Øygarden 09.03-14.03.2026 - More spring arrivals

A week with quite a bit of wind and rain and a lot of time sitting with my laptop.

Nevertheless, a number of new arrivals were seen.

On 9th March I only left the house just before it got dark but a male Teal krikkand, the first of the year locally for me, turned up on the sea in front of my house during the morning. Otherwise just a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and the usual. There was also an obvious arrival of Blackbirds svarttrost with larger numbers than usual at various places.

Coal Tit svartmeis in the garden

Teal krikkand at Nautnes

The following day I had to head to Straume on an errand and had the first two Woodpigeon ringdue of the year flying over at Solsvik whilst waiting for a traffic light. After work I headed to Hjelme where a nice female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle saved the day.

Female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle, Hjelme

On 11th March I got out to do a few  drive-bys which turned out quite productive. A Little Grebe dvergdykker was still at Dåvøy - it has been a good winter for this species here with up to three present simultaneously. Heron gråhegre numbers jumped to 42 here. A couple of Pied Wagtails svartryggerle were at Tjeldstø with another bird that I didn't quite make out, despite looking I never managed to get further views, a Woodpigeon ringdue was in the same place. Lapwings vipe have started to get onto their territories out in the reserve which is a good sign of things to come....

A male Stonechat svartstrupe at Breivik was a nice observation and the female Tufted Duck toppand remained on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø without the male that has been present recently.

Last stop was Hjelme where the female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle remained and three Mistle Thrush duetrost finally gave good enough views to clinch them. I strongly suspect I have seen two others between late February and now but they have always been too far off / too brief.

Herring Gulls gråmåke at Dåvøy

Little Grebe dverdykker at Dåvøy

One of three Mistle Thrush duetrost at Hjelme

The female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle was still at Hjelme

On 12th March I was stuck inside all day but the first Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke of the year from the terrace turned up during one of the downpours.

The next day I spent a couple of hours out and about in the afternoon Gannets havsule heading down the fjord was the main event, although a migrant Black-headed Gull hettemåke turned up at Breivik. Hjelme was quiet with just a few presumably newly arrived Redwing rødvingetrost of interest.

Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Breivik

Gannet havsule at Tjeldstø

Female Tufted Duck toppand at Tjeldstø

On 14th March I did Skogsøy, more to test that I still can do it than any other reason. Turns out I can and I even managed to jog a fair bit of the way home. Birdwise nothing to shout about as predicted under the current conditions. Small numbers of auks, a movement of Gannets havsule and a couple of Kittiwake krykkje were all that was seen here.

The way home was rather more productive with Mistle Thrush duetrost and a Grey Wagtail vintererle at Tjeldstø as the best finds. Hjelme held four species of thrush and a (the?) Pied Wagtail svartryggerle.

Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Breivik

Øygarden 02.09-15.09.2025 - Family time

With my mum visiting from the UK there was something of a reunion and I also ended up looking after a non-birding dog:) So, rather predictably, not much in the way of time in the field. Good migration conditions for most of the period and we did manage some short walks, drive-bys and of course my terrace provided for much of the interest.

Butterflies came into my garden in good numbers with up to 10 Red Admiral and a Painted Lady visiting simultaneously.

Jays nøtteskrike typically became more obvious with several sightings during the period, waders were moving through, increased numbers of Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett, a Willow Tit granmeis and Coal Tits svartmeis seem to be on the move - perhaps indications of something bigger going on.

I arrived back in Øygarden on the afternoon of 2nd September to find a small flock of Golden Plover heilo at Breivik.

Golden Plover heilo at Breivik

On 6th September things started to get frustrating with obvious migration seen from the terrace, including a flock of nine Common Crossbill grankorsnebb, Sparrowhawks spurvehauk, a Greenshank gluttsnipe and more seen.

An afternoon stroll at Tjeldstø the next day was more of the same with a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe dropping in briefly, a few Kestrels tårnfalk, flocks of Golden Plover heilo, Common Gulls fiskemåke and more heading south.

Stonechats svartstrupe and a couple of Whinchat buskskvett were the best sightings on 11th September but again visible migration was obvious with Golden Plover heilo and Kestrels tårnfalk passing.

Some rain on 12th September had an immediate effect with more Ruff brushane grounded. From the terrace Greenshank gluttsnipe, Peregrine vandrefalk , White-tailed Eagles havørn and more.

Ruff brushane at Breivik

Whinchat buskskvett at Kollsnes

Otter photographed from my terrace

White-tailed Eagles havørn from the terrace

On 13th September I managed to do my Herdlevær walk which produced two Merlin dvergfalk, good numbers of Golden Plover heilo and a few Stonechat svartstrupe before I even got there. The walk itself produced a Lapland Bunting lappspurv, small flocks of Teal krikkand and Wigeon brunnakke, a Lapwing vipe and small numbers of the usual waders.

Stonechats svartstrupe at Kollsnes

Teal krikkand, Dunlin myrsnipe and a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Herdlevær

Sunday 14th September was another productive day, the morning walk with the dog produced Willow Tit granmeis, Ruff brushane, Ringed Plover sandlo and more at Tjeldstø and a roadside Grey Wagtail vinterlerle on the way home.

A Collared Dove tyrkedue and a Chiff-chaff gransanger turned up in the garden and a walk at Sæle produced a nice selection of birds including Blackcaps munk, a Treecreeper trekryper, Chiff-chaff gransanger and more.

Collared Dove tyrkedue in the garden

Grey Wagtail vinterle near Nautnes - the first I have seen locally this year

Treecreeper trekryper at Sæle - the first I have seen in Øygarden this year!

On 15th we drove past a few places on the way to the airport. Very much the usual suspects with White-tailed Eagles havørn and more Stonechats svartstrupe seen.

A rather late Lapwing vipe - probably the same bird seen at Herdlevær a couple of days previously

More Stonechats svartstrupe

Oslo 09-17 March 2024 - Urban Birding

On Saturday 09 March a walk at Bygdøy had a decidedly spring-like feel with flocks of Greylags grågås in the fields, a very vocal Black Woodpecker svartspett, Stock Dove skogdue and Woodpigeons ringdue noted. A flock of nine Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Huk were as always nice to see and a flock of over 50 Oystercatcher tjeld also rested there. Even though the woods were mostly rather quiet it was nice to connect with things like Treecreeper trekryper and Willow Tit granmeis.

The following day I predictably took the boat out to Gressholm where there were more spring vibes in the form of Shelduck gravand and an obvious arrival of Blackbirds svarttrost. Otherwise just the usual Great-crested Grebe toppdykker, Velvet Scoters sjøorre.

The rest of the week was rather hectic at work. On Tuesday all I managed was 20 minutes outside the office at Fornebu which produced a Goshawk hønsehauk as the best bird. Signs of spring here too with displaying Oystercatcher tjeld, Woodpigeon ringdue singing and so on.

Male Goldeneye kvinand at Fornebu

Male Red-breasted Merganser siland at Fornebu

One of several Oystercatcher tjeld outside the office at Fornebu

Displaying Oystercatcher tjeld

On 15 March I took the five minute walk to the Botanical Gardens and was pleasantly surprised by a Grey Wagtail vinterle feeding along the small stream that runs through the gardens - obviously a migrant that has stopped to feed. It was difficult to photograph due to constant disturbance by users of the park. Not a rare bird but this sighting was probably the birding highlight of the week for me.

 

On Sunday 17 we had a lovely afternoon on Gressholmen in fantastic weather. Hard to choose the best bird among the highlights but a cracking female Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett was absolutely among them. Other nice sightings included three Woodcock rugde - seemingly the first in Oslo this year and a number of other new species for the island this year.

Female Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett on Gressholmen

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.