Saturday, November 18, 2023

Øygarden 11-17 November 2023 - Crossbills can be difficult

 The calm weather with light easterlies continues.

On 11 October I spent the entire day outside, only the morning birding, the rest of the day was spent changing to winter tyres, doing stuff in the garden and fishing:)

Breivik and Herdlevær produced the usual suspects with highlight being a flock of 11 Jackdaw kaie which dropped in briefly, an uncommon migrant here November is one of the best months to see this species. Several Snipe enkeltbekkasin, lots of Crossbills korsnebb, small flocks of Redwings rødvingetrost and the usual stuff. Obviously some movement over the sea too with Common Scoter svartand and Red-throated Divers smålom on the move.

Some years I have thought that I can separate Parrot furukorsnebb and Common Crossbills grankorsnebb on call. This might have been true at times but this year it seems impossible. Most flocks I have been able to identify this autumn have been single species flocks but a group of Crossbills at Breivik seemed to be a mixture.


Common Crossbill grankorsnebb

Common Crossbill grankorsnebb


Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb

Fishing gave me a new fish species in the form of a couple of Hake lysing!

The next day was also spent outside:) Skogsøy in the morning, fishing in the afternoon:)

A couple of hours spent seawatching showed that there seemed to be less passing than yesterday but a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, a few Little Auk alkekonge and "plenty" of Kittiwake krykkje meant it was quite worthwhile.

Great Northern Diver islom

Red-throated Diver smålom

A male Teal krikkand with Mallard stokkand at Husvatnet on the way home

On Monday 13 November it was back to work but I spent a couple of hours visiting various localities. A Willow Tit granmeis at Hatten was the first I've had in Øygarden this year:) Otherwise Jay nøtteskrike, Woodpigeon ringdue, small numbers of Waxwing sidensvans and a Slav Grebe horndykker were the highlights. Still flocks of up to 30 Redwing rødvingetrost around.

Jay nøtteskrike at Hjelme

Wren gjerdesmett at Sæle

The next day I was not out at all but clocked up a Hawfinch kjernebiter flying over my house and a Velvet Scoter sjøorre also flew over:)

Whoopers sangsvane at Kollsnes

The rest of the week was spent away from home and/or working but a female Blackcap munk turned up in the garden again for a couple of days.

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