeldstø

Greylags grågås have arrived "everywhere" and a flock of at least eight Lapwing vipe were present at Tjeldstø. Four Woodpigeon ringdue at Breivik were another sign of spring.

Curlew storspove at Herdlevær yesterday

Spring well on the way!

A Curlew storspove at Herdlevær yesterday was probably one of the several overwintering birds rather than a migrant.