I returned home on the evening of 21.11 and was greeted by some nice Northern Lights.
Northern Lights from my terrace
The next day work prevented me getting out of the house but this didn't stop me seeing some birds. Highlight was a nice Great Northern Diver islom feeding busily just off the terrace. Also a late Oystercatcher tjeld, three White-tailed Eagles havørn and small flocks of various finches flying over.
Oystercatcher tjeld photographed from my terrace
It was still cold and calm on 23.11, I covered Hjelme Vest hoping to find some stuff on the sea, it was rather quiet but a couple of Little Auks alkekonge showed up, small numbers of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a few Oystercatcher tjeld looking at an overwintering attempt, small numbers of the usual seaduck, at least five White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and a Rock pipit skjærpiplerke were among the species seen. Woodcock rugde were evident only by their tracks.
I followed this up with some drive-bys picking up both Water Rail vannriske and Snipe enkeltbekkasin at likely looking spots.
Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin
Water Rail vannrikse giving the usual kind of views.....
The next couple of days it was back to work and the weather turned milder. A Velvet Scoter sjøorre flew past the house and a couple of Teal krikkand turned up with Mallards stokkand on Husvatnet.
Common Scoter svartand at Heggøy
Eider ærfugl on Skjoldepollen - an unusual species at this locality
Red-throated Diver smålom at Skjoldepollen
Two Teal krikkand with Mallards stokkand on Husvatnet
On 26.11 it was time to leave again. Good weather and the thaw well and truly completed - the birds wasted no time turning up at their favoured spots. Sightings on the way to the airport included the female Scaup bergand on Husvatnet and another Scaup bergand on Blomvatnet. Whoopers sangsvane were back on two fresh water localities too.
Scaup bergand on Blomvatnet
Tufted Duck toppand on Blomvatnet
Whoopers sangsvane at Kollsnes
White-tailed Eagle havørn at Kollsnes. Seemed to be feeding on a dead sheep but not 100% certain.
A few days on an inshore job near Kårstø 12-14 November were great fun. Cool equipment and good data:) And some birds thrown in.
Horned Grebes horndykker, a good selection of seaduck, a couple of diver species and some White-tailed Eagles havørn meant the days at work flew by.
Adult Great Northern Diver islom
Black Guillemot teist
Long-tailed Duck havelle
Velvet Scoter sjøorre
After that it was off to Oslo for some meetings and consequently nothing much to see. I managed a couple of hours on Gressholmen on 17 November where large numbers of Goldeneye kvinand were joined by a couple of Scaup bergand. Not much in the way of passerines but still plenty of berries around in the east - along with some Fieldfare gråtrost and a lone Redwing rødvingetrost feeding on them. An omissus type Herring Gull gråmåke on Nakkholmen made me look twice:)
Two Scaup bergand joined well over 100 Goldeneye kvinand
Almost orange legs on this omissus type Herring Gull gråmåke. No open wing shots and this photo is rather overexposed.
Traditionally it is the last week of September / first week of October that is the best for rarities. I have always liked early November and this week was just brilliant, despite having to travel for work.
Whilst frantically preparing for a conference in Stavanger a message ticked in about a Firecrest rødtoppfuglekonge at Sæle. I flung the last things I needed into my bags and headed to Sæle before continuing on to the airport. I had just a few minutes to spare and managed to connect with it - a new species for me in Øygarden. Thanks Terje!
Firecrest rødtoppfuglekonge at Sæle
Later in the afternoon I arrived at Sola Strand, Stavanger. Here, even without binoculars the birding was just too easy. Not difficult to understand why such a large percent of Norwegian birders are from the Stavanger area:)
Long-tailed Ducks havelle in the surf
There were several White Wagtails linerle hunting flies along the beach
A short walk on the beach the morning before the conference was almost equally productive. With scope and bins there would have been a lot more to see!
Great Northern Diver islom
First year Red-throated Diver smålom
Yellowhammer gulspurv
Back home in Øygarden and back to the grindstone I managed a few short drive-bys on 06 November in misty conditions. There was a big movement of thrushes down the east side of Øygarden with big flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost and smaller flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost heading south under the low cloud. Several Snipe enkeltbekkasin fed at Tjeldstø. Definitely a feeling that something good must have arrived today.
Heron gråhegre at Hellesøy
Some of the Snipe enkeltbekkasin feeding at Tjeldstø
Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin feeding at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø
On 07 November I spent the morning on Hernar. There was a LOT of activity and no time to drink coffee or eat sandwiches like I normally do. Well over 40 species noted without having the time to cover some of the areas I normally do. The most interesting bird by far was an eastern type Lesser Whitethroat møller with a very unusual call. According to one site I have investigated blythi has not been recorded as giving this call. This, along with some other features has me leaning towards halimodendri (Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat). My first ever Jackdaw kaie for the island was an added bonus along with Mistle Thrush duetrost, Water Rails vannrikse, Chiff-chaffs gransanger and plenty more besides.
Chiff-chaff gransanger - seemed to be "normal" without any tristis sounds
Tail good for the eastern types
Rather warm and brown appearance, pale lores in angles where the face is illuminated. Differs with lighting angle though
Here with prey:) Note the brown extending onto the nape / crown
Brown looking tail here
Sonogram (taken from video). Thanks to Stein Rune Risa for this)
This shows the jizz of the bird. Mouse-like, jerky and busy.
One striking thing about this bird was the tail pumping and Redstart-like "shivering" of the tail.
This video includes the call.
According to https://nicksbird.blog/2023/06/11/identification-of-the-lesser-whitethroat-species-complex/
there are no records of blythi that have been recorded with this call.....
Jackdaw kaie
Mistle Thrush duetrost
...and the much commoner (i.e. very common) White-tailed Eagle havørn
I was only out for half an hour as the light was going on 08 November, still lots of birds about - especially Redwings rødvingetrost and Fieldfare gråtrost. A Mistle Thrush duetrost at Hjelme was probably the same bird seen there the previous day.
From the house the best sighting was a Lapwing vipe heading south
My usual round at Herdlevær really produced the goods with the absolute highlight being a Hume's Leaf Warbler blekbrynsanger. Incredibly active and difficult to photograph it was at times obligingly vocal - it was the call that really made me investigate this bird in the first place. This is the first record in Øygarden for around 20 years!! Twitchers arrived quickly on the scene but the bird did a disappearing act for the rest of the day. Thankfully it was re-found the following day and stayed for some days more.
Hume's Leaf Warbler blekbrynsanger - the call can be heard in this video
Sonogram of the call - taken from the video above - thanks to Stein Rune Risa
There were plenty of other things to see too with a flock of 30 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a couple of Whooper Swans sangsvane, Chiff-chaff gransanger, several Great Northern Diver islom and lots of the usual migrants.
Whooper swans sangsvane at Herdlevær
A female Scaup bergand and a couple of Lapwing vipe on Rotevatnet were an added bonus.
Skylark sanglerke at Hjelme
Back home a first year Red-throated Diver smålom struggled with a large fish for some time in front of my house - looked like it might have been a Herring sild.
First year Red-throated Diver smålom at Nautnes
On Sunday 10th November I covered a number of localities without finding much new - although the Hume's Leaf Warbler blekbrynsanger was present at Herdlevær. A flock of six Lapwing vipe flew over at Breivik and what were probably the same birds were seen later at Tjeldstø where the Scaup bergand remained. Good numbers of thrushes, a Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb and a couple of Woodcock rugde were among the sightings.
