Øygarden 03-04 February - A windy weekend

On Saturday, in howling onshore winds, I did part of my usual Herldevær round for purposes other than birding. Just a few White-tailed Eagles havørn, a wind-blown Kittiwake krykkje and a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt of any interest. 

Although Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt are common enough in Øygarden I have often wondered how they cope when water levels are high and waves crash over the feeding areas. Today's bird fed in short grass - something I have rarely seen this species do - whatever the weather.

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt feeds in an alternative area due to high water levels and large waves.

A few Oystercatcher tjeld on the rocks at Tjeldstø on the way home and a (the) female Velvet Scoter sjøorre at Nautnes were other sightings of note.

On Sunday I had intended on an early start but wintery showers made me delay a little and I checked out a few drive-by localities on my way to Skogsøy. The most surprising find was not even a bird - an Oceaneering ROV (Magnum 190) had floated in at Dåvøy - even managing to negotiate the narrow bridge. I know ROVs sometimes get lost and it isn't surprising that one ends up in Øygarden given the amount of offshore activity nearby but for one to end up at Dåvøy is remarkable.

Oceaneering Magnum ROV at Dåvøy (being inspected by a curious Grey Heron gråhegre)

A second year male Common Scoter svartand was also at Dåvøy  - not often they visit this particular area.

2cy male Common Scoter svartand at Dåvøy

Skogsøy was even windier although I managed to find a place out of the worst of things - 13 adult Kittiwakes krykkje headed north along with singles of Gannet havsule, Guillemot lomvi and Razorbill alke.

Back home at Nautnes a Black Guillemot teist fed on the sea in front of my house. I grabbed my camera to photograph it and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk promptly flew in and landed in the garden.

Second year Black Guillemot teist forced close inshore by the strong onshore winds

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk in my garden

Øygarden 22-26 September 2023 - Catching up

Typically whilst I was away a new species for Øygarden was found by Eirk A (he has a knack for this kind of thing) in the form of a Woodchat Shrike rødhodevarsler. I had no expectations of catching up with it and assumed it would be long gone before I returned. This time it stayed and I saw the bird in the same place it was found at Herdlevær on 23rd September. Nice one!

Woodchat Shrike rødhodevarsler at Herdlevær

On the way home from this I met the gang from town at Husvatnet where they had found a female Pintail stjertand - a nice bonus. Grey Plover tundralo and Peregrine vandrefalk from the terrace after I got home were not too shabby either.

The next day it was a couple of hours  seawatching at Skogsøy where highlights were 76 Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås heading south (and a flock of 7 flying north), a couple of Brent Geese ringgås (also heading north) and four Velvet Scoter sjøorre heading south. Mostly various species of gull on the move. Also worth mentioning were the first Snow Buntings snøspurv of the autumn with two close to the lookout point as I arrived.

Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås

Common Hawker starrlibelle at Skogsøy

Gannet havsule

Kittiwake krykkje

The Pintail stjertand remained at Tjeldstø. Back home several Red-throated Diver smålom and a Kestrel tårnfalk were the best birds from my terrace.

Pintail stjertand at Husvatnet

On 25th I was only out very briefly, a quick look over the fjord at Tjeldstø produced a flock of three Grey Plover tundralo and 25 Brent Geese ringgås flying south. A first year Black Guillemot teist was at Skjoldpollen on my way home - no doubt forced inshore by the stormy conditions.

First year Black Guillemot teist

A quick walk at Herdlevær on 26th was rather quiet with just a small selection of waders including a Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove. Peregrine vandrefalk and Red-throated Diver smålom from the terrace again.

Dåvøy and Hernar 23 April 2020 - Back in business and a personal first for Øygarden!

Arrived home last night after four weeks in the northern Norwegian sector (more about that later I hope).

Northerly breeze with light cloud cover, sunny at times.

My first ever Stork in Øygarden!

Kicked the day off at Dåvøy where a Stork was the first I have seen in Øygarden  - the last one was seen whilst I was at the top of a mast on a vessel in Bergen. This one was a lot more cooperative:)

Black Guillemot teist

Chiff-chaff gransanger - one of many seen today

Curlew storspove

Long-tailed Duck havelle

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt - several small flocks present today - and the birds are moulting into breeding plumage,

White Wagtail linerle

After this a trip to Hernar - the first of the year - was on the cards. The islands on the way out produced a flock of Curlew storspove, small numbers of Teal krikkand, several flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, at least four Black Guillemot teist, Long-tailed Ducks havelle and the usual.

Hernar gave up the expected - small numbers of Wheatear steinskvett, Twite bergirisk, Linnet tornirisk, displaying Snipe enkeltbekkasin, Golden Plover heilo, White Wagtail linerle and plenty more besides.

A drive-by at Breivik saw the first two Swallows låvesvale of the year along with singing Skylark sanglerke and a another flock of Golden Plover heilo.

Having missed a significant part of the spring there were plenty of new species for the year. Chiff-chaff gransanger were everywhere and a Willow Warbler løvsanger sang in my garden.

Hernar 16 April 2019 - A productive day on the sea

Calm and sunny again.

Although the conditions were far from ideal for grounded migrants it was time to visit the island of Hernar again today. Although there was not much in the way of migrants, there were a number of new arrivals since my last visit in the form of Twite bergrisik, Linnet tornirisk, Lesser Redpoll brunsisik and Woodpigeon ringdue. A big increase in the number of Wheatear steinskvett and some of the other species. A single Lapland Bunting lappspurv and a Chiff-chaff gransanger or two were the only migrants.

Linnet tornirisk

Raven ravn

Rather odd looking Greylag grågås - much white and for a second I thought I had something more interesting...

Porpoises nise

A large pod of Porpoise nise fed close in to the island.

Long-tailed Ducks havelle

A couple of the several Black Guillemot teist seen today.

Great Northern Diver islom in almost full summer plumage  (massively cropped!)

Long-tailed Ducks havelle are one of the most photogenic species ever

Part of a flock of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt

Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker 

The boat trip there and back produced the best birding of the day with a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker, an adult Great Northern Diver islom, 30+ Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and some nice flocks of Long-tailed Duck havelle. The latter are getting in the mood for spring, displaying and flying around - in the calm weather they can be heard a long way off.

The first shot I took at very long range as I attempted to approach a little closer.

The birds were then scared up by a passing car and flew towards me giving the opportunity for a few flight shots....

Male Ring Ouzel ringtrost

In the afternoon a few diversions on a trip to the shop produced the Pinkfoot kortnebbgås flock at Kollsness and three cracking Ring Ouzel ringtrost at Breivik in part of a larger flock of mixed thrushes. Reed Bunting sivspurv also put in an appearance here.