Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Øygarden 08-12 March 2019 - Snow Bunting

Weather alternated on a daily basis between wet and windy to calm and sunny.

Mute Swans knoppsvane

No birding to speak of 08 and 09 with drive-bys during errands producing the usual suspects including the four Mute Swans knoppsvane.

Migrating Oystercatcher tjeld

Who is watching who here?

Shag toppskarv

On 10 March I squeezed in almost two hours of seawatching at Skogsøy. Migration was in full swing with birds passing most of the time. Best bird here was a Snow Bunting snøspurv (and another heading north on the way out).

Gannet havsule N 62, S 3
Shag toppskarv S 29
Eider ærfugl S 8
Auk (Guillebill) N 22, S 2
Oystercatcher  tjeld N 88
Kittiwake krykkje N 3
Common Gull fiskemåke N 2

Also a steady movement of the larger gulls, a few Guillemot lomvi, Razorbill alke, singles of Common Scoter svartand and Long-tailed Duck havelle.

Probably a very unusual photo - Snow Bunting eating a worm! (Normally I only see them eating seeds away from the breeding grounds)




On 11 - 12  March there was barely even time for a drive-by anywhere at all so the best bird was actually found in my driveway by my youngest on her way home from school. After warming herself by the fire and talking about her day she casually pulled her phone out and showed me a photo she had taken  a cracking male Snow Bunting snøspurv. I grabbed my camera and went outside - luckily it was still there. After snapping a few pics I went back inside and carefully explained that in future she can jump over social niceties like saying hello and asking how I am and just show me the picture.

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