Saturday, May 15, 2021

Skogsøy and Hernar 13-14 May 2021 - Ups and Downs

On 13 May I did Skogsøy again and it was something of a disappointment. Light Southerly winds are not ideal but normally produce something at this time of year. Just one White-billed Diver gulnebblom and very small numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom passed. I gave up after only a few hours, a single Shelduck gravand headed south - surely the first sign of autumn migration.

A few drive-bys on the way home showed that Whitethroat tornsanger had arrived "everywhere" overnight. Single House Martins taksvale at a couple of locations, four Tufted Duck toppand at Tjeldstø and (amazingly late) my first local Siskin grønnsisik of the flew over my garden in the afternoon. 

A trip to Hernar on 14 May in fantastic conditions was altogether more productive with 49 species on the island including a several new for Hernar for the year and a few year ticks in the form of Garden Warbler hagesanger, Blackcap munk and Sedge Warbler sivsanger. Best bird was a Hawfinch kjernebiter - a species that has not been seen many times at this locality. Other migrants included a Reed Bunting sivspurv and a Collared Dove tyrkedue on top of all the usual stuff like White-tailed Eagles havørn and Twite bergirisk. The day flew by in good company and all too soon it was time to take the short boat ride home again.

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