Øygarden 13.09-17.09.2026 - Good Dad rewards

During this period I was restricted both by work and looking after an absolutely not birding dog.

However, although I am not supersticious, birding karma seems to be a thing - something I call "good dad birds". If I do something nice for my children I am often rewarded with some good birds. This time was no exception.

With Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger and other goodies at the coast and a Roller blåråke a few hours drive away inland there was obviously plenty of potential. Looking after the dog meant that I had to leave work behind for a bit each day.

On 13th I went off the reservation for a guiding trip which was great fun. Herdla produced a lot of birds, including some of interest. A couple of Curlew Sandpipers tundrasnipe, a Black-throated Diver storlom, two Grey Plover tundralo, two Black-tailed Godwit svarthalespove, at least 10 Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove and a late Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk were among the best sightings here.

A short walk at Hellesøy on 14th produced at least one of the Rosefinches rosenfink that had been reported there on 12th September. A couple of Lapland Buntings lappspurv were also present here, although I only ever saw them in flight.

Common Rosefinch rosenfink at Hellesøy

An even shorter walk at Herdlevær produced nothing much. An obviously unwell Snipe enkeltbekkasin was still too well to catch.

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin

The only birds of note on the 15th were a couple of Grey Plover tundralo at Tjeldstø where there were a couple of Wheatear steinskvett and a small flock of Wigeon brunnakke.

The dog dragged me around Herdlevær on 16th where a Grey Plover tundralo gave good views, a couple each of Dunlin myrsnipe and Ringed Plover sandlo were present along with two adult White-tailed Eagles havørn. 

Grey Plover tundralo

Ringed Plover sandlo

White-tailed Eagle havørn with prey, Nautnes

A Greenshank gluttsnipe flew over the house at dusk and a White-tailed Eagle havørn flew over the terrace carrying something interesting - perhaps a lumpsucker rognkjeks.

On17th the briefest of checks at Sæle showed there were some migrants about with a few Chiff-chaff gransanger present. Small flocks of Ringed Plover sandlo and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke passed during the morning.

In the afternoon I thought I would be kind and drop the dog off and save my daughter some driving. This paid off very nicely with a relatively early Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke at Breivik. Grey Plover tundralo, a flock of Golden Plover heilo and a flyover Lapland Bunting lappspurv were among the other species here.

Richard's Pipt tartarpiplerke.

I think this is the first one I have found without hearing it first - and unusually also seen quite well on the ground instead of the usual flyover views. It was very vocal at times.

On the way home I was rewarded with a few Pinkfeet kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø.

Oslo 03.09-12.09 - Party Time

Another week or so in the capital. 

One of the reasons I was there was to go to the Waterboys featuring Steve Earle concert on 7th. Superb! My brother came over and social activities were prioritised, some travelling for work put another spanner in the works so all I managed was a walk in the nearby Botanical gardens and a nice few hours on Gressholmen.

The Botanic Gardens, although pleasant and quite birdy predictably produced little excitement, although a couple of Stock Dove skogdue were nice to see for a western Norwegian birder.

On 12th September we made it to Gressholmen in the rain. Hopes were of course high and in a way the island produced with some migrants present in the form of a Kestrel tårnfalk, several Dunlin myrsnipe, four Wheatear steinskvett and a couple of Meadow Pipit heipiplerke. Although this might not sound like much it was a very enjoyable trip and there were lots of birds of 29 species seen.

Dunlin myrsnipe on Gressholmen

Øygarden and Herdla 29.08-02.09.2026 - Waders and seabirds

On 29th August I left the reservation for a day of guiding at Herdla. This coincided with the Bergen Bird Life excursion to exactly the same place. Well over 40 species seen with 13 species of wader including a few Little Stint dvergsnipe, a couple of Black-tailed Godwit svarthalespove and several Greenshank gluttsnipe. A couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn gave decent views. Best bird was an early Slavonian Grebe horndykker and Red-throated Diver smålom flew over. 

The following day I spent a couple of hours seawatching at Skogsøy. It was very quiet with not much moving although a small flock of Sanderling sandløper fed on the shore and a flock of waders which included around 8  Turnstone steinvender headed south. Strangely some waders were seen heading north.

Otherwise just the usual Gannets havsule, a Kittiwake krykkje heading south, a single Common Scoter svartand and a light passage of various gulls.

The walk to and from the car produced little other than a Kestrel tårnfalk and a couple of Crested Tits toppmeis.

On the way home I stopped at Tjeldstø but it was quiet here too with just a Kestrel tårnfalk and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett seen along with the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn. The woodpecker may indicate an invasion year - this species often turns up towards the end of August when they are going to start moving in numbers....time will soon tell if this is indeed the case.

A last minute guiding trip on 31st August had me doing Herdla again. Much the same story as the previous visit with plenty of waders although the variety and numbers were down in the "nice" weather though the Black-tailed Godwits svarthaespove showed again along with several Little Stint dvergsnipe. The Slav Grebe horndykker was present and at least four White-tailed Eagles havørn put in an appearance although at longer range than on Saturday. Again over 40 species seen.

A selection of Dunlin myrsnipe, Ringed Plover sandlo and Little Stints dvergsnipe

Redshank rødstilk

Ringed Plover sandlo

Ruff brushane

I had to make up the hours the next day and didn't really leave the house so had to make do with White-tailed Eagles havørn and not much else.

Cormorant storskarv fishing off my terrace

One of the White-tailed Eagles havørn seen from my terrace

Strong onshore winds on 2nd September meant that the temptation to get out to Skogsøy was strong. Unfortunately I had work stuff I couldn't shift and had to stay at home. In the early afternoon a message about a Hoopoe hærfugl further south in Øygarden made me snap. I didn't bother with this bird (over 20 minutes away so not happening) but headed out to Skogsøy instead. I was rewarded with a Sooty Shearwater grålire, a Manx Shearwater havlire and a pale phase Arctic Skua tyvjo as the best birds. Unusually I sat in the hide there in order to shelter from the wind and the several squalls that struck. Small numbers of Gannets havsule, a couple of Fulmar havhest and several Kittiwake krykkje also passed. Fulmar is a species that I see a lot less often than previously, it used to be a common species here.

Gannet havsule

Sooty Shearwater grålire

Øygarden 23.08-28.08.2006 - It hurts to work

With the migration season upon us and ideal conditions it is even harder than normal to sit at my laptop analysing data, answering emails and sitting in Teams meetings. 

Arriving home on Saturday evening I headed out to Skogsøy the next day rather later than I intended. Birdwise this transpired to not be the best of choices with the best birds being seven Knot polarsnipe heading south. Cormorants storsskarv were heading south, small numbers of Gannets havsule on the move and a few Common Scoter svartand passed. Barely worth the effort but some whales saved the day, regular blows with a high and diffuse blow at 12-15 minute intervals although I never saw the animals themselves.

On my way back to the car I received reports of a Rosy Starling rosenstær and a Barred Warbler hauksanger close to where I had parked my car. I did not locate the starling but manged brief but good views of the warbler. A Garden Warbler hauksanger and a Whitethroat tornsanger were among the species I saw whilst searching for the rarer species.

A couple of early hours before work at Herdlevæar on 24th August gave some results with a Green Sandpiper skogsnipe heading south over my house as I left. Herdlevær produced a couple of Sanderling sandløper, a Tursnstone steinvender, Greenshank gluttsnipe and various other wader species.

The following day I managed a hour or so before work at Tjedstø which gave a couple each of Ruff brushane and Golden Plover heilo. Rather surprisingly there were three rather young Tufted Duck toppand together with their mother on Rotevatnet - a rather late date to see such young birds.

On the way home an early Brambling bjørkefink was present at Hatten

Golden Plover heilo at Tjedstø

Another short pre-work trip on 26th August gave several hundred Starling stær in the Herdlevær / Skogsøy area, a hunting Merlin dvergfalk, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and more.

Another short foray after work gave a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper at Skjold and a Whinchat buskskvett at Nautnes.

Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper at Skjold. Note the median wingbar in the lower photograph

Some lovely evenings from the terrace:)

There was not really any option other than to log off and head to Hernar on 27th August. I did not see any rarities but there were plenty of migrants including several Spotted Flycatchers gråfluesnapper, at least three Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper, a few Common Redstart rødstjert, two Lesser Whitethroat møller and plenty of other passerines. A steady southbound passage of Golden Plover heilo and Ringed Plover sandlo was augmented with several Ruff brushane. At least two White-tailed Eagle havørn, 16 Twite bergirisk,  a Whinchat buskskvett and a Kestrel tårnfalk were among the other migrants. Well over 40 species noted.

Redstarts rødstjert

Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper

Whichat buskskvett

White-tailed Eagle havørn

The boat home came all too soon. I didn't want to leave....

The next day I was confined to barracks trying to catch up on my absence the previous day. Just a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and two migrating Snipe enkeltbekkasin were seen from my terrace.

Oslo 13.08-22.08.2026 - Stuck

Normally when I am in Oslo I manage to get out at least a few times. 

During this visit I made it out just the once - somewhat predictably to Gressholmen. There was a nice variety of birds to be seen without anything special. Waders included a Greenshank gluttsnipe and a Redshank rødstilk. Other stuff included a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett - likely to be a migrant / dispersing bird as I think this was the first I've recorded on the island this year.

During the first few days there were still plenty of Swifts tårnseiler flying around and "screaming" over the house. At some point they vanished so have no doubt now departed until next year.

Common Gull fiskemåke

A lot of the gulls in Oslo carry bling. 

A birder's Pavlovian response is to note the number and enter the details online.

Unfortunately this was as uninteresting as most I report from Oslo - it has essentially only been recorded from Oslo.

Greenshank gluttsnipe

Redshank rødstilk

Herdla, Bergen and Øgarden 10.08-12.08.2026 - The weather is here, wish you were lovely

Some people have been complaining about the weather. There is nothing wrong with the weather and in fact it has been about the best it could be for some of the birding in the area around Øygarden and Bergen with southerly winds and rain dropping a lot of migrating birds.

I had a great day of guiding on 10th August, choosing to start at Herdla where there was a good variety and decent numbers of waders. The waders were rather more flighty than normal, this was down to some raptors that were in the area. A Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and at leasr two White-tailed Eagle havørn were present. Waders included a minimum of eight Greenshank gluttsnipe, several Ruff brushane, nine Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove, a Knot polarsnipe and many more.

After Herdla we covered some inland locations picking up some noisy Nutcrackers nøttekråke, Whinchat buskskvett, Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper, Tawny Owl kattugle, Grey Wagtail vinterlerle and more.

Grey Wagtail vintererle at a regular site

Tawny Owl kattugle knows exctly how to deal with the weather:)

After this is was back to work but a drive-by at Tjeldstø the following evening gave a couple of Greenshank gluttsnipe, a Redshank rødstilk and a Ruff brushane. Strangely a Tufted Duck toppand turned up again after quite a period of absence - were they gone or just hiding somewhere?

Ruff brushane at Tjeldstø

Tufted Duck toppand at Husvatnet

Øygarden 04.08-09.08.2026 - "Good" weather at last!

Birders often have a very different take on what good weather is. At this time of year southerly winds and rain count as good and towards the end of the period this is exactly what we got. This brought down some decent birds. I am not complaining about the weather at least:)

Still some Greylags grågås around although the migration is definitely underway.

Some of the Greylags grågås at Nautnes 4th August

Thursday 6th August was spent guiding around my old haunts prior to the move to Øygarden. So Unneland, the lower reaches of Gullfjell and "the back roads". Not quite as many species as last time but a number of different ones including Grey Wagtail vinterle, Tawny Owl kattugle, Spotted Flycatcher gråfuesnapper, Yellowhammer gulspurv and Jay nøtteskrike. A most enjoyable day out:) Non bird sightings included an Adder hoggorm (roadkill) and lots of tiny toads.

Tawny Owl kattugle at Unneland

I didn't leave the house on 7th August but as usual a White-tailed Eagle havørn flew over and the first Cormorant storskarv of the autumn fished in front of my house. Otherwise just the usual Common Sandpipers strandsnipe and so on. A light but noticable passage of Common Gulls fiskemåke heading south over the house too.

Cormorant storskarv at Nautnes

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn photographed from the terrace

Strong winds and at times heavy rain set in at the weekend. This meant that I really did have to get out and about!:)

My usual round at Herdlevær on 8th August gave eight species of wader including a Ruff brushane and the first Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt of the autumn. A lone Lapwing vipe was also present. On my way to and from Herdlevær a Carrion Crow svartkråke was at Breivik - incredibly shy it flew up well ahead of the local hoodies. A quick check at Tjeldstø on the way home produced a Greenshank gluttsnipe, a flyover Dunlin myrsnipe, several Curlew storspove, some Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.

Carrion Crow svartkråke at Breivik

I did pretty much the same the following day picking up a nice Green Sandpiper skogsnipe and a Whimbrel småspove at Herdlevær. The Stonechats svartstrupe performed again at Kollsnes. Tjeldstø produced a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn, a young Merlin dvergfalk chasing crows, a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe and a Greenshank gluttsnipe among other things. Another nice day out in "bad" weather.

Digiscoped Merlin dvergfalk at Tjeldstø

Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes