Herdlevær & Tjeldstø 27 April 2025 - More goodies

Having promised my better half breakfast in bed I had a bit of a late and lazy start. Still managed to see quite a bit of interest:)

On my way to Herdlevær I had the first Sand Martins sandsvale of the year at Husvatnet along with the lone Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås. At Breivik a nice Mistle Thrush duetrost and an obvious arrival of thrushes, White wagtails linerle and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke.

Fieldfare gråtrost at Breivik

Mistle Thrush duetrost at Breivik

Herdlevær produced my first Common Sandpiper strandsnipe of the year and several other new species for this locality for the year - including several flocks of Barnacle Geese hvitkingås heading north. A couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and at least three Otters oter were also seen here. A noticeable increase in the numbers of White Wags and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke here too.

Otter with catch

White-tailed Eagle havørn eyeing up the Otter with catch

A rather dark White Wagtail linerle, probably the same dark individual I saw in the same place a week ago

A quick check at Husvatnet on the way home was well worth it with a pair of Pochard taffeland present, predictably popular with year listers. It's been a while since this species last turned up in northern Øygarden.

Pochard taffeland on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

Sand Martin sandsvale - pictures taken with point and pray whilst waiting for the main attraction to come a bit closer

Similarly tried for flight shots of Swallow låvesvale with the point and pray.

Øygarden 25-26.04.2025 - BACK IN BUSINESS!!

 Around 1730 on Friday evening I logged off from work:) It didn't take long to start seeing some birds - a trip to the shop provided an opportunity to see a pair of Shoveler skjeand found earlier in the day. A Golden Eagle kongeørn came past mobbed by Ravens ravn and there were at least eight Swallows låvesvale feeding over the lake. The first Greylag grågås chicks of the year turned up too. Not a bad start to a week off:)

The first Grelag grågås chicks of 2025

Lapwing vipe

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke - always surprising to see how fast this species is "everywhere" in the spring

Shoveler skjeand pair on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

The next morning I was up bright and early for a seawatch at Skogsøy. Calm and sunny conditions meant that I was not very optimistic but by 1200 I had "suddenly" seen quite a bit of interest.  A flock of four Gadwall snadderand and a flock of 10 (!!) Pintail stjertand were the undoubted hightlights in a SW Norway context, well into triple figures of Red-throated Diver smålom, 10 White-billed Diver gulnebblom, the first Whimbrel småspove of the year, several Black-headed Gulls hettemåke and a good selection of other seabirds and migrants meant that this was a very good day indeed.

Oystercatcher tjeld are still on the move

The second biggest flock of Pintail stjertand ever recorded in the wider Vestland county! Six females and four males passed together with three Wigeon brunnakke and 10 Oystercatcher tjeld

Six Teal krikkand passed north at close range

Adult White-billed Diver gulnebblom were an expected feature today:)

Red throated Diver smålom  N 130, S 3

White Billed Diver gulnebblom N 10

Northern Gannet havsule N ,13, S 18

Great Cormorant storskarv N 14, S 4

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 47, S 53

Greylag Goose grågås N 1

Wigeon brunnakke N 3

Ga,dwall snadderand N 4

Teal krikkand N 7

Pintail stjertand  ,N 10

Tufted Duck toppand N 3

Eider ærfugl N 3, S 1

Long tailed duck havelle N 15, S 4

Common Scoter svartand N 113,  S 6

Velvet Scoter sjøorre N 3

Merganser siland N 37, S 4

Oystercatcher tjeld N 113, S 2

Whimbrel småspove N 4

Black headed Gull hettemåke N 4

Common Gull fiskemåke N 165

Herring Gull gråmåke N 3

Razorbill alke N 5

Black Guillemot teist N 1

Auk N 8

Auk S 2

A Ringed Plover sandlo, a White tailed Eagle havørn heading south well out to sea, Twite bergirisk, Willow Warbler løvsanger and the usual were also noted.

On the way home a female Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes, a Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås at Tjeldstø and 25 Golden Plover heilo at Breivik were the best of the rest.

Female Stonechat svatstrupe at Kollsnes

A lone Barnacle hvitkinngås joined the Greylags grågås during an eagle attack

One of around 25 Golden Plover heilo present at Breivik

A week off will undoubtedly give me a painfull backlog but right now I just don't care....

Øygarden 19.04-24.04.2025 - Another week that never was....

On Saturday 19 April I did my usual round at Herdlevær late and lazy. Nothing special but a few singing Chiff-chaff gransanger, some Wheatear steinskvett, a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin and the usual.

White-tailed Eagle havørn and Raven ravn doing their thing at Breivik

The next morning a quick look at Tjeldstø produced a couple of Golden Plover heilo and five other species of wader. I also heard my first Willow Warbler løvsanger of the year on the way home. In the afternoon we drove to Vinnes to visit friends (and do just a little bit of birding:)) Here the highlights were Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb with young, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke, several singing Blackcap munk and even more spectacular - a species I have never seen or heard in Øygarden - Tawny Owl kattugle.

Female Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb

The morning of 21.04 was also spent in the Vinnes area with highlights being a pair of Grey Wagtail vintererle acting very much like they have a nest close by. Brief views of a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper was another new for the year:)

On 22.04 I barely left the house so the hghlight was a very unseasonal pair of Bullfinch dompap in the garden. Most encouragingly both Curlew storspove and Snipe enkeltbekkasin continue to display close to my house, White-tailed Eagles havørn still showing daily along with the usual suspects. An arrival of thrushes was obvious with 40+ Fieldfare gråtrost and a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost feeding in fields at Tjeldstø.

A trip to the dentist and work on 23.04 saw me do a drive-by past Kollsnes / Breivik on the way home. Best sighting were three Pinkfeet kortnebbgås at Kollsnes. In the evening some herring sild turned up outside my house and I managed to catch one, VERY tasty:)

Pinkfeet kortnebbgås at Kollsnes

A recon for fishing gear ahead of a work related task on 24.04 saw me head to Straumsundet. Not much in the way of fishing gear in the way of the upcoming operation. Just 12 Eider ærfugl feeding around the fish farm and a flock of around 30 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt on one of the island. I'm pretty sure I saw a tern but too far off and too windy to get an ID.

Øygarden 10-18.04.2025 - All time low

I would be considering giving up birding completely if I a) thought it was possible b) didn't have the last week in April booked as holiday. Heaven help the poor f**cker who tries to contact me regarding work then!

As things stand no time in the field puts birding effort at an all time low for the time being. 

All I managed were a few all-too short drive-bys. A couple of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø on 14.04 along with a couple each of Rook kornkråke and Jackdaw kaie at Breivik the same day, the first Swallow låvesvale of the year heading north over my garden whilst I ate breakfast on 15.04 and a random Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett at Hjelme during a work related photo trip was pretty much what I managed.

Two Pinkfeet kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø

Two Rook kornkråke at Breivik

In the garden HUGE amounts of sunflower seeds are being devoured by a flock of at least 40 Sisikin grønnsisik, 12 Goldfinch stillits, several Greenfinch grønnfink, a couple of Chaffinch bokfink and very small numbers of Great Tit kjøttmeis and Coal Tit svartmeis.

Thankfully WT Eagles havørn and the usual still showing up.

On 16.04 there was  decent arrival of Fieldfare gråtrost and Redwing rødvingetrost.

Skogsøy 06.04.2025 - Seawatching

The week passed in a blur of work, dentist etc. A singing Chiif-chaff gransanger from my terrace on 04.04 was the first I've had locally this year as was a singing male Wheatear steinskvett at Breivik on 05.04.

On 06.04 I headed to Skogsøy which was pretty quiet although the first Twite bergirisk of the year turned up. Small numbers of auks, including a lone Puffin lunde headed north as did several Red-throated Diver smålom. Otherwise just small numbers Common Gull fiskemåke, Cormorant storskarv and Curlew storspove heading north and the usual southbound movement of Shags toppskarv.

Migrating Cormorants storskarv

Gannet havsule

More songbirds in the woods now with Redwing rødvingetrost, Song Thrush måltrost and Dunnock jernspurv numbers all increasing.

An unusual Jay nøtteskrike appearance and  a Goshawk hønsehauk at Tjeldstø on the way home with another Twite bergisk, singing Wheatear steinskvett, a White Wagtail linerle, a few White-tailed Eagles havørn and the usual.

Wheatear steinskvett at Tjeldstø

White-tailed Eagle havørn at Tjeldstø

A Snipe enkeltbekkasin displaying at Nautnes on 07.04 was the last thing of interest before I left for another work trip to the UK

Fusa and Herdla 01-02.04.2025 - Guiding

A drive-by at Tjeldstø on the way to pick up some birders from the USA produced the first Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildmåke of the year. Dunnock jernspurv turned up both here and over my terrace.

A male Stonechat svartstrupe near Røyrevatnet gives hope of more pairs of this species breeding locally.  I slowed down for a few seconds to obtain a couple of record shots...

Male Stonechat svartstrupe near Oen

In the afternoon it was time to do some guiding. Kalandsvatnet was the first stop - rather quiet here but a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom on the lake and a selection of early spring migrants were present. Two adult White-tailed Eagle havørn also showed up here.

Next stop was Vinnesleiren in Fusa. Here there was quite a bit to see including two Great Northern Diver islom, a Velvet Scoter sjøorre, two Marsh Tit løvmeis, a singing Willow Tit granmeis, a pair of Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb and most of the usual suspects. The best thing though was a surprise meet up with my birding friend Jon:)

The following day we did Herdla as the first stop seeing over 50 species just here including a Bar-tailed Godwit småspove, a couple of Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker, Wheatear steinskvett, Chiff-chaff gransanger and a decent variety of wildfowl and waders. 

The observation tower at Herdla

Lapwing vipe at Herdla

Skylark sanglerke

Gullfjell was one of the localities visited after this. 21 Tufted Duck toppand, six Goosander laksand, three adult White-tailed Eagle havørn and more were seen here. Dipper fossekall were a no show for the first time but a pair of Grey Wagtail vintererle on the river near Arna were a welcome replacement.

Lots of Toads padde around at Gullfjell

Øygarden 29-30.03.2025 - A weekend "off"

After an even more hectic week than normal which included a few days in Plymouth I was home for the weekend. 

Having arrived home well after midnight on the Friday I took things very easy on 29th March. A short visit to Tjeldstø produced most of the usual early spring stuff. Of little or no interest a Feral Pigeon bydue at Tjeldstø was unringed.

Feral Pigeon bydue at Tjeldstø

A drive-by at Kollsnes produced a female Stonechat svartstrupe gathering nesting material was not unexpected but nice to see anyway.

Female Stonechat svartstrupe

Back home at Nautnes a couple of Curlew storspove were displaying and a two Goldfinch stillits joined the usual suspects at the feeder.

The next day I started at Hjelme where a singing Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett was the highlight and perhaps more unusually a Brambling bjørkefink also sang - the latter normally just a winter visitor and migrant it is not often I hear this species singing in Øygarden.

After this I did my usual stroll at Herdlevør where a couple of Jackdaw kaie were the best bird in a local context. A pair of Curlew storspove had taken up territorty in the usual place and one of the Rock Pipits skæpiplerke on the shore was ringed. At least eight singing Meadow Pipits heipiplerke was an obvious increase since my last visit.

A lunch break of a little over half an hour produced over 200 Common Gull fiskemåke heading north along with a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom. 52 Shag toppskarv headed south.