I kicked off the New Year's birdrace with a trip to Skogsøy with a view to picking up otherwise hard to get species. In other words, not to get the most species but a few of the harder ones. This was largely unsuccessful but 47 Kittiwake krykkje heading south during the hour I sat out there was a good number for the time of year. Other than this the seawatching produced just a Little Auk alkekonge and a Black Guillemot teist. Other birds at Skogsøy included a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, two Great Northern Diver islom and the usual.
I popped in at a few localities on the way home without seeing anything remarkable. Just under 30 species seen.
On the last day of 2024 I started with one of my daughters at Dåvøy picking up Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, Red-throated Diver smålom, Great Northern Diver islom, a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, the long-staying Little Grebe dvergdykker and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits along with most of the usual stuff. A good start to the day. After this I covered Heggøy which produced only a Common Scoter svartand and then Solberg which gave Gannet havsule, another White-tailed Eagle havørn and a small flock of Eider ærfugl.
Next up was Alvheim which was rather disappointing with just three White-tailed Eagle havørn and not a lot else. However, two Bullfinch dompap turned up just as I left - rarely an easy species in Øygarden:)
I finished up at Hjelme with a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a Fieldfare gråtrost and a White-tailed Eagle havørn robbing a Heron gråhegre of its catch. By this time the weather had turned - with snow in the air it was a sign that winter was seriously on its way.
The first day of 2025 started at Hjelme Vest under, mildly put, less than ideal conditions. So little on the sea other than a flock of 30 Long-tailed Duck havelle and a couple of Black Guillemot teist. Only one White-tailed Eagle havørn but at least 40 Kittiwake krykkje feeding offshore. Tjeldstø was next stop with just a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin in addition to the usual suspects. Bird of the day was Woodcock rugde with birds seen almost everywhere I went.
After returning home my terrace continued to produce with a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and Bullfinch dompap among the species seen.
In total I saw 47 species in Øygarden during the three days of the bird race, without actually going for a high number of species, with focus on the harder ones in a county context.
In the evening the Northern Lights kicked off big time - affording some decent photo opportunities from my terrace.
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