Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Herdlevær 01 October 2014 - More new autumn stuff.

Fresh southerly winds, rather dull and still very mild. Showers in the afternoon.

A few hours at Herdlevær in the morning provided some decent birding. Compared to yesterday there were few passerines on the move - no doubt because of the stronger winds. To make up for this wildfowl were more obvious - with a few firsts for the autumn.

Common Gull fiskemåke

Long-tailed Duck havelle with three Common Scoter svartand

Shag toppskarv

Highlights at Herdlevær were a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås  in one of two flocks of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås that passed and a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin. The first Velvet Scoter sjøorre for some time headed south as did small numbers of Common Scoter svartand, a Long-tailed Duck havelle and eight Red-throated Diver smålom. A light passage of Common Gulls fiskemåke again and a flock of five Arctic Tern rødnebbterne also flew south.

An overview shot I took before moving closer - three species of wader present

Dunlin myrsnipe

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt

Ringed Plover sandlo

Small numbers of waders flew past and a few more on the shore - Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, Ringed Plover sandlo and Dunlin myrsnipe fed near my usual breakfast stop.

Migrant passerines were thinner on the ground - just a feeding flock of about 10 Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and a Wheatear steinskvett were seen.

Pinkfoot kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø

Another Pinkfoot kortnebbgås was present at Tjeldstø.

A quick check at Sæle produced the usual autumn mix of Chiff-chaff gransanger, Blackcap munk, Brambling bjørkefink etc.


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