Skogsøy 13 November 2022 - Less about the seawatching

 Strong southerly winds, overcast and with light drizzle most of the time I was seawatching.

Today was much more about what was seen away from the seawatching than what was going on migration wise. A Dipper fossekall, the second for Skogsøy (the first was in January this year) was out close to the lookout point - an unusual location but there is plenty of food in those pools:)

On my way back in a fly-by Short-eared Owl jordugle, three Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb and three Slavonian Grebes horndykker were the best finds.

November is a good month to see migrating Dipper fossekall in Øygarden

Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb, Skogsøy 

The bay at Skogsøy, the slav grebes should be visible in here somewhere

Slavonian Grebes horndykker came swimming over from Herdlevær

I sat from 0930-1110 and had a decent passage of gulls (mostly Herring Gulls gråmåke, Common Gulls fiskemåke and Kittiwake krykkje) and Common Scoter svartand plus a Red-throated Diver smålom, a late Oystercatcher tjeld and a few Velvet Scoter sjøorre. Most stuff passed very close in indeed - visibility was awful and it was not possible to see very far.

Migrating Common Gulls fiskemåke

Many Common Scoter svartand headed south at close range today

Herring Gull gråmåke (picture taken with the new superzoom, the rest of the flight shots with an older DSLR)

Kittiwake krykkje

Velvet Scoter sjøorre

On the way home I picked up a Goshawk hønsehauk hunting thrushes at Kollsnes. At Tjeldstø best sightings were a male Blackcap munk, a few Snipe enkeltbekkassin, three Whoopers sangsvane and a selection of duck including a few Wigeon brunnakke and a Teal krikkand.

Back home the latest ever Linnet tornirisk to be recorded in Øygarden fed in my garden:)

The latest Linnet tornirisk ever recorded in Øygarden

Also shows why "weeds" are so important to wild birds.

The first ever video with the new camera:)

Øygarden 30.03 - 03.04.2017 - Almost given up

After last year's failed attempt to give up birding I'm not going to come with any rash statements. Lets just say I'm on an enforced break and that things will get better one day.

The "keepers" from 02 April - plenty more went back into the sea but these were dinner sized and then some.

Random Otter shots from the terrace 01 April

Not out in any meaningful way at all. A fishing trip on 02 April produced plenty of fish and the first Linnets tornirisk of the year along with fly over Common Crossbills grankorsnebb, White-tailed Eagles havørn and the usual.

On 03 April I went ALL THE WAY TO THE POST BOX without my camera - but luckily with bincoculars and had a Carrion Crow svartkråke fly over, also Nuthatch spettmeis singing in the "garden".

Generally quite springlike with LOTS of birdsong.

Herdlevær 10 November 2016 - Dead interesting

Although only a degree or two up from the last few days it felt a lot warmer.

Dead deer hjort - obviously someone has had a successful hunting season....

Remains of Snipe enkeltbekkasin

...and Woodcock rugde

The cold weather has obviously made some things easier for predators to catch, there was quite a bit of dead stuff about today including a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Woodcock rugde. These, along with other recently killed birds makes it looks like there is a raptor living the dream at Herdlevær....

Still quite a few Common Gull fiskemåke present - won't be long before these disappear and the species becomes hard to find in Øygarden. Crazy as large numbers overwinter in Bergen.

Small numbers of Common Scoter svartand around but no real movement

Linnet tornirisk

Redwing rødvingetrost

Shag toppskarv - so common it tends to get a bit neglected from the photo side of things

One of a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin that were still alive

What would have been a nice shot of Wren gjerdesmett had it not been for the fence

However, there were quite a few birds still very much alive. The most unusual sighting was the first November record of Linnet tornirisk for Øygarden. Otherwise is was very much the usual November fare with Red-throated Diver smålom, Long-tailed Duck havelle, a couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin and so on.

Two male Scaup bergand

Scaup bergand (front right), Tufted Duck toppand (front left) and Wigeon brunnakke (back)

Two Scaup bergand and two Tufted Duck toppand

Two Tufted Duck toppand in the middle with Scaup bergand on either side

Drive-bys at Tjeldstø and Alvheim produced a few Scaup bergand and five other species of duck.

Early morning Razorbill alke at Nautnes

A Razorbill alke swam past the terrace early in the morning.

Tjeldstø 13 April 2015 - First Swallow

Sunny but a brisk northerly kept things feeling chilly in exposed areas.

Swallow låvesvale

Most of today's birding was at Tjeldstø which proved quite productive. Best bird was my first Swallow låvesvale of the year. A flock of four Linnet tornirisk were also new for the year but have been seen in Øygarden for the last few days.

The Pinkfoot kortnebbgås remained in the area and a second year Whooper sangsvane on Rotevatnet was relatively late - quite possibly this is the same bird that has spent much of the winter here.

A quick look at Solberg produced little but confirmed at least that I wasn't missing out on much in the way of movement over the sea.

Other birds picked up today included an Eagle Owl hubro and a Woodcock rugde.

Tjeldstø 02 April 2014 - Good coverage pays off

Cracking weather again -. calm and sunny.

At last gave the reserve a decent amount of coverage - this paid off quite well with a few more new for Øygarden for me this year - two Mistle Thrush duetrost being the highlights (a few turned up whislt I was last away). A pair of Tufted Duck toppand on Husvatnet and a fly over Linnet tornirisk (first seen in Øygarden yesterday) were the other new stuff.

A minimum of six White-tailed Eagles havørn, 12 Heron gråhegre (the most I have seen at Tjeldstø for some time), a pair of Teal krikkand, at least eight Lapwing vipe, a few Lesser Black-becked Gulls sildemåke and plenty of birdsong from a range of newly arrived species.

Tjeldstø 02 April 2012

Fresh northerly, sunny in between snow showers.

Little change though Greylag grågås numbers now up to 70. Usual selection of Teal krikkand, Goldeneye kvinand etc on the lakes.

Only new bird in was a single Linnet tornirisk flying over. Now nine Tree Sparrow pilfink and over 20 Chaffinch bokfink among the birds at my feeder.