Hernar 22 March 2018 - Three firsts....

Calm and mild. Overcast at first but sunny later.

The day started very well with the first first being a Mistle Thrush duetrost more or less in my garden - a first for the garden list taking the total to 132.

A total of 18 Common Scoter svartand were seen - best number so far in Øygarden this year. A tragically low number which seems to be being reflected other places too.

Eiders ærfugl photographed from the boat - several flocks of Long-tailed Duck havelle were among the other species seen on the way out to Hernar

Peregrine vandrefalk

Reed Buntings sivspurv

Song Thrush måltrost

After this promising start it was time for the for the second first of the year - the first visit to Hernar. A total of 30 species were seen during the course of the morning with highlight being the third first - the first two Reed Bunting sivspurv to be recorded in Hordaland this year. Other sightings included a Song Thrush måltrost, Peregrine vandrefalk, Black Guillemot teist, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, a couple of Woodcock rugde, singing Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke and most of the usual Hernar suspects.

Although I did not spend much time looking there was some continued Oystercatcher tjeld migration up the fjords...

The way home produced a few Bullfinch dompap at Sæle, a flock of eight Lapwing vipe at Tjeldstø and some more newly arrived Starling stær flocks.

Dåvøy 07 January 2016 - Some very unseasonal birds!

Cold (and by that I mean frozen solid), calm and sunny. Fantastic weather and it was a shame to yet again not be able to make the most of it. I managed about an hour out at Dåvøy with the dog.

Dåvøy produced a couple of good January birds in the form of a Song Thrush måltrost and a Red-throated Diver smålom along with at least three Snipe enkeltbakkasin. The four White-tailed Eagles havørn seen here were of lesser interest.

Above and below: Lapwing vipe

Snipe enkeltbekkasin

The above pictures were taken without even getting out of the car. There is no way these birds should be disturbed with what they are having to cope with at the moment.

After that things stayed on the same level during the way home, picking up Woodcock rugde, another Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Lapwing vipe at Sture.

Reed Bunting sivspurv #1

Reed Bunting sivspurv #2

I did get out of the car for these two - but only just!

A family errand produced the best birds of the day by far in the form of two roadside Reed Bunting sivspurv. This would appear to be the first January record of the species in Øygarden and the first January record in the county since the mid 90s!

Other bits and bobs that are not rare at all but were either the first I've had in Øygarden this year (in my second hour of actually birding!) included Siskin grønnsisik and Crested Tit toppmeis.

Herdlevær 11 September 2015 . A normal autumn day

Calm, sunny and a light easterly breeze.

Despite more or less ideal conditions there was not a much as expected / hoped for going on. Some migration was obvious with Dunnocks jernspurv typically suddenly making an appearance and a couple of Reed Bunting sivspurv the first of the autumn, Other than that it was situation normal.

Above and below: Ruff brushane

A few Ruff brushane were present, a normal thing for the time of year, but when I tried to get closer and take some photos they sat down in the grass like Snipe and pretty much disappeared. Don't remember seeing them behave like this before.

Øygarden 02 October 2014 - Finished in style!

Southerly winds, warm and sunny.

Yet another fantastic day out in Øygarden!

Chiff-chaff gransanger

Part of one of many flocks of Cormorant storskarv seen heading south today

Garden Warbler hagesanger

A look back to Hernar as we left - note the new "cabin" on the right of the picture - a perfect place for any self respecting birder with superb views and the potential for a truly massive house list!

Merlin dvergfalk - this passed together with a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and a Kestrel tårnfalk as we waited for the boat to arrive

Reed Bunting sivpsurv - good numbers seen today

Spent the morning on Hernar (where else on a Thursday?!). Similar in many ways to a couple of days ago but slightly less on the ground and in the bushes - but ALWAYS something going on and plenty to see. Again quite a lot of visible migration with highlights being a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, five Pinkfeet kortnebbgås and a Merlin dvergfalk. Other stuff included a Garden Warbler hagesanger, several Chiff-chaff  gransanger, five Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås. Peregrine vandrefalk and several Swallows låvesvale.

Another Peregrine vandrefalk was seen as we got off the boat at Hellesøy.

A breif look at Tjeldstø produced a couple of hundred Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, a Jay nøtteskrike and a Kestrel tårnfalk. Next stop was Breivik where we had three more Kestrel tårnfalk and six more Swallows låvesvale as well as a Wheatear steinskvett and a few more White-tailed Eagle havørn.

We started on Herdlevær before having to leave for Rong - here the best bird was a Yellowhammer gulspurv just as we got out of the car - a hard bird to see in Øygarden. Otherwise it was more of the same here.

Juvenile Pomarine Skua polarjo at Rong

At Rong we managed to get onto a Pomarine Skua polarjo that had been found shortly beforehand. Although quite regular in autumn they are always birds passing down the west side of the islands - not hanging around like this one. As this is probably my favourite species it was an excellent end to an excellent day.

Back home at Nautnes I managed two new species for the garden list in the form of a House Sparrow gråspurv and a Marsh Tit løvmeis - the latter being a new species for me in Øygarden and could conceivably be the same bird found very close by last month. Now on 96 species as I approach the anniversary of living at Nautnes.

Hernar 17 October 2012 - no rarities?

Calm and sunny.

A decent enough morning on Hernar produced the usual selection of late autumn stuff including a Water Rail vannrikse, a Waxwing sidensvans, a Goldfinch stillits and a flock of 11 Tree Sparrows pilfink - obviously migrants.

This was about as good as views got....Reed Bunting sivspurv skulking in long vegetation

At least six Reed Bunting sivspurv were present and a "tick" bunting was heard a few times but never seen anything like well enough. Another bird that got away was a pipit that sounded rather like Tree Pipit trepiplerke but could just as easily been somewhat more interesting....

Other migrants included a few Chiff-chaff gransanger, a couple of Blackcap munk, a Skylark sanglerke and various thrushes and finches. Twite bergirisk numbers now dropped to around five birds.

A flock of seven Waxwing sidensvans flew over the house as I got home.....obviously on the move now.

Breivik 07 June 2012

Light southerly winds and sunny.

Female Reed Bunting sivspurv

A few House Martin taksvale were the only indication of any movement.

Singing Sedge Warblers sivsanger and Reed Buntings sivspurv seen at the usual place - very much business as usual in other words.