Sunday, October 12, 2014

Nautnes / Herdlevær 12 October 2014 - Vis Mig / Doing the right thing....

Southerly breeze, some showers

Grey Wagtail vintererle from the terrace

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk flying over the house


Spent the morning at home on the terrace and found that things have suddenly started moving. Flocks of thrushes and finches came over constantly during the first few hours. Most were not specifically identified but there were good numbers of Redwing rødvingetrost, Bramling bjørkefink and Starling stær. Among the other species seen heading south were smaller numbers of Siskin grønnsisik, many Chaffinch bokfink a Dunnock jernspurv, a late Arctic Tern rødnebbterne,and a Merlin dvergfalk.. A Grey Wagtail vintererle dropped in and at least one Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb showed up in the treetops.

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke - small numbers still heading south

Dotterel boltit


White-billed Diver gulnebblom - white/pale primary shafts visible in this image.


Male Wheatear steinskvett - still striking even in the autumn

A trip to Herdlevær later in the day was also pretty successful with brief views of what was presumably the same Dotterel boltit first seen a couple of days ago, at least one Lapland Bunting lappspurv, a couple of White-billed Diver gulnebblom, a Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger, a few Wheatear steinskvett and good numbers of Golden Plover heilo.

Golden Plover heilo with missing wing. It was carefully carried home and fed before I finally came to my senses and put it out of its misery.


It was one of the Golden Plover heilo that caused something of a dilemma. The bird was seen at close range but it was not immediately obvious that it was missing a wing. The missing appendage was soon located on the ground not far from the stricken plover. With my youngest accompanying me I bowed to the pressure of not just putting the bird out of its misery and we dutifully took the bird home and fed it some worms before I came to my senses and shot it  in the head,


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