Øygarden 13.09-17.09.2026 - Good Dad rewards

During this period I was restricted both by work and looking after an absolutely not birding dog.

However, although I am not supersticious, birding karma seems to be a thing - something I call "good dad birds". If I do something nice for my children I am often rewarded with some good birds. This time was no exception.

With Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger and other goodies at the coast and a Roller blåråke a few hours drive away inland there was obviously plenty of potential. Looking after the dog meant that I had to leave work behind for a bit each day.

On 13th I went off the reservation for a guiding trip which was great fun. Herdla produced a lot of birds, including some of interest. A couple of Curlew Sandpipers tundrasnipe, a Black-throated Diver storlom, two Grey Plover tundralo, two Black-tailed Godwit svarthalespove, at least 10 Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove and a late Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk were among the best sightings here.

A short walk at Hellesøy on 14th produced at least one of the Rosefinches rosenfink that had been reported there on 12th September. A couple of Lapland Buntings lappspurv were also present here, although I only ever saw them in flight.

Common Rosefinch rosenfink at Hellesøy

An even shorter walk at Herdlevær produced nothing much. An obviously unwell Snipe enkeltbekkasin was still too well to catch.

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin

The only birds of note on the 15th were a couple of Grey Plover tundralo at Tjeldstø where there were a couple of Wheatear steinskvett and a small flock of Wigeon brunnakke.

The dog dragged me around Herdlevær on 16th where a Grey Plover tundralo gave good views, a couple each of Dunlin myrsnipe and Ringed Plover sandlo were present along with two adult White-tailed Eagles havørn. 

Grey Plover tundralo

Ringed Plover sandlo

White-tailed Eagle havørn with prey, Nautnes

A Greenshank gluttsnipe flew over the house at dusk and a White-tailed Eagle havørn flew over the terrace carrying something interesting - perhaps a lumpsucker rognkjeks.

On17th the briefest of checks at Sæle showed there were some migrants about with a few Chiff-chaff gransanger present. Small flocks of Ringed Plover sandlo and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke passed during the morning.

In the afternoon I thought I would be kind and drop the dog off and save my daughter some driving. This paid off very nicely with a relatively early Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke at Breivik. Grey Plover tundralo, a flock of Golden Plover heilo and a flyover Lapland Bunting lappspurv were among the other species here.

Richard's Pipt tartarpiplerke.

I think this is the first one I have found without hearing it first - and unusually also seen quite well on the ground instead of the usual flyover views. It was very vocal at times.

On the way home I was rewarded with a few Pinkfeet kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø.

Øygarden 01-02 November 2025 - November Rain

With southerly winds and showers my usual round at Herdlevær produced rather little on 01 November. Just a couple of Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb in trees beside the car park and small numbers of the usual migrants. The best bird was a flyover Yellowhammer gulspurv - never a common species in Øygarden this time of year is a good time for them to turn up.

A very short stop to look at the sea gave a couple of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a Red-throated Diver smålom and several Common Scoter svartand heading south.

After this the rain set in for real - and it rained Snipe enkeltbekkasin with birds seen at three locations along with small flocks of Fieldfares gråtrost and Redwing rødvingetrost.

Cormorant storskarv at Blomvåg

Herring Gull gråmåke with particularly heavy streaking on the head, Blomvåg

Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Tjeldstø

Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Sture

Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Hjelme - at least six birds visible in this image

The next day I gave Skogsøy a go, strong southerly winds and rather less rain than anticipated so it probably wasn't worth moving to the hide - although it is rather comfortable it does give something of a restricted field of view.

There was quite a lot moving in almost 2.5 hours I had:

Kittiwake krykkje S 56

Red-throated Diver smålom S 44

Common Gull fiskemåke S 33

Common Scoter svartand S 16

Long-tailed Duck havelle S 6

Great Northern Diver islom S 1

White-billed Diver gulnebblom S 1 (adult)

Lots of auks on the move too, mostly heading south and most probably Razorbill alke (the majoirty if those identified were this species), several Little Auks alkekonge too. Many of the auks were also feeding and often flying only short distances before landing again.

Rumours of a rarity at Breivik turned a blank but nice to watch mixed flocks of thrushes feeding in the fields along with a couple of Skylark sanglerke and great views of the Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke that is still hanging around (thanks Petter!)

Common Scoter svartand

Common Gull fiskemåke

Above and below Razorbills alke

Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke

Øygarden 12.10-16.10.2024 - Salvaging the autumn

Work continues to be relentless - next year I will book holiday - I was naive enough to think I could take leave after the offshore trip a few weeks back but this was absolutely not the case.

So it continued as situation normal  - grabbing an hour or two outside most days.

On 12th October it was rather wet but I did my usual round at Herdlevær without anything of great interest. A Dunlin myrsnipe resting on the shore was probably the best find

The next day was again rather wet. I started in the north of Øygarden. A flock of 70 Woodpigeon ringdue at Hjelme was a large flock for these parts. A message regarding a Red-breasted Flycatcher dvergfluesnapper at Herdlevær (thanks Bert!) meant that I headed there and after a long search in the rain we finally connected with it - rather flighty probably due to the fact it was chased by Robins rødstrupe whenever it showed itself. Yellow-browed Warblers gulbrynsanger showed well - at least four present with two close to the flycatcatcher and another two at the other end of the island. Several Blackcap munk and Chiff-chaff gransanger also around.

Part of a flock of Greylag Geese grågås that headed south during the hunt for the flycatcher

Female Mallard stokkand with Wigeon brunnakke in the background - ducks love flooded fields:)

Mallards stokkand in a flooded field at Tjeldstø

Starling stær eating berries at Hellesøy - the main reason there are no berries left out here at the coast for the interesting stuff that like to eat berries later in the autumn / winter

Wigeon brunnakke feeding in a flooded field at Tjeldstø

Nice shot of some sycamore seeds....

Obviously finding plenty to eat:)

Yellow-browed Warblers gulbrynsanger at Herdlevær

On 14th October I was barely out of the house but during a five minute stop at Breivik I clearly heard a calling Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke three times, but having not actually seen the bird felt that I couldn't claim it. A species that seems to have become rarer in recent years....

A couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn over my terrace were a distraction during one of the many meetings that day....

Same story the following day, had to make do with a Blackcap munk in my garden and a few species of dabbling duck at Tjeldstø.

I left Øygarden on 16th October but two five minute stops along the way produced two Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin at Tjeldstø and a Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke at Breivik - quite possibly the same bird from a couple of days earlier. This time it called repeatedly and I managed a few short but decent flight views. Otherwise a couple of Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in my garden.

Wren gjerdesmett at Tjeldstø

Nautnes and Herdla 09 November 2021 - Hoopoe and some out of Øygarden birding

Today I had promised my youngest some long awaited driving practise before her forthcoming driving test so time was not in my favour today. I opted to start with a quick look at Hjelme West. There was not much doing there so when I received a tip-off regarding a Hoopoe hærfugl just a few hundred metres from my house I managed to run through the woods all the way back to my car. Thank you Skogsøy for the training:)

Shortly after I was enjoying the second Hoopoe for Nautnes and the fourth for the "new" Øygarden. Interestingly both observations in the old Øygarden were from EXACTLY the same place and both the other sightings were in Tælevåg. However, the national database does not contain all records as I know of others at Herdlevær and Tjeldstø neither of which seem to have been reported.

Not quite the habitat I had expected - there are other areas that seem more suitable very close by

Rooftop feeding is not something I have seen before

After snapping a few brief photographs it was time to drive. We went to Herdla on the other side of the fjord for various reasons, we had a short walk and did not do the normal full round but a nice Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke called a lot and gave brief but good views in the scope. Two Taiga Bean Geese taigasædgås and a couple of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås joined a flock of 91 Greylag grågås there.

Two Taiga Bean Geese taigasædgås, a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås (left) and two Greylags grågås at Herdla

Taiga Bean Goose taigasædgås (right) and a Greylag grågås at Herdla

Two Taiga Bean Geese taigasædgås and two Greylags grågås at Herdla

A lone Whooper Swan sangsvane joined the geese in the fields too

The Hoopoe was still present on my return - unsurprisingly accompanied by a throng of photographers.

Hernar 15 September 2016 - First Sibes of the autumn

Light ESE breeze, hot and sunny.

There were a massive five birders to cover Hernar today - almost a record! Weather was too nice to ground a lot of stuff but the island produced a decent selection of autumn migrants. Highlight was a Richards Pipit tartarpiplerke that flew around a couple of times. A Lapland Bunting lappspurv was probably the next best thing. There were lots of the usual common birds on the island as well as migrants passing over.

Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper

Typical flight shot of Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke

White-tailed Eagle havørn

A selection of the usual warblers, a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper (actually the first I've seen in Øygarden this year), various finches including a flock of at least 40 Twite bergirisk and at least one Brambling bjørkefink were also present. Sand Martin sandsvale, Reed Bunting sivspurv both flew over. Among the birds resting and feeding there were a few Song Thrush måltrost, some small flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost, several Fieldfare gråtrost and plenty of Blackbird svarttrost.

Four species of raptor were recorded - but just the usual Øygarden suspects - White-tailed Eagle havørn, Peregrine vandrefalk, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and Kestrel tårnfalk.

Waders included a small flock of Knot polarsnipe and a Redshank rødstilk.

All in something approaching 50 species. The only fly in the ointment was that at least one, if not two Hawk Owls haukugle were seen further south in Øygarden and a much needed Øygarden species for me went into the nets at Herdlevær - a Little Bunting dvergspurv.