Øygarden 18-21 October 2023 - Welcome home

I arrived home from the airport around 1500 on the 18th, unpacked and sat down to start work. It didn't take long before I noticed a message on the local bird alert about a Barred Warbler hauksanger at Sæle which is very close to home indeed (had I not intended to work I had thought about going there). The bird performed quite nicely, although having not used a DSLR for a year it took way too long to remember how to set up my newly purchased second hand 7D MK2. Bullfinch dompap, Waxwing sidensvans, Goldfinch stillits and more also put in an appearance here.

Initially I managed better pictures with my point and pray...

Always something in the way

Target acquired.....

photo-bombed by a wasp

First year Barred Warbler hauksanger

On Thursday 19 October I went to Hernar for the morning with a couple of other birders. Tactically it could have been a challenging day had I been on my own - there were A LOT of birds on the move but not much on the deck. Fairly quickly I chose to sit it out on a high point, exposed to the strong easterly wind. Although this proved to be the correct choice I'm not sure I would have done this without other birders doing the rounds.....

Flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost, Redwing rødvingetrost and Redpoll gråsisik passed constantly. It was really a vis mig kind of day with all kinds of stuff passing. Highlight was a Hen Harrier myrhauk but probably the best bird in a Hernar context was a female Scaup bergand that flew right over - a new species for the island😀 Still re-learning a proper camera I failed to capture what could have been excellent images:). Migrating Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, a very late Arctic Tern rødbebbterne, Peregrine vandrefalk, a Bullfinch dompap, Velvet Scoter sjøorre, Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb, a late Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove  and more meant that there was never a dull moment. Even with three birders sitting together different stuff was picked up depending on who was looking where. Well in excess of 50 species logged.

Two birders on the way to Hernar (photo Harald Totland)

Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove

Blackbird svarttrost, many feeding on the island and more passing over

Migrant Male Bullfinch dompap

This flock is mostly Common Scoter svartand with a Velvet Scoter sjøorre and a Long-tailed Duck havelle accompanying them

Hen Harrier myrhauk, luckily Oddvar did better:)

Bull-necked, thick billed and with the mandibles not crossing this Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb spent some time hanging around

First year Peregrine vandrefalk

Female Scaup bergand

On the way back to Hellesøy we picked up to pale waders with wing bars, it is very tempting to think that these were Grey Phalaropes polarsvømmesnipe but they were not really claimable. Even more frustratng was a pipit that flew over which sounded dead on for Pechora Pipit tundrapiplerke. As soon as we got off the boat we tried to relocate the waders and heard the distinctive call a few times. Despite some searching we could not relocate the bird and typically I had a meeting I had to attend....

Friday saw me locked to the computer all day, although during a Teams meeting I glanced out of the window to see a Goshawk hønsehauk flying over and there was a noticeable influx of Blue Tits blåmeis. In the evening the Northern Lights put on a bit of a show.

Northern Lights from my terrace 20th October.

The point and pray does as well with Northern Lights as it does with Dark-sided Flycatcher:)

On 21 October I did my usual round at Herdlevær. Best bird was a White-billed Diver gulnebblom heading south along with a decent movement of Common Scoter svartand. Several Long-tailed Duck havelle accompnied one of the scoter flocks. A Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke, a Kittiwake krykkje and a few Red-throated Diver smålom also flew south.

Other sightings of interest included 20 Waxwing sidensvans at Skjold and a Tree Sparrow pilfink in my garden,