Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Hernar 30 September 2014 - Putting the Hernar year list right

Southerly breeze very mild, light cloud

A magic day's birding on Hernar - full on action almost constantly but without any real rarities (at least not confirmed). There was something to see pretty much all the time and obvious migration going on throughout the day. Just under 60 species were seen on the island today.

Part of a flock of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås that went through

This Blackcap munk was feeding on rosehips

Very obvious Blue Tit blåmeis migration today with several large flocks moving through

Common Gulls fiskemåke on the move

One of quite a few Reed Bunting sivspurv seen today

Wheatear steinskvett


Highlight would probably have been one of the three Tree Pipit trepiplerke calls we heard. At least one of the calls sounded very short indeed. Frustrating.

However, there was plenty of other stuff to make up for it - including at least 14 new species for the year on Hernar. A Grey Wagtail vintererle, a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin and a Water Rail vannrikse were probably the best birds.

Other migrants included Skylarks sanglerke, at least one Tree Sparrow pilfink, a Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett, a couple of Wheatear steinskvett, good numbers of Reed Bunting sivspurv, several each of Blackcap munk and Chiff-chaff gransanger (the latter feeding all over the place - even out in the heather). Redwing rødvingetrost and Song Thrush måltrost migration has obviously picked up too.

Waders seen were Ringed Plover sandlo, Dunlin myrsnipe, Curlew storspove and Golden Plover heilo and Snipe enkeltbekkasin. Raptors were well represented with three White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Peregrine vandrefalk, two Kestrel tårnfalk and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.

Seabirds included 11 Red-throated Diver smålom, a Guillemot lomvi and a small flock of Razorbill alke. There was also a light passage of Common Gull fiskemåke and Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke.

Getting on for 1000 Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, over 100 Brambling bjørkefink, almost 100 Twite bergirisk and a few decent Blue Tit blåmeis flocks also passed through.

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