After a couple of days at work in Aberdeen I was back home again.
A quick look at Sæle on 29.09 proved quite productive with the highlight being a 1cy Arctic Redpoll polarsisik - no photos as it disappeared too quickly but the white rump and unstreaked undertail coverts were seen. Other birds included my first local Garden Warblers hagesanger of the year and several Blackcap munk.
A Goshawk hønsehauk hunted past the home office window later in the day.
On 30th September I gave Skogsøy a go in, to put it mildly, challenging conditions. A strong onshore wind and showers didn't help and the birds were mostly flying either a long way out or with their backs to me or both. Several flocks of Red-throated Diver smålom and a flock of Barnacle Geese hvitkingås headed south as did a probable large shearwater, pale back and dark wings were the only features noted.
A flock of 30 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Tjeldstø were the first of the autumn for me whilst a Woodcock rugde at Hjelme was probably one of the local breeders.
It was a different story on 1st October with (finally) some passerines on the move. As I took my morning coffee on the terrace I had my first local Grey Wagtail vintererle and Bramblings bjørkefink passing over.
I spent the morning out and about doing my usual round at Herdlevær first - here at least two Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger, a Yellow Wagtail gulerle, Whinchat buskskvett, Blackcaps munk, Garden Warbler hagesanger, Wheatear steinskvett, Common Sandpiper strandsnipe, Chiff-chaff gransanger and Reed Bunting sivspurv were among the many migrants noted. Flocks of finches and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke passed overhead constantly.
Next up was Breivik which was fairly quiet - but flocks of Chaffinch bokfink and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke continued to pass. The usual Snipe enkeltbekkassin and Skylark sanglerke were also present.
At Tjeldstø a young White-tailed Eagle havørn gave good views as did a Dunlin myrsnipe together with two Golden Plover heilo. The first Goldeneye kvinand of the autumn also turned up here.
On Monday I took the day off work and made an all too infrequent trip to Hernar. The southerly winds were rather stronger than forecast but there were plenty of birds about at least during the morning. Things tailed off after lunch and birds became harder to find. One interesting warbler evaded ID as it flew up from the grass and disappeared into sitka spruce never to be seen again - quite possibly a Reed Warbler rørsanger.
Birds that I did manage to identify included the first Tree Sparrows pilfink (a flock of six) for the island this year along with a female House Sparrow gråspurv which hung around for a bit. Migrants included several small flocks of Brambling bjørkefink, a Merlin dvergfalk, several Blackcap munk, a Willow Warbler løvsanger, a Chiff-chaff gransanger, a few flyover Skylark sanglerke and a feeding Ruff brushane. Small numbers of Twite bergirisk remained, five White-tailed Eagle havørn simultaneously, the long-staying Great spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a passage of Common Gulls fiskemåke, Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke and Red-throated Diver smålom were among the other sightings.
Didn't really leave the house on Tuesday and concentrated on work.
A walk at Breivik on 04 October was quite productive with at least four Jack Snipe kvartbekkassin, 10 Common Snipe enkeltbekkassin, Goldfinch stillits and more.
On the way home Tjeldstø produced no less than three Pintail stjertand. Sæle held at least five Blackcap munk and a couple of Chiff-chaff gransanger.
