Øygarden 24-30 June 2024 - More home office

Once again almost no birding with the terrace and drive-bys to and from the shops/errands providing what little time outside there was.

On 24 June a female Red-breasted Merganser siland showed up with six young - obviously having bred very close by. A few days later what I presume was the same bird had only one young left. I'm curious to know what is that is taking the young - plenty of suspects to choose from.

Red-breasted Merganser siland with young photographed from my terrace

Breeding waders (Oystercatcher tjeld, Curlew storspove, Redshank rødstilk, Lapwing vipe, Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Common Sandpipers strandsnipe) continued to be obvious but many will soon be clearing out having finished the breeding season.

Anxious Redshank rødstilk parent near Kollsnes

Well grown Lapwing young feeding in the rain

This well grown Lapwing young was limping badly with something stuck on its right leg

The other Lapwing vipe chick was fine

Curlew storspove at Breivik

A fishing trip after work on 26 June with my daughters was very successful from all points of view: outside away from the computer in great company, plenty of fish action (several species) and even some birds - including a (the?) Golden Eagle kongeørn, a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, Ringed Plover sandlo and fishing Common Terns makrellterne.

Immature Golden Eagle kongeørn

(also point and pray camera)

A wet and dull evening drive-by at Husvatnet on 28 June produced a male Ruff brushane and a Swift tårnseiler in addition to the usual suspects there.

On 30 June I finally made it out and did my usual walk at Herdlevær. Here a female Merganser siland had 14 young in tow, a Mallard stokkand had three young with her, recently fledged Wheatears steinskvett and most of the usual suspects were present. A flock of Curlew storspove headed south and some Common Crossbill grankorsnebb turned up.

Fishing Common Tern makrellterne at Herdlevær

Recently fledged Wheatear steinskvett

After Herdlevær it was time for more fishing, once again very successful with a Pollack of well over 5kg and four other species. Interestingly the Pollack had been feeding on squid.

Cleanup crew in the garden after a successful fishing trip

Herring Gulls gråmåke and Great Black-backed Gulls svartbak turned up in force!

Skogsøy 21 April 2024 - Ace of Spades

 Light winds & sunny

I listen to P6 Rock on the radio whilst driving. The songs they played on the way way home were "Perfect Day" and Motorhead's "Ace of Spades". Both fitted well for the day's birding. The latter is a particular favourite of mine and fits seawatching at Skogsøy (or birding Øygarden for that matter) in a nutshell. Impossible to predict, take the good with the bad etc:)

The smell of suncream pervaded today's seawatch:)

Today's seawatch was just fine with almost 500 birds passing in just over 4 hours including a pale phase Arctic Skua tyvjo and two Black-throated Diver storlom heading north, a couple of Great Northern Diver islom on the sea and a decent selection of the usual suspects on the move.

Arctic Skua tyvjo heading north

A light passage of Common Gulls fiskemåke today

Not many Gannets havsule passing today but the few that did came in close

These two Great Northern Divers islom were among the first birds see today, they rested on the sea and drifted slowly south during the morning

Red-breasted Mergansers siland were heading north today

On the way home I picked up a (the?) Golden Eagle kongeørn again.

Back home and gardening again I had WT Eagle havørn, a flyover Skylark sanglerke and more.

Inner islands, NW Øygarden 15 July 2018 - Game on

Southerly winds and overcast to start with (rain during the night), hot and sunny later.

Two of this year's Common Tern makrellterne (left and right)

Note that the second bird from the right is an Arctic Tern rødnebbterne.

Two Common Tern chicks - fingers crossed!

Another day, another boat trip. The aim of the day was to check out potential tern colonies. Bad news for Arctic Terns rødnebbterne as we found no definite nests, although we did see a number of adults (and there ARE some pairs breeding in the area as I see adults with fish flying over my house every day). Common Terns makrellterne seem to be fairing better - another look at the site I checked in on yesterday revealed six fully fledged young and two chicks still at the nest.

Not the easiest of conditions today.....

Adult Knot polarsnipe

Young Oystercatcher tjeld almost "good to go"

Wader migration is now picking up with the first Knot polarsnipe of the autumn. Two flocks, one of eight and another of six were seen, though there is some potential for these being the same birds. As usual for this time of year the birds were adults. Two Dunlin myrsnipe migrating were also the first of the autumn. Plenty of Oystercatcher tjeld again - some young looking ready to go. It will only be a couple more weeks before these birds are migrating. The only other waders were a few each of Curlew storspove and Whimbrel småspove.

This Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke was colour ringed but flew a couple of seconds too soon to read the number :(

Merganser siland with young

Eiders ærfugl posing around the islands.....

More Eider ærfugl with young, a Merganser siland with eight chicks and a light but steady passage of Gannet havsule were among the other birds seen.

Herdlevær 30 January - Back in business

Foul weather with strong southerly winds, rain and sleet.

A female Red-breasted Merganser siland - catching plenty of fish

Made the most of the conditions at Herdlevær. We had nice views of a Merganser siland which caught several fish in quick succession.

Eiders ærfugl

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt

Otherwise not that much about - just a couple of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt - rather short billed.

Back home at Nautnes just the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and an Otter.

Herdlevær 03 March 2014 - Short Seawatch

Light Easterly winds, sunny and "warm"

Mergansers siland displaying at Herdlevær

Another day of fantastic weather. A short (and late!) seawatch at Herdlevær produced a small southward movement of Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple of Guillemots lomvi and a lone Razorbill alke. Otherwise just the usual suspects.

Tjeldstø 01 December 2011

Very strong gale force winds and heavy showers.

Finally stayed in and got some work done for once. A brief look at Solberg produced just a couple of Purple Sands fjæreplytt and a flock of gulls trying their best to shelter from the wind and waves. Sea spray reduced visibility considerably and it was impossible to hold the scope steady.

 Cormorant storskarv at Tjeldstø

At Tjeldstø a small flock of Comon Crossbills grankorsnebb and most of the usual stuff.

Hjelme West 20 December 2010

Goldeneye kvinand
Female Merganser siland

Mergansers siland

Merganser siland with small flatfish

Very cold, calm and quiet again. Most of the usual wintering birds present including a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker, a Curlew storspove, 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a Velvet Scoter sjøorre, a Black Guillemot teist and five White-tailed Eagle havørn.

A Goshawk hønsehauk flew over the road at Sæle.

The Heron gråhegre roost at Dåvøy held 31 birds and there were the usual Goldeneye kvinand and Mergansers siland present.

Skogsøy 20 November 2010

Red-breasted Merganser siland fishing

First year Robin rødstrupe

Whooper Swan sangsvane heading south

Calm and sunny - wonderful conditions to be out and about.

However, not much passage. A handfull of Little Auks alkekonge, one each of Great Northern Diver islom and Red-throated Diver smålom, a first year Whooper Swan sangsvane and a fly over Snow Bunting snøspurv were the best sightings.

A couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, a few Black Guillemot teist and plenty of the usual seaduck.

At Breivik a rather large Goshawk hønsehauk almost caught a lone Greylag grågås.

Øygarden 10 March 2008

Long-tailed Duck havelle really living up to its name...

Grey Heron gråhegre at Tjeldstø

Red-breasted Merganser siland at Tjeldstø

Strong winds, heavy showers and a late start meant there wasn't much in the way of passage - the only birds of note were a diver lom heading south and the first Black-headed Gull hettemåke for Skogsøy this year.

Around lunchtime it cleared up nicely but it was a case of too little too late. Back home at Tjeldstø an Oystercatcher tjeld was back on its territory, Lapwing vipe around and numbers of Greylags grågås and Starling stær still increasing daily.

The wind dropped in the evening so it was off out again to get nice views of an Eagle Owl hubro in the telescope. Also worth noting was a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin seemingly migrating.