Sunday, October 20, 2024

Øygarden 01.10-06.10 - tristis time

 On 01 October a quick pre-work sortie to Herdlevær produced a reasonable selection of migrants without anything very special. A Grey Wagtail vintererle, several Chiff-chaff gransanger, a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn and the usual selection of finches were present. 

The drive to Herdlevær produced the best sighting of the day in the form of a Grey Plover tundralo at Tjeldstø - not often they turn up at fresh water localities out here.


Grey Plover tundralo at Tjeldstø

The next day all I managed was a quick look at Sæle where the usual Blackcaps munk, Chiff-chaff gransanger turned up along with Goldfinches stillits which have become a regular feature and reasonable numbers of migrant thrushes and finches.

A morning spent on Hernar on 03 October was quite productive with two tristis Chiff-chaffs sibirsanger, a couple of Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger, Water Rails vannrikse, a migrant Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett, flyover Lapland Bunting lappsurv, a couple of Grey Wagtails vintererle and a good selection of other migrants. Winter visitors are starting to arrive with Common Scoter svartand, Velvet Scoter sjøorre and Long-tailed Duck havelle showing up.

Two of Bergen's finest full of early morning optimism
A massive seven birders covered the island today






One of two tristis Chiff-chaff sibirsanger on Hernar

Documentation video of the call taken with my mobile phone. The bird shows briefly towards the end:)

The following day I was not out in any meaningful way but a couple of drive-bys to and from the shops produced a calling Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Tjeldstø, a small flock of Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb at Hatten. From the terrace a migrating White Wagtail linerle, Nuthatch spettmeis and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett were among the sightings.

A strongly marked Herring Gull gråmåke at Dåvøy made me look twice



Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb at Hatten

A couple of hours seawatching at Skogsøy on 06 October proved quite productive with a male Scaup bergand heading south and a Little Stint dvergsnipe feeding with three Sanderling sandløper as the highlights. Passage wise there were plenty of Gannets havsule, Red-throated Divers smålom, small numbers of Common Scoter svartand, Velvet Scoter sjøorre and a light passage of gulls including several Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke.


Common Scoter svartand

A way too common sight - Gannet havsule with fishing line attached

Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke

Red-throated Divers smålom



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