Arriving back after dark on 18th February is probably not the most likely scenario for picking up a new species for me in Øygarden. But this is indeed what happened! After digging my car out of the snow at the airport I headed home. Conditions were calm and quiet and it is early spring in some contexts - so why not listen for some owls? Well a pair of Tawny Owls kattugle sang - for me a near mythical species in northern Øygarden.
Although in a way I am pleased to get this new species for my Øygarden list it gets me thinking:
Up to several years ago there is no way Tawny Owls could have established a territory here. They would have been wiped out by the Eagle Owls hubro!
There are probably a pair or two of Eagles Owls hubro hanging on but it is probably just a question of time before these too disappear in the same way so many pairs have disappeared. Opening up for the possibility of other owl species to establish themselves is good for listing. I'd rather skip the extra species and hear the song of an Eagle Owl like I used to.......
The next two days were spent working, although I did manage a Water Rail vannrikse on 20th, White tailed Eagles havørn from the terrace and the usual.
On Saturday 21st I had a late start with one of my daughters and we did Hjelme Vest in glorious sunny weather which produced the first migrating Oystercatcher tjeld of the year with a nice flock of 25 heading north and another three milling around. A lone White-billed Diver gulnebblom on the sea, a few Long-tailed Duck havelle, a Black Guillemot teist and a couple of small flocks of Common Scoter svartand were among the other species seen here. The woods were fairly quiet but some Common Crossbill grankorsnebb, Crested Tit toppmeis were seen.
After this I headed to Tjeldstø where another White-billed Diver gulnebblom was feeding along with the rarer (in wintertime) Red-throated Diver smålom, several Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a White-tailed Eagle havørn and a few Greylags grågås.
Three Otters seen during the day, one at Hjelme, one at Tjeldstø and one from my terrace.
The following day was overcast with snow in the morning and drizzle in the afternoon. I did Herdlevær first which was relatively quiet although an Oystercatcher tjeld and a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke were seen here. Other places produced more with three Little Grebe dvergdykker present at Dåvøy, a flock of 17 Fieldfare gråtrost at Breivik and a Water Rail vannriske as the best sightings.
Snipe enkeltbekkasin seem to have disappeared, hardly surprising given the winter we have had but some Woodcock rugde still to be seen here and there - though rather harder to find than last time I was home - hopefully this is because the ground seems to be thawing at long last.
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