Breivik 20 October 2016 - Geese

Another calm and sunny day.

Bean Goose sædgås with Pinkfoot kortnebbgås - no doubt the same birds as a few days ago

Whitefronts tundragås

Managed a massive 45 minutes out of the house and sped round Breivik where there was a small  but interesting goose flock - a Bean Goose sægås, a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås and three Whitefronts tundragås (2 adult and a young one).

Glossy Ibis bronseibis

The Glossy Ibis bronseibis was still present and feeding constantly. Unfortunately still very much in the shade when I stopped by.

The only other bird of note was a roadside Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett that I didn't have time to stop for.

Øygarden 04 January 2012 - Scaup

North westerly with wintery showers.

Covered a number of localities further south than I usually cover - something that paid off quite well. In the Toftøy area we picked up a Water Rail vannrikse and a female Scaup bergand at the first locality. Water Rail are rather uncommon in winter so this was a good find. A single Redwing rødvingetrost was the first for some time.

Part of a mixed flock of Scaup bergand and Tufted duck toppand at Nordlavatnet

The next stop, Nordlavatnet, produced four more Scaup bergand together with seven Tufted Duck toppand. A Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett was another new species for the year.

After that it was more of the usual fare at the usual spots with an obvious northbound movement of Kittiwake krykkje and a Gannet havsule at Solberg.

At Tjeldstø the nine Bean Geese sædgås were seen on Rotevatnet.

Øygarden 03 January 2012 - Bean Geese return

Chilly southerly wind with wintery showers.

Hjelme Vest was very quiet and it was a struggle to get even some of the usual suspects. A Black Guillemot teist was the best of the stuff on the sea. Crested Tit toppmeis and Wren gjerdesmett were also new for the year.

At Hjelme condtions were little better but I managed to pick up a couple of Woodcock rugde and a Goldcrest fuglekonge.

Alvheim produced a distant Peregrine vandrefalk and another small raptor that escaped identification. Also of interest was a flock of small finches on one of the islands - just like last time I was there. Would be nice to know what they were....

Tjeldstø was yet again best with the flock of nine Bean Geese sædgås together with one Pinkfoot kortnebbgås, also a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, a Starling stær and the first Robin rødstrupe of the year.

White-tailed Eagle havørn "everywhere"

Øygarden 27 November 2011

Strong SW and rain during the morning, NW storm for a period in the afternoon.

Herdlevær produced a late Golden Plover heilo as a surprise bird. Other stuff here included a flock of at least 12 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås flying over, 15 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt sheltering from the weather and a minimum of six Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke.

 Common Crossbills grankorsnebb at Herdlevær

Breivik held a decent selection of geese again - with four Bean Geese sædgås, seven Whitefronts tundragås, several Pinkfeet kortnebbgås and at least 20 Greylags grågås.

fabalis Bean Geese sædgås at Breivik

Looking out over Hjeltefjorden from my sitting room window during the afternoon produced at least a couple of Fulmar havhest, a late Curlew storspove (first for ages), Little Auks alkekonge and more.

Herdlevær 23 November 2011

Southerly gale and very dull. Rain from around 10:30 onwards.

 Wish I could say this arty speed effect was deliberate - three Little Auks alkekonge passing.

 More conventional image of Little Auks alkekonge

 Herring Gull gråmåke

 Cormorant storskarv

Three Bean Geese sædgås

Very much the usual suspects - the strong winds slowed down any passage considerably. About 20 Little Auk alkekonge heading south, several Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke and five late Lapwings vipe were the pick of the sightings.

The goose flock was still present at Breivik - today there were still eight Whitefronts tundragås, three Bean Geese sædgås and 26 Greylags grågås. At least four Woodpigeon ringdue fed in the fields with the geese.

Breivik 21 November 2011

Rather better conditions today but still very overcast.

Greylags grågås

A short stroll at Breivik showed that the Bean Goose sædgås was still present with 13 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås whilst the Greylag grågås flock grazed at Kollsnes. No sign of the White-fronts tundragås today.

Barely even the usual stuff seen elsewhere - Solberg very quiet and not much at Tjeldstø either other than a few White-tailed Eagles havørn.

Breivik 18 November 2011 - Wild Goose Chase

Very strong southerly winds and constant driving rain. Truly foul conditions.

Plenty of gesse but playing hard to get in the, to put it mildly, difficult conditions. At least 30 Greylags grågås was a respectable flock for the time of year. A single Bean Goose sædgås thankfully called as it passed quite close overhead, Pinkfeet kortnebbgås also heard and a flock of 10-15 birds were probably this species. A flock of seven smaller geese could well have been White-fronts tundragås.

Tried following the elusive gesse from field to field but only really managed to pin down the Greylags grågås. In the end I admitted degeat and went home....

Other stuff included an unseasonal flock of 11 Lapwing vipe and a flock of Starling stær.