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.
Having promised my better half breakfast in bed I had a bit of a late and lazy start. Still managed to see quite a bit of interest:)
On my way to Herdlevær I had the first Sand Martins sandsvale of the year at Husvatnet along with the lone Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås. At Breivik a nice Mistle Thrush duetrost and an obvious arrival of thrushes, White wagtails linerle and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke.
Fieldfare gråtrost at Breivik
Mistle Thrush duetrost at Breivik
Herdlevær produced my first Common Sandpiper strandsnipe of the year and several other new species for this locality for the year - including several flocks of Barnacle Geese hvitkingås heading north. A couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and at least three Otters oter were also seen here. A noticeable increase in the numbers of White Wags and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke here too.
Otter with catch
White-tailed Eagle havørn eyeing up the Otter with catch
A rather dark White Wagtail linerle, probably the same dark individual I saw in the same place a week ago
A quick check at Husvatnet on the way home was well worth it with a pair of Pochard taffeland present, predictably popular with year listers. It's been a while since this species last turned up in northern Øygarden.
Pochard taffeland on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø
Sand Martin sandsvale - pictures taken with point and pray whilst waiting for the main attraction to come a bit closer
Similarly tried for flight shots of Swallow låvesvale with the point and pray.
Traditionally it is the last week of September / first week of October that is the best for rarities. I have always liked early November and this week was just brilliant, despite having to travel for work.
Whilst frantically preparing for a conference in Stavanger a message ticked in about a Firecrest rødtoppfuglekonge at Sæle. I flung the last things I needed into my bags and headed to Sæle before continuing on to the airport. I had just a few minutes to spare and managed to connect with it - a new species for me in Øygarden. Thanks Terje!
Firecrest rødtoppfuglekonge at Sæle
Later in the afternoon I arrived at Sola Strand, Stavanger. Here, even without binoculars the birding was just too easy. Not difficult to understand why such a large percent of Norwegian birders are from the Stavanger area:)
Long-tailed Ducks havelle in the surf
There were several White Wagtails linerle hunting flies along the beach
A short walk on the beach the morning before the conference was almost equally productive. With scope and bins there would have been a lot more to see!
Great Northern Diver islom
First year Red-throated Diver smålom
Yellowhammer gulspurv
Back home in Øygarden and back to the grindstone I managed a few short drive-bys on 06 November in misty conditions. There was a big movement of thrushes down the east side of Øygarden with big flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost and smaller flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost heading south under the low cloud. Several Snipe enkeltbekkasin fed at Tjeldstø. Definitely a feeling that something good must have arrived today.
Heron gråhegre at Hellesøy
Some of the Snipe enkeltbekkasin feeding at Tjeldstø
Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin feeding at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø
On 07 November I spent the morning on Hernar. There was a LOT of activity and no time to drink coffee or eat sandwiches like I normally do. Well over 40 species noted without having the time to cover some of the areas I normally do. The most interesting bird by far was an eastern type Lesser Whitethroat møller with a very unusual call. According to one site I have investigated blythi has not been recorded as giving this call. This, along with some other features has me leaning towards halimodendri (Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat). My first ever Jackdaw kaie for the island was an added bonus along with Mistle Thrush duetrost, Water Rails vannrikse, Chiff-chaffs gransanger and plenty more besides.
Chiff-chaff gransanger - seemed to be "normal" without any tristis sounds
Tail good for the eastern types
Rather warm and brown appearance, pale lores in angles where the face is illuminated. Differs with lighting angle though
Here with prey:) Note the brown extending onto the nape / crown
Brown looking tail here
Sonogram (taken from video). Thanks to Stein Rune Risa for this)
This shows the jizz of the bird. Mouse-like, jerky and busy.
One striking thing about this bird was the tail pumping and Redstart-like "shivering" of the tail.
This video includes the call.
According to https://nicksbird.blog/2023/06/11/identification-of-the-lesser-whitethroat-species-complex/
there are no records of blythi that have been recorded with this call.....
Jackdaw kaie
Mistle Thrush duetrost
...and the much commoner (i.e. very common) White-tailed Eagle havørn
I was only out for half an hour as the light was going on 08 November, still lots of birds about - especially Redwings rødvingetrost and Fieldfare gråtrost. A Mistle Thrush duetrost at Hjelme was probably the same bird seen there the previous day.
From the house the best sighting was a Lapwing vipe heading south
My usual round at Herdlevær really produced the goods with the absolute highlight being a Hume's Leaf Warbler blekbrynsanger. Incredibly active and difficult to photograph it was at times obligingly vocal - it was the call that really made me investigate this bird in the first place. This is the first record in Øygarden for around 20 years!! Twitchers arrived quickly on the scene but the bird did a disappearing act for the rest of the day. Thankfully it was re-found the following day and stayed for some days more.
Hume's Leaf Warbler blekbrynsanger - the call can be heard in this video
Sonogram of the call - taken from the video above - thanks to Stein Rune Risa
There were plenty of other things to see too with a flock of 30 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a couple of Whooper Swans sangsvane, Chiff-chaff gransanger, several Great Northern Diver islom and lots of the usual migrants.
Whooper swans sangsvane at Herdlevær
A female Scaup bergand and a couple of Lapwing vipe on Rotevatnet were an added bonus.
Skylark sanglerke at Hjelme
Back home a first year Red-throated Diver smålom struggled with a large fish for some time in front of my house - looked like it might have been a Herring sild.
First year Red-throated Diver smålom at Nautnes
On Sunday 10th November I covered a number of localities without finding much new - although the Hume's Leaf Warbler blekbrynsanger was present at Herdlevær. A flock of six Lapwing vipe flew over at Breivik and what were probably the same birds were seen later at Tjeldstø where the Scaup bergand remained. Good numbers of thrushes, a Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb and a couple of Woodcock rugde were among the sightings.
