Øygarden and Herdla 29.08-02.09.2026 - Waders and seabirds

On 29th August I left the reservation for a day of guiding at Herdla. This coincided with the Bergen Bird Life excursion to exactly the same place. Well over 40 species seen with 13 species of wader including a few Little Stint dvergsnipe, a couple of Black-tailed Godwit svarthalespove and several Greenshank gluttsnipe. A couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn gave decent views. Best bird was an early Slavonian Grebe horndykker and Red-throated Diver smålom flew over. 

The following day I spent a couple of hours seawatching at Skogsøy. It was very quiet with not much moving although a small flock of Sanderling sandløper fed on the shore and a flock of waders which included around 8  Turnstone steinvender headed south. Strangely some waders were seen heading north.

Otherwise just the usual Gannets havsule, a Kittiwake krykkje heading south, a single Common Scoter svartand and a light passage of various gulls.

The walk to and from the car produced little other than a Kestrel tårnfalk and a couple of Crested Tits toppmeis.

On the way home I stopped at Tjeldstø but it was quiet here too with just a Kestrel tårnfalk and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett seen along with the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn. The woodpecker may indicate an invasion year - this species often turns up towards the end of August when they are going to start moving in numbers....time will soon tell if this is indeed the case.

A last minute guiding trip on 31st August had me doing Herdla again. Much the same story as the previous visit with plenty of waders although the variety and numbers were down in the "nice" weather though the Black-tailed Godwits svarthaespove showed again along with several Little Stint dvergsnipe. The Slav Grebe horndykker was present and at least four White-tailed Eagles havørn put in an appearance although at longer range than on Saturday. Again over 40 species seen.

A selection of Dunlin myrsnipe, Ringed Plover sandlo and Little Stints dvergsnipe

Redshank rødstilk

Ringed Plover sandlo

Ruff brushane

I had to make up the hours the next day and didn't really leave the house so had to make do with White-tailed Eagles havørn and not much else.

Cormorant storskarv fishing off my terrace

One of the White-tailed Eagles havørn seen from my terrace

Strong onshore winds on 2nd September meant that the temptation to get out to Skogsøy was strong. Unfortunately I had work stuff I couldn't shift and had to stay at home. In the early afternoon a message about a Hoopoe hærfugl further south in Øygarden made me snap. I didn't bother with this bird (over 20 minutes away so not happening) but headed out to Skogsøy instead. I was rewarded with a Sooty Shearwater grålire, a Manx Shearwater havlire and a pale phase Arctic Skua tyvjo as the best birds. Unusually I sat in the hide there in order to shelter from the wind and the several squalls that struck. Small numbers of Gannets havsule, a couple of Fulmar havhest and several Kittiwake krykkje also passed. Fulmar is a species that I see a lot less often than previously, it used to be a common species here.

Gannet havsule

Sooty Shearwater grålire

Øygarden + 03.08-09.08.24 - Some birding time at last - Spotted Reds starting to show

On my return to the west of Norway I went straight into guiding mode and on 0308 visited Herdla.  At least 47 species here including 10 species of wader. At least 20 Ruff brushane, a Whimbrel småspove and most of the usual suspects.

One of the Greylags was neck ringed - UK3 - a bird that I have seen in Øygarden previously:

Passerines included a couple of Whinchat buskskvett, a Yellow Wagtail gulerle and a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper.

After Herdla we hit my old turf in the Haukeland/ Gullfjell area where we added a number of new species for the day including Common Buzzard musvåk, Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper, Swift tårnseiler and Goldfinch stillits. The lower levels of Gullfjell produced among other things Kestrel tårnfalk, White-tailed Eagle havørn and Common Crossbill grankorsnebb. Not a bad day all in all:)

The next day I spent just over an hour seawatching at Skogsøy in NW winds but it was surprisingly disappointing and was similar to my previous visit there. Very little to report indeed. However, getting on with things back home was a lot more productive with a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe and a couple of Greenshank gluttsnipe flying over.

Monday 05.08 was spent working from home with just the first Dunnock jernspurv for some time and Greenshank gluttsnipe flying over of any note.

On Tuesday 06.08 I did my usual round at Herdlevær before work including half and hour looking out over the sea which produced several flocks of Oystercatcher tjeld heading  south along with a variety of other waders including a Knot polarsnipe and a couple of Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove. Nice views of an Otter feeding too:)

Otter at Herdlevær

A pre-work visit to Tjeldstø the following day gave the first Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk of the year, a single flock of 29 Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a variety of other waders.as well as two first year White-tailed Eagles havørn.

The first Mink I have seen for some time ran along the shore in front of my house, I really need to get that hunting license and a rifle:)

On 08.08 I once again left the reservation for another trip to Herdla, this time a rare birding trip rather than guiding. At least 600 Greylag grågås in the area with more heading south overhead. A new neck-ringed bird VP5 was present - as usual with such birds observations come from Holland, Germany and Denmark.

Other sightings here included a Little Stint dvergsnipe, a few Kestrel tårnfalk, a Peregrine vandrefalk, a few Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove, 95 Ringed Plover sandlo and 35 Ruff brushane.

The next day I didn't get out at all but had a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk in the garden and nice views of a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe at Tjeldstø during a trip to the shops.

The "new" housing estate they insisted on building may be the source of the plastic

First year Spotted Redshank sotsnipe at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

Øygarden 05 September 2021 - Dwarves

Calm conditions, ideal for a boat trip around the islands and skerries in the north west of Øygarden - the very same that I see from my kitchen window. 

Dverg means dwarf in Norwegian and the best birds today were both dwarves - Dwarf snipe otherwise known as Little Stint dvergsnipe was one of the first sightings of the day and Dwarf Woodpecker otherwise known as Lesser spotted Woodpecker dvergspett was one of the last birds seen.

Little Stints dvergsnipe

Much of the morning was spent looking for waders on the islands in the north west of Øygarden - quite a productive day was had doing this. A few islands were checked out on the way to Hernar where, although there were still a lot of birds about, there was not a "fall feeling" so we left after a brief check. Migrants new in included Dunnock jernspurv, Chaffinches bokfink and Redwing rødvingetrost. Otherwise "just" 50+ Twite bergirisk and the usual suspects.

Young Robin rødstrupe on Hernar

The islands produced most of the expected wader species and a couple of extras. The highlight were two Little Stints dvergsnipe which flew in together with several Ringed Plover sandlo. Little Stint is a species I previously considered quite a scarcity in Øygarden but in fact is quite regular - something I consider surprising as it is not normally considered a species associated with rocky shores.

Several each of Sanderling sandløper and Turnstone steinvender, around 15 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt (the first of the autumn),  a dozen or so each of Dunlin myrsnipe and Ringed Plover sandlo, a couple of Knot polarsnipe,  a Shelduck gravand and a lone Ruff brushane were among the other sightings.

It almost goes without saying that we saw the usual Black Guillemot teist, White-tailed Eagle havørn etc etc.

Dunlin myrsnipe

Herring Gulls gråmåke and a Commom Gull fiskemåke feeding on something at the surface. Both Great and Lesser Blacked Gulls svartbak og sildemåke were also doing the same thing - as were a lot of fish. Perhaps something was spawning?

Of more interest to the local birders (Øygardens entire population of resident birders were in the same place at the same time with the same plan, just in different boats), there was also a guy on the same mission as us - looking at and photographing waders on islands but who is he??? ID required as we did not recognise either the boat or the person (he has photo-bombed the gull picture above)

Øygarden's other birder was predictably enough on the same mission as us...:)

Jay nøtteskrike at Tjeldstø - probably a migrating / irrupting bird as this species is not often seen at Tjeldstø and although a little early the timing is good....

Knot polarsnipe

One of a few LBBG sildemåke seen today 

The first Purple Sands fjæreplytt of the autumn.

Ruff brushane - a common enough autumn migrant in Øygarden but not often they land on the offshore islans

A few of the Sanderling sandløper seen today

Shelduck gravand

urnstone steinvender

Back ashore in the late morning I checked Tjeldstø where over 50 Golden Plover heilo were in the reserve along with a couple of Ruff brushane. A Jay nøtteskrike put in an appearance - an irreuglar autumn visitor at this locality and five Goldfinch stillits flew over.

After this fantastic morning out I went home to get on with stuff but headed out again after a tip-off to see a Lesser spotted Woodpecker dvergspett at Hatten.

Skogsøy 10 September 2017 - Wader migration

Light SE changing to fresher southerly winds for the last hour. Overcast much of the time, but some sun and a couple of showers.

This picture was taken a bit too late to catch the mega double rainbow that lit up the Gannets that were pouring past at the time.

A few hours seawatching from dawn paid dividends today, largely in the form of waders. Good numbers of Ruff brushane were noted along with most of the usual autumn waders. Many flocks were too far out to identify with confidence. Wader highlights were at least two Little Stint dvergsnipe and three Grey Plover tundralo.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås

Gannet havsule - many gave great photo opportunities but there was too much else going on to take photos....

Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke were obviously on the move today

Migrating Oystercatcher tjeld

Ruff brushane (upper left), Dunlin myrsnipe (lower left) and Little Stint dvergsnipe (right)

Mixed flocks like this were common today.

Here 40 Ruff brushane, a Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove, three Ringed Plover sandlo, a Knot polarsnipe, five Dunlin mysnipe and 10 Oystercatcher tjeld

Other notable observations included a couple of light bellied (hrota) Brent Geese ringgås, a Great Skua storjo and good numbers of Wigeon brunnakke. Unusually most of the latter were males.

Four Arctic Tern rødnebbterne were relatively late and there was a noticable movement of Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke.

Peregrine vandrefalk, Black Guillemot teist, Sanderling sandløper feeding on the rocks and Red-throated Divers smålom were among the other species seen.

Red throated Diver smålom S 19
Northern Gannet havsule    N 121
Northern Gannet havsule    S 32
Great Cormorant storskarv S 78
Eurasian Shag toppskarv    N 1
Eurasian Shag toppskarv    S 1
Brent Goose ringgås           S 2
Wigeon brunnakke              S 62
Eider ærfugl                        S 4
Common Scoter svartand   S 2
Oystercatcher tjeld             S 14
Ringed Plover  sandlo        S  10
Golden Plover heilo           S  80
Grey Plover tundralo         S 3
Red Knot  polarsnipe         S 1
Sanderling sandløper         S 1
Dunlin myrsnipe                S 70
Little Stint dvergsnipe       S 2
Bar tailed Godwit lappspove S 11
Eurasian Curlew storspove S 1
Redshank rødstilk               S 2
Ruff  brushane                    S 111
Wader 105
Great Skua storjo                S 1
Common Gull fiskemåke   S 21
Lesser black backed Gull sildemåke  S 13
Arctic Tern rødnebbterne   S 4
Black Guillemot teist         N 1
Black Guillemot teist         S 1

A drive-by past Breivik later in the day produced a massive flock of Ruff brushane (85) with a Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove.

Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove

Some of the many Ruff brushane at Breivik