Øygarden 09.01-11.01.2025 - Finches on the move / WB Diver

On 9th January I managed about an hour looking for stuff in the very north of Øygarden. Flocks of Siskin grønnsisik, a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin here and there, a Great Northern Diver islom and of course some White-tailed Eagles havørn were all that I managed to find of any note.

The terrace produced Oystercatcher tjeld, a Great Northern Diver islom in the bay and two more offshore, a distant Peregrine vandrefalk, the Starling stær again and the first House Sparrow gråspurv in the garden for 2025.

Mergansers siland photographed from my terrace

Starling stær visiting my feeders - it has concentrated on my peanut feeder.

The following day 20 minutes at Sæle gave decent telescope views of the first White-billed Diver gulnebblom of the year, a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, two small flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a few Black Guillemot teist and the usual.

The terrace did quite well again with a couple each of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, Oystercatcher tjeld, a Great Northern Diver islom heading north, a hunting Sparrowawk spurvehauk and all the usual garden visitors.

Oystercatcher tjeld on the shore in front of my house - this has been one of the better winters for overwintering birds.

On 11th January it was time to leave again but I popped in at Dåvøy and Tjeldstø before I left. Actually getting out of the car at Dåvøy produced Redpoll gråsisik, Siskin grønnsisik, Chaffinch bokfink, a Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and all the usual tits including a couple of Crested Tit toppmeis. A look at the sea here also produced a nice Slavonian Grebe horndykker.

Tjeldstø was relatively quiet but Redpoll gråsisik here too, four White-tailed Eagle havørn, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and the usual.

More Redpoll gråsisik from the terrace along with more Siskins grønnsisik definitely gives the impression that finches are moving down the coast.

There have been two Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy the last few days

First photo of the day - with settings still on sunny conditions from yesterday. Could have been a decent shot but I didn't hang around

One of last year's youngsters at Tjeldstø where there were two adults and two 2cy birds present

Øygarden 02.01-03.01.2025 - Winter!!

Strong northerly winds and a lot of snow put something of a brake on things 02.01 but unsurprisingly a number of new species for the year - most of them from my kitchen window. I set my scope up inside and checked a few times for a few minutes during the course of the day - this resulted in Great Northern Diver islom, Curlew storspove, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in the garden (rather than on the shore), a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld and some Kittiwake krykkje heading north. 

Away from the house I managed Woodcock rugde, Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost, a Common Gull fiskemåke, a few White-tailed Eagle havørn and the usual.

On 3rd January the weather was even worse, I had my car in for a service and work came back with a vengeance after the Christmas break. A Horned Grebe horndykker turned up off the terrace to save the day and a short trip out to pick my car up again produced a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Brambling bjørkefink.

Slavonian Grebe / Horned Grebe horndykker at Nautnes

Øygarden 01.11 - 05.11.2023 - Home office birding and drive-bys

The superb weather just keeps going. Largely sunny with light easterlies throughout. So once again good migration conditions and not the kind of weather to drop stuff down.

On 01 November birding was limited to a few minutes of drive-bys. With local frost freezing some of the fresh water overnight open water was at a premium and thus it was no surprse to find a couple of Scaup bergand along with a Tufted Duck toppand at Alvheim. Also here a relatively large flock of Mallard stokkand with two Wigeon brunnakke in tow. From the terrace a late Woodpigeon ringdue flew over and a Razorbill alke fed on the sea.

Two Scaup bergand and a Tufted Duck toppand at Alvheim

Wigeon brunnakke at Alvheim

On 02 November I didn't even leave the house but three late Oystercatcher tjeld, the usual White-tailed Eages havørn and an Otter were noted.

Pretty much the same story the next day too but with a female Blackcap munk in the garden and a Peregrine vandrefalk flying over at Sture.

During the weekend I managed a couple of walks at Herdlevær. On 04 November this resulted in a few new species for the locality this year in the form of a Slavonian (Horned) Grebe horndykker, Whooper Swans sangsvane and Bullfinches dompap. Black Guillemot teist, Twite bergirisk and Snipe enkeltbekkasin were among the other species seen. Back home a flyover Waxwing sidensvans was the the best bird. Amazingly Red Admiral admiral and plenty of bees and other insects still around - perhaps the term "Indian Summer" is applicable at the moment.

One of several Bullfinch dompap at Herdlevær. These birds are without doubt migrants (and a sometimes a "carrier" for a rather more exciting species)

Mallard stokkand

Otters are still pretty much daily, not often I bother photographing them  - this one at Nautnes

Slavonian Grebe horndykker at Herdlevær

Whoopers sangsvane at Herdlevær

The next day was quieter but a couple of Black Guillemot teist, a late Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple of Curlew storspove (overwinterers now arrived?), a Peregrine vandrefalk, Skylark sanglerke and more meant it was a very pleasant walk. My terrace at Nautnes produced a hunting Merlin dvergfalk and some light vis mig (Siskin grønnsisik, Goldfinch stillits, Woodpigeon ringdue, Meadow Pipit heipiplerke etc).

Still lots of Crossbills korsnebb about, those positively identified have been a mix of Parrot fuukorsnebb and Common grankorsnebb.

The Northern Lights showed a few times, the most notable display was on 05 November where my Pavlovian response was to spend some time on the terrace. Point and pray camera delivered nicely with a minimum of effort:)

Things started quietly and to be honest the camera captured the scene better than the naked eye.

Later on things geared up a notch or two and it was a sight to behold:)

Kristin 05 May - 16 May 2023 - Two good sightings in the North Sea

Another couple of weeks spent offshore, once again missing a number of quality sightings back home.

The best birds of this trip were a Peregrine vandrefalk and a Slavonian Grebe horndykker. Other species included several species of wader, and three species of skua - Great, Pomarine and Arctic. The only passerines identified were two Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, a Swallow låvesvale and a Wheatear steinskvett.

A few "blue" Fulmar havhest joined the normal ones early in the trip but none seen later. 

Up to four Basking Shark brugde were seen simultaneously and a Porbeagle Shark hårbrann was also seen a couple of times.

Fulmars havhest, Kristin field, 08 May

Gannet havsule, Kristin field, 08 May

Herring Gull gråmåke, Kristin field, 08 May

Kittiwake krykkje, Kristin field, 08 May

Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke 08 May 

2cy Peregrine vandrefalk, Kristin 08 May

Basking Shark brugde, 09 May

Slavonian Grebe horndykker, Kristin, 10 May 2023

This is a rare species offshore and may even be the first I have seen from a vessel in the North Sea

Turnstone steinvender, Kristin, 10 May 2023

A common enough migrant in the North Sea

Basking Sharks brugde, 11 May 2023

Fulmar havhest, 14 May

Kittiwakes krykkje, 14 May

Some scenery on our way south.....