Øygarden 14 October 2018 - A day out at last!

Pretty much a full day in the field today. It would have been hard to pick a worse day for it with a southerly gale and rain for most of the day.

Despite the conditions it was magic to be out and about without having to watch the clock for once.

Dunlin myrsnipe struggling against gale force winds

First year Kittiwake krykkje.

Seems like I'm not the only one to be restricted to this species.....there are obviously some "Sabine's shadows" along the Norwegian coast

Willow Tit granmeis at Skogsøy, a relatively scarce bird in Øygarden

With the forecast telling me the winds would drop during the morning and there would be little or no rain I opted for Skogsøy. The forecast was wrong on both counts. The wind did not drop and after half an hour of seawatching the rain set in. Given the strength of the wind (I was nearly blown over a few times!) it is amazing that anything passed at all. A couple of first year Kittiwakes krykkje, a few Common Scoter svartand, a Razorbill alke and two Dunlin myrsnipe heading south were pretty much all I had to show for my efforts. A Red-throated Diver smålom fished very close in and a couple of Gannet havsule headed north. A Willow Tit granmeis was the only out of the ordinary passerine.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Herdlevær

This species is all over the place at the moment - not just in its usual shoreline habitat

Song Thrush måltrost at Herdlevær

Plenty of this species on the move at the moment too

A drive-by at Herdlevær proved that things were on the move with flocks of the usual thrushes, Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke, Bramblings bjørkefink and the usual.

Next up was Breivik where there were a few hundred thrushes, more Brambling bjørkefink, 40 Common Gulls fiskemåke feeding in the fields, a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a White-tailed Eagle havørn.

The best bird at Harkestad was a Goldfinch stillits, other stuff included yet more Brambling bjørkefink, 130 Redwing rødvingetrost, several Song Thrush måltrost, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke etc

Tjeldstø produced more of the same but with a Hawfinch kjernebiter as the highlight, a White-tailed Eagle havørn, seven Teal krikkand and seven Tufted Duck toppand were among the other sightings.

I then tried for the Rose-coloured Starling rosenstær at Sæle but just as I got onto the Starling stær flock a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk buzzed them and they, along with a 100 or so Redwing rødvingetrost fled south. A Grey Wagtail vintererle provided superb views but was impossible to photograph as it kept being scared up by an endless stream of cars and people so I just gave up. Otherwise just a couple each of Chiff-chaff gransanger and Blackcap munk during what was a very brief check.

Øygarden 19-20 September 2018 - The weather is here, wish I was out

Near gale force winds with only occasional short showers. In other words very nice weather to be out and about - but I have, as usual, been inside most of the time instead.

Common Scoter svartand

Juvenile Common Tern makrellterne

Dunlin myrsnipe

Migrating Oystercatcher tjeld

Ringed Plover sandlo

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

A quick coffee break at Herdlevær on 19th produced seven species of waders including Knot polarsnipe, a juvenile Common Tern makrellterne and enough action over the sea to make me want to stay a lot longer. Wheatears steinskvett and Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke were among the passerines seen.

A Kestrel tårnfalk put in an appearance over the house in the afternoon.

On 20th there was a steady passage of Gannets havsule seen from the terrace and a variety of waders were sheltering in the lee of the islands, including a Knot polarsnipe and a flock of Ringed Plover sandlo.

Great Skua storjo with Herring Gull gråmåke and Gannet havsule

Great Skua storjo chasing White-tailed Eagle havørn

Ten minutes at Tjeldstø in the evening provided a fantastic experience with first one, then three Great Skuas storjo beating up on the gulls and Gannets havsule feeding there and one of them even gave one of the two White-tailed Eagles havørn present there a pretty hard time. A bonus bird here was at least one dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo. Fantastic!

This is only the second time I have seen Great Skua at Tjeldstø - the first time being 19.09.2018

Skogsøy and Herdelvær 14-15 September - Late and lazy

Strong winds from the west prompted a late morning / early afternoon seawatch at Skogsøy. We got hit by a few hail showers whilst sitting out there but the weather and scenery were spectacular.

Birds were somewhat thin on the ground, though a flock of 20 Brent Geese ringgås heading south made the walk worthwhile. Several Red-throated Diver smålom, plenty of Gannet havsule, a single adult Kittiwake krykkje and a steady passage of southbound Common Gulls fiskemåke were also seen.

Above and below - migrating Common Gull fiskemåke

Dunlin myrsnipe

Raven ravn

On Sunday I was equally late out and took a stroll around Herdlevær which gave some photo opportunities as it so often does in this kind of weather. Best bird sightings were a single Ruff brushane feeding beside one of the pools and a lone Velvet Scoter sjøorre heading south. Common Gulls fiskemåke still moving south despite the conditions.

Breivik & Herdlevær 10 September 2018 - Blue Monday turns pink(ish)

Strong SW winds, mostly sunny with some heavy showers.

Not the best start to the day - spent at the office. After I got home I dashed out for a quick evening trip to Herdlevær thinking I would spend half an hour seawatching. However, I didn't even make it to Herdlevær before a rarity turned up and I spent most of my time on this.

First year Rosy Starling rosenstær

The Sparrowhawk spurvehauk that kept things nervous

Having missed all the previous local Rosy Starlings rosenstær this year I managed to find a new one. After the adults in May and a few days ago this was "just" a first year bird. Nevertheless I was happy with this find. Starlings stær are pretty active at the best of times and a hunting Sparrowhawk spurvehauk didn't make them less flighty.

Dunlin myrsnipe

Ringed Plover sandlo

With even less time left to do Herdlevær I dashed round, thoroughly enjoying the strong winds and a heavy shower. Just the usual suspects though with several species of wader noted.

In the last few days I did a day of guiding on Herdla on Saturday which resulted in Curlew Sandpipers tundrasnipe, Grey Plover tundralo and most of the usual waders as well as a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and a lone Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

Yesterday I managed a massive hour or so out and managed to catch a southbound Osprey fiskeørn heading south over Tjeldstø - presumably the same bird reported from Herdlevær shortly afterwards.

Herdlevær 11 September 2017 - Crawling with waders

Fresh easterly breeze, overcast at first, sunny later.

I spent a couple of hours out at Herdlevær and went to my usual spot to eat my breakfast.

A small selection of the Dunlin myrsnipe that passed

Peregrine vandrefalk struggling to bring an Oystercatcher tjeld to shore (it succeeded)

One of several Sanderling sandløper that flew past whilst I ate breakfast

Plenty of waders passing today too, some at close range. Small numbers also feeding in the area. Highlights were a Little Stint dvergsnipe, a couple of Grey Plover tundralo and a Peregrine vandrefalk which snatched an Oystercatcher tjeld out of a passing flock well out to sea.


More Common Gulls fiskemåke and Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke also passing today along with Red-throated Divers smålom and a variety of other species including four Common Tern makrellterne.

Portraits of Dunlin myrsnipe - well worth lying in a rock pool for.

Having finished my sandwiches I couldn't resist crawling through some rock pools to take a few pictures of some Dunlin myrsnipe on the shore.

A couple of videos of feeding Ruff brushane

Ruff brushane eating a worm

One of this year's White Wagtails linerle - one of many feeding among the Ruff

A flock of 68 Ruff brushane fed near Tjeldstø and gave great views from the car as they fed on worms as fast as they could.

A Yellow Wagtail gulerle feeding on the shore during my morning coffee was species 129 from the house and a couple of Arctic Tern rødnebbterne put in an appearance.

Øygarden 05 September 2017 - Its raining Snipe

Finally some rain and southerly winds! Not that I'd want that every day :)

Herdlevær was one of the obvious choices and was the first place visited today. Small numbers of Sanderling sandløper, Dunlin myrsnipe and Ringed Plover sandlo and others were present on the shore along with a single Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt.

When Dunlin myrsnipe don't have mud or sand to probe in they still use the length of their bills.....

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt with Sanderling sandløper - although neither species is rare in Øygarden it is not often I photograph them together.

A total of around 20 Snipe enkeltbekkasin flew over here as did a flock of Ruff brushane.

Passerine wise it was much the same as usual with good numbers of Meadow Pipit heipiplerke and White Wagtail linerle feeding in the area.

Not much in the way of wildfowl with just a flock of six Wigeon brunnakke of any interest.

Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Tjeldstø

After this Snipe enkeltbekkasin were seen everywhere with approximately 30 flying over during a brief visit to Tjeldstø. Many more were seen feeding in the fields and elsewhere.

Flocks of Meadow Pipit heipiplerke, White Wagtail linerle, Starling stær and Fieldfare gråtrost were everywhere today along with smaller numbers of Redwing rødvingetrost etc.