Skogsøy and Herdlevær 25-26 May 2024 - Orca and second wave of Barnacles

On the morning of 25 May I did some seawatching at Skogsøy.

On the way there I sighted the neck ringed Greylag grågås UK09 again, seemingly with a flock of non-breeding birds.

Skogsøy was rather quiet in the very light northerly winds. Highlights were a lone male Orca spekkhogger heading south - an absolutely massive beast with a huge dorsal fin. I sat from 0630 to 1030 but gave up to press on with house stuff.

Small numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom and most  of the usual stuff passed. Highlight was a flock of 53 Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås and a 2cy Great Northern Diver islom heading north (only picked up on the sound of its wingbeats as it passed overhead!). On my way back to the car another good flock of Barnacles heading north over land.

The second wave of Barnacle geese hvitkonngås heading north

Common Scoter svartand - never can figure out what these are doing migration-wise

Third year White-tailed Eagle havørn at Tjeldstø

A brief stop at Tjeldstø on the way home produced the usual selection of breeding waders and nice views of another White-tailed Eagle havørn.

The next day I did my usual round at Herdlevær where a 2cy Great Northern Diver islom on the sea was probably the best bird. A few Lapwing vipe mobbed a White-tailed Eagle havørn on the island to the north - it has been some years since Lapwing bred at Herdlevær but just maybe they are not too far away. Once again I had to cut the birding short in order to work on the house & garden.

Recently fledged Fieldfare gråtrost - it made enough noise to attract attention but knew enough to sit perfectly still as I tried to locate what was making the noise.

2cy Great Northern Diver islom

My plans to spend some time with my scope at Tjeldstø on the way home were cut short by a pair of agitated Redshank rødstilk - obviously with a nest or young so I quickly retreated. Unfortunately this location is used for fishing and swimming so I just hope these birds get a move on with their young....

Øygarden 09.04-12.04.2024 - Spring

Home but not out birding at all.

A trip to the shops to fill up my empty fridge after I returned on 09 April produced a Jackdaw kaie / Rook kornkråke combo at Dåvøy as the best sighting.

Jackdaw kaie

Rook kornkråke

White Wagtail linerle, Dunnock jernspurv and the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn were seen from the terrace.

On Wednesday 10.04 more White Wags linerle here and there and a Guillemot lomvi on the sea in front of my house were all that I managed.

Twenty minutes sitting in the sun at Hatten the following day was very nice with a pair of Siskin grønnsisik, several Brambling bjørefink, a couple of Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and the usual suspects.

Brambling bjørkefink

Female Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett

Siskin grønnsisik

Mergansers siland on the sea in front of my house

On Friday I heard my first singing Chiff-chaff gransanger of the year from my terrace, Gannet havsule and a bridled Guillemot ringvi were also seen here.

Female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle

Gannet havsule from the terrace

Bridled Guillemot ringvi from the terrace

Redshank rødstilk at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

Male Wheatear steinskvett at Breivik

Other stuff included the first Redshank rødstilk of the year at Husvatnet, a smart male Wheatear steinskvett at Breivik, a female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle at Tjeldstø and a (the?) Carrion Crow svartkråke at Oen.

Tjeldstø and Dåvøy 04 May 2022 - Another "day off"

 Short drive-bys and breakfast at Tjeldstø were the birding activities today.

Tjeldstø was where I spent the most time (not saying much!) and thus produced the best birds. A Ring Ousel ringtrost fed out in the reserve with other thrushes. Lesser Whitethroat møller and Goldfinch stillits were among the other things seen here. It is really looking like Goldinch stillits are becoming a regular thing in the breeding season:) Another Goldfinch stillits at Nautnes too.

One of a few Redshank rødstilk at Dåvøy - I had actually gone there to check out a colour ringed Curlew storspove that was seen there. No sign of it unfortunately

Ring Ousel ringtrost with Fieldfare gråtrost at Tjeldstø

Golden Plover heilo here and there, some newly arrived Wheatear steinskvett and most of the usual species seen here and there.

A female Stonechat svartstrupe was seen briefly close to a suspected breeding locality:)

Skogsøy 18 April 2019 -

SE3, sunny. It felt quite cold today despite there being no overnight frost.

Migration wise today was something of a non-starter with fewer birds passing than the last couple of visits. SE winds in spring are not renowned for numbers but can produce unexpected birds - today was not one of those days. With the exception of the usual suspects the only birds of any note at all were a flock of 10 Teal krikkand which are not normally associated with such nice weather at this time of year. A Brambling bjørkefink also passed overhead.

Once again southbound Common Scoter svartand were largely 2 cy birds and all northbound birds were adults.

2 cy White-tailed Eagle havørn fly-by

A White-tailed Eagle havørn did a relatively close fly-by with another bird present at longer range.

On the way home I stopped at Husvatnet where a pair of mating Redshanks rødstilk were almost comical - a rather noisy affair and something of a balancing act. Let us hope they have plenty of young and manage to raise them successfully.

Tjeldstø 11 April 2018 - First Swallow and ton up in Øygarden

Calm and sunny in the morning, light northerly breeze later.

Cracking weather again and thus not much in the way of grounded migrants. However, plenty of new arrivals busy setting up territories.

The first new for the year came before I even left the house in the form of the first Swallow låvesvale of the year heading north - not a bad date for the first of the year but by no means a record either. In addition both Lesser Redpoll brunsisik and Siskin grønnsisik were seen from my terrace.

Chiff-chaff gransanger at Tjeldstø

A Greylag grågås enjoying the good conditions

Mr and Mrs Teal krikkand - a few pairs getting themselves sorted out now. The bubbles in the water are due to a rather splashy landing moments before the pictures were taken.

A walk at Tjeldstø produced my first Redshank rødstilk of the year - and meant that I went ton up in Øygarden. Wheatear steinskvett and Chiff-chaff gransanger were both singing and four species of wader were displaying.

A drive-by at Herdlevær produced a Mistle Thrush duetrost.

I spent most of the day doing housework, changing from winter to summer tyres on the car etc but took a precautionary spin with the car once the summer wheels were on. This short drive gave, among other things, a Carrion Crow svartkråke and another Chiff-chaff gransanger.

Øygarden 26-27 June - Business as usual

Light showers, light winds.

Common Tern makrellterne at Nautnes

Anxious Redshank rødstilk at Tjeldstø

Young Wheatear steinskvett at Tjeldstø

A walk at Tjeldstø on 26 June produced just the usual suspects - including Wheatear steinskvett with young, Raven ravn with young and many other species also with fledged youngsters,

A stroll at Herdlevær on 27 June was very much the same although a pair of Redshank rødstilk that obviously have young (along with at least three other species of wader) have obviously managed to keep their breeding attempt secret until now. A Greenshank gluttsnipe was the only migrant. Twite bergirisk also feeding newly fledged young here.

At Nautnes the Oystercatcher tjeld pair outside my house suddenly showed up with at least three young today. Woodcock rugde still roding in the evenings.

Herdlevær 04 February - I'm going to regret this but it was worth it

Another day of north westerly winds with wintry showers, however mostly sunny whilst I was out.

I decided I had to get out and stretch my legs today and put work on the back burner for a couple of hours. This is something I am already regretting and will continue to do so over the weekend as I try to catch up.

Redshank rødstilk - I can crop an image when I need to!

Besides getting some much needed exercise I also saw quite a few birds, some of them were even interesting. Highlight was a very unseasonal Redshank rødstilk - mirroring a similar recent record further inland in the county. This is the first January record for the area - although there is a record from 31 December 1993 as the only real previous winter sighting.

Another nice experience was the first spring migration of the year - a flock of 30 Guillemots lomvi heading north. Most of the usual stuff was also seen including a Curlew storspove, a Little Auk alkekonge on the sea, a few Gannets havsule, White-tailed Eagle havørn etc.

Almost as rare a sighting as the winter Redshank - I met another birder - at the Skogsøy "parking lot" - here there was a Jackdaw kaie - another new species for the year in Øygarden and a typical winter record for this species.

Herdlevær 12 April 2015 - Loads more migrants

South westerly winds and sunny

A walk at Herdlevær produced plenty of new migrants including the first Wheatear steinskvett of the year and a Chiff-chaff gransanger (the first arrived yesterday). A flock of around 25 Golden Plover heilo were also present here. A few alba wagtails linerle were heard calling but I didn't really see them well enough.

Carrion Crow svartkråke

Rook kornkråke

The area around the car park at Skogsøy produced a Carrion Crow svartkråke ,a male Pied Wagtail svartryggerle and four Jackdaw kaie on the way to Herdlevær and a Rook kornkråke on the way home again. The Carrion Crow has been around for some time but the Rook looked like it may have been a different bird than the one I saw there last time.

One of two Redshank rødstilk present at Tjeldstø

Elsewhere in Øygarden an early Swallow låvesvale was seen and a couple of Hawfinch kjernebiter were at a bird feeder at Skjold.