Monday 10th February was spent doing the SEAPOP count, something that has not been done for a couple of years. The standard route is in the southern part of the "old" Øygarden. Although the weather was fantastic the day left me feeling rather depressed - I've never seen so few seabirds on the count - very small numbers of Eider ærfugl and Long-tailed Duck havelle and just one Common Scoter svartand gave very dismal results. A few Black Guillemot teist and a surprise Puffin lunde were also seen.
Puffin lunde
The next day I wasn't really out but picked up a Red-throated Diver smålom and the two long-staying Little Grebe dvergdykker were still present. Some Greylags grågås and six Whoopers sangsvane were on Husvatnet.
Heron gråhegre
Little Grebes dvergdykker
Red-throated Diver smålom
The following day I left Øygarden again without getting out at all.
On 2nd February I did my usual round at Herdlevær, not much to report at all, although five White-tailed Eagle havørn feeding there and several Gannet havsule heading north during a brief coffee break. The albifrons Whitefront tundragås remained at Breivik. On the way home again a short stop at Tjeldstø produced my first local Goshawk hønsehauk of the year and later on I picked up three Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Hjelme.
The next day I was snowed under with work and only managed the briefest of drive-bys. A Common Seal steinkobbe at Dåvøy and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits in the garden along with the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn were all that I managed to see.
Common Seal steinkobbe at Dåvøy
The 4th February was only slightly better with an hour or so out of the house. A couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre near Tjeldstø and the long-staying albifrons at Breivik were the only sightings of note.
albifrons Whitefront tundragås at Breivik
I spent 20 minutes at Hellesøy on 5th February without anything unusual being seen. Several each of Black Guillemot teist and Long-tailed Duck havelle and a few White-tailed Eagle havørn were among the birds seen here.
A tip-off regarding a Golden Eagle kongeørn later in the day had me leaving the house at short notice. Although there were signs of it's presence (flocks of gulls and crows flying around in disarray) it initially proved difficult to locate. I connected with it over Dåvøy where it headed back to Staumsundet. A small flock of Starling stær at Tjeldstø and a single at Skjold may well have been returning birds. Shortly after this I had to leave for a work trip.
Little Grebe dverdykker at Dåvøy
I returned late on Friday 7th February and did some birding the the next day. I started at Herdlevær which was fairly quiet, though I did pick up a Little Auk alkekonge there along with a single COmmon Scoter svartand (very scarce this winter) and a couple of Eiders ærfugl. Four Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a small flock of Siskin grønnsisik and several very vocal Crested Tits toppmeis were among the other species seen here. A flock of 16 Starling stær near the car park were almost definitely new arrivals.
Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Herdlevær
On Sunday 9th February I headed to Hjelme West under ideal conditions. Before I left the house round 150 Siskin grønnsisik headed south over my terrace in flocks of between 20 and 40. The woods at Hjelme were full of Siskin grønnsisik with smaller numbers of Redpoll gråsisik, Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and the usual suspects. The sea and islands were quite good in a recent perspective with a few Great Northern Diver islom, reasonable numbers of Black Guillemot teist (8+), a Red-throated Diver smålom, a Curlew storspove, a few Oystercatcher tjeld, 30+ Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a Turnstone steinvender among the sightings. Long-tailed Duck havelle numbers were horribly low (17) with just an Eider ærfugl or two as the only other ducks.
A Goshawk hønsehauk hunting past my terrace was the first I've seen from my house this year. At Tjeldstø there was a noticeable arrival of Greylags grågås - probably returning birds.
Having spent some time in Oslo it was great to be back in Øygarden from a birding point of view - Oslo has some birds but in my day to day life there it is hard to find the time to get out to where they are. One of the main advantages of where I live is that "incidental" birding is just so much better. Going outside on my terrace or a trip to the shops is just so much more productive.
Quite a few birds turned up after a storm whilst I was away so it was a case of trying to catch up on stuff I had missed.
I arrived home after dark on 28.01. The following day I was stuck in meetings almost the entire day but managed to sneak out for an hour after work. Only a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and a flock of 25 Siskin grønnsisik from the house along with couple of Shags toppskarv that provided some interest by catching stuff. The long-staying Greylag grågås flock at Sæle gave a local new for the year. A flock of 22 Fieldfare gråtrost, two Redwing rødvingetrost, six Starling stær and eight Goldfinch stillits were also present here.
Fieldfare gråtrost at Sæle
2cy Shag toppskarv from my terrace
Shag toppskarv finally managed to swallow its catch - a Sea Scorption ulke.
The two long-staying Little Grebes dvergdykker were still present at Dåvøy.
On 30th January I managed a couple of hours out in a boat in pretty good conditions. Unsurprisingly this resulted in several new species for the year locally including Razorbill alke, Little Auk alkekonge and Guillemot lomvi. Black Guillemot teist were rather obvious with around 15 seen. A flock of over 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a few Oystercatcher tjeld , at least 12 White-tailed Eagle havørn and a Great Northern Diver islom were among the other sightings.
Guillemot lomvi near Hellesøy
After work I headed out again following a message about an albifrons White-fronted Goose tundragås at Breivik. I connected with this and picked up a male Tufted Duck toppand on Husvatnet on the way home.
albifrons Whitefront tundragås at Breivik
Friday 31st was a particularly frustrating day as the weather was just fantastic. After work (thank goodness the days are getting longer!) I popped in at Tjeldstø for a few minutes, here a Turnstone steinvender was new for the year. Four Purple Sandpiper fjærplytt, a Long-tailed Duck havelle and one of last year's White-tailed Eagle havørn all showed well, if rather distantly in the scope.
After this I kicked off the year's fishing with a 4.5kg Cod torsk , a decent haul of Whiting hviting and a squid.
On 1st February I took my first trip to Skogsøy where a Great Northern Diver islom gave point blank views as it flew south moments after I sat down. Things were generally rather quiet but a Kittiwake krykkje heading north, a Gannet havsule heading south and a single Little Auk alkekonge meant it was not a complete waste of time.
3cy White-tailed Eagle havørn at Skogsøy - one of four White-tailed Eagle seen at this locality.
The way home produced a couple of Mute Swan knoppsvane at Sture (still not a common bird in northern Øygarden) and eight Collared Dove tyrkedue at Oen.
Mute Swans knoppsvane at Sture - probably the same bird that turned up at Hellesøy in December.
