Skogsøy 08 May 2022 - A very different seawatch

Another day predictably spent seawatching at Skogsøy, much lighter winds and altogether more pleasant to sit there.

Quite a bit passed further out and the make up of the species was rather different - more variety and rarely a dull moment - over 1220 birds were logged. A Manx Shearwater havlire was the best bird and the first for the county this year. The Whimbrel småspove passage was close to record breaking with 192 birds seen on the move.

The totals for an 8 hour seawatching marathon which flew by in great company were:

Red throated Diver smålom N 349

Great Northern Diver islom S 1 2cy

White Billed Diver gulnebblom N 7 (all adult as usual)

Manx Shearwater havlire N 1

Northern Gannet havsule N 75, S 12 (more today despite less wind!)

Great Cormorant storskarv N 20, S 5

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 23, S 70

Greylag Goose grågås N 1

Teal krikkand N 1

Tufted Duck toppand N 12

Eider ærfugl N 3, S 14

Long tailed duck havelle N 28

Common Scoter svartand N 99, S 21

Velvet Scoter sjøorre N 14

RB Merganser siland N 9, S 4

Oystercatcher tjeld N 128, S 6

Whimbrel småspove N 192 (just shy of the record 218!)

Turnstone steinvender N 1

Arctic Skua tyvjo N 1 pale phase

Black headed Gull hettemåke S 2

Common Gull fiskemåke N 78

Great black backed Gull svartbak N 6

Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje S 9

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne N 3

Razorbill alke N 17

Atlantic Puffin lunde N 3 

A few LBBG sildemåke feeding in the area

Oystercatcher tjeld catching the first rays of the morning sun

Oystercatcher tjeld

Red-throated Diver smålom passed in good numbers again, although further out on average today

The rare two-headed form of Tufted Duck toppand was also noted

Obviously intent on obtaining better views of some migrating Velvet Sctoer sjøorre

A mega day for Whimbrel småspove migration!

On the way home a surprise find was an Osprey fiskeørn heading north over Tjeldstø. Result!!

Osprey fiskørn heading north over Tjeldstø