Øygarden 29 April 2024 - Hirundine arrival

Today I checked a few localities on a day with strong southerly winds and some light rain.

Small numbers of Black-headed Gulls hettemåke fed in fields here and there. 

At Tjeldstø a Hawfinch kjernebiter turned up alongside a flock of Brambling bjørkefink.

Several Swallows låvesvale at Dåvøy were joined by the first House Martin taksvale of the year and a Sand Martin sandsvale showed at Solberg where five Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt also put in an appearance. 

Raptor wise is was back to just White-tailed Eagles havørn with several seen.

A Common Sandpiper strandsnipe on the shore in front of my house was the first at Nautnes this year-

Øygarden 21-23 May 2020 - Taking it easy

On 21 May we finally completed some painting tasks - though the process was painful on so many levels. Not least to have my back to the sea where flocks of pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås were heading north.

Just before going up the ladder I took the time to make sure I saw at least some of them:

Brent Geese ringgås heading north past Nautnes

In the afternoon a fishing trip turned up some Common Crossbills grankorsnebb that may well be breeding. Not the most visited of birding localities. Freezer full again:)

UN7 is still around, though he has not been reported very much recently......

I took a few drive-bys on 22nd without seeing anything much of interest, although at least one of the Lapwing vipe pairs in the reserve at Tjeldstø has hatched young running about. A short walk at Hjelme produced the first Swift tårnseiler of the year and a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett sang briefly.

House Martin taksvale at Tjeldstø

I did even less on 23 May although I did connect with my first local House Martin taksvale of the year at Tjeldstø where there the long staying Golden Plover heilo flock were still present.

Brynhild (Norwegian Sector) 07-10 May 2020 - Offshore migration

Back to work again - good for the finances and bad for seawatching. But not quite birdless.

Spent 01-05 May jacked up in a fjord outside Stavanger and then headed out to sea to the Bryhild template. The transit produced a couple of Wheatear steinskvett on the helideck, a Great Skua storjo, Fulmars havhest and more but there wasn't really much of an opportunity to keep an eye open.

Female Redstart rødstjert taking a break onboard

The House Martin is just about visible in this "habitat shot"

The picture above this was taken from the same place, just zoomed in!

House Martin taksvale

On 07 May a female Redstart rødstjert turned up. The following day a House Martin taksvale spent some time onboard and alternately flew around hunting insects and resting. With my point and pray superzoom there was not much chance of a flight shot😀 Also brief views of a phylloscopus warbler and several Gannets havsule.

Sedge Warbler sivsanger - first of the year for me!

Chiff-chaff gransanger

On 09 May a Sedge Warbler sivsanger, a Chiff-chaff gransanger and one other phylloscopus warbler turned up. The Chiff-chaff even gave a brief burst of song - a totally surreal sound in the the middle of the North Sea with the background noise of the platform! A Great Skua storjo flew over and a selection of the usual seabirds turned up.

Giant barnacle thingy growing in huge numbers on the legs of the platform

Jack-up legs

Hernar 02 July 2015 - Almost back in business

Very hot and sunny, thankfully with a breeze from around 10:00.

After pathetically little opportunity to get out and about for what feels like months I finally managed my second visit to Hernar this year.

The local breeders were very busy indeed with Lesser Redpoll brunisik, Twite bergirisk, Linnet tornirisk, Wheatear steinskvett and Whitethroat tornsanger among the species with newly fledged young.

Highlights were a couple of Swift tårnseiler early on, two House Martins taksvale and a dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo just as I left the island.

Arctic Skua tyvjo

House Martin taksvale

Lesser Redpoll brunsisik

Linnet tornirisk

Twite bergirisk

Recently fledged Wheatear steinskvett

Øygarden 03 May 2012 - Golden Eagle

Northerly winds continue.

Obviously some movement stilll going on.

A very quick look at Solberg proved that the day should have been spent at Skogsøy - obviously good numbers of divers passing.

At Tjeldstø I finally connected with a couple of House Martin taksvale among increased numbers of Swallows låvesvale, a second year Golden Eagle kongeørn soared over and the Pinkfoot kortnebbgås remained with the Greylags grågås.

A pair of Ringed Plover sandlo were found breeding at the same location as they did last year. Good news there at least.