Skogsøy 27 April 2018 - Svalbard here we come!

Light southerly winds, mixed cloud cover with sunny spells.

As is now the last week of April it was somewhat predictable that I got up at silly o clock and went off to Skogsøy for a few hours before work.....

This flock looks like it is heading the wrong way to Svalbard but was the first flock I saw passing behind the lookput.

Some flocks were picked up a long was off over land....

Other flocks came rather closer.....

One of today's Gannets havsule

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke with nest material

One of two Twite bergirisk I saw during a drive-by at Herdlevær

I spent a little of three hours there and had a decent passage of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås heading north on their way to Svalbard. I am pretty certain that a number of flocks passed more or less undetected behind the lookout - I saw some flocks behind me but heard others that I just didn't see.....Although far from any kind of record the final tally was just under 800 birds. These were the first I have seen locally this year, although the first flock was observed here on 21.04.

Other than the geese there was very little passing and remarkably no divers at all. Small numbers of the usual seaduck (largely Common Scoter svartand and Long-tailed Duck havelle) passed including the first two Velvet Scoter sjøorre of the year - it has been the worst winter ever for this species in Øygarden. A light movement of Oystercatcher tjeld was also noted along with the usual Gannets havsule, Shags toppskarv and a single Guillemot lomvi.

A Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke gathered nesting material close to where I was sitting - it is not always obvious if the Rock Pipits we see are local breeders or birds passing through.

Another new for the year were a couple of Lesser Whitethroat møller - one feeding and picked up on call, whilst the other bird was in full song.

Øygarden 21-22 March 2017 - Considering giving up again

Mostly sunny but with some wintery showers

On 21 March another new for the year turned up at Nautnes - Song Thrush måltrost.

Displaying Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke

Later in the day I had a quick walk at Hjelme Vest and a drive-by at Sæle. Hjelme Vest produced rather little other than a flock of at least 22 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt. Virtually no duck at all, just a few Gannet havsule, a pair of Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke displaying very actively and a single White-tailed Eagle havørn.

The Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke struck me as rather different to the obvious recent migrants at Tjeldstø. The local breeders seem to be more like the typical birds in the UK - being rather browner and duller as opposed to the migrants which are more slaty grey on the back and peachy on the breast. I wonder where these migrants really come from / are on the way to....

Nuthatch spettmeis

Sæle produced the best bird in an Øygarden context with a singing Nuthatch spettmeis. However, the best bird from my point of view was a Woodcock rugde roding over the house in the evening.

On 22 March I did the "short round" at Tjeldstø - the only bird of note was the Scaup bergand still present on Rotevatnet. My timing was bad here with a snow shower starting shortly after I arrived.

Tjeldstø 19 March 2017 - Rock Pipits and more

Strong southerly wind, overcast and snow showers whilst I was out. Clear before that....

Greylag grågås

Lapwing vipe

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

In this picture there are three Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and a Meadow Pipit heipiplerke in addition to the Greylags grågås

Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke

Two of the Skylarks sanglerke

Bonus bird - Woodcock rugde

A short look at Tjeldstø showed itself to be a good idea today. Highlight was a Woodcock rugde that unexpectedly came flying past. A flock of six Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke fed in flooded fields among Greylags grågås and were joined by two Meadow Pipits heipiplerke. The Skylark sanglerke flock from yesterday remained in the same place.

I also popped in at Solberg where things were pretty much as normal with the only migrants being a flock of eight Redwing rødvingetrost.

Another small flock of Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke landed in front of the house later in the afternoon - obviously something of an arrival going on.

Herdlevær 27 October 2016 - Finally some normal autumn weather

Very strong SW winds, but mild and almost no rain.

Finally some normal autumn weather - the protracted period of sunny weather with SE winds has come to an end. It was good while it lasted but now we are back to normal....

Bean Goose sædgås and Pinkfoot kortnebbgås at Breivik

A fabalis Bean Goose sædgås, a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås and two albifrons Whitefronts tundragås were still in the fields at Breivik - also present yesterday afternoon when I drove by.

Purpke Sandpipers fjæreplytt

This bird caught several of these things whilst I watched

An obliging Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

At Herdlevær things were relatively quiet with the best birds being two late Sanderling sandløper which were sheltering out of the wind with a few Purple Sands fjæreplytt but flew off before I could bring my camera up. A few White-tailed Eagles havørn and most of the usual suspects were also present.

Not much in the way of migrants but Blackbird svarttrost obviously on the move with a few flocks of over 20 feeding in various places.

Back in the garden at Nautnes a male Blackcap munk and a Brambling bjørkefink joined the usual selection of stuff.

Skogsøy 25 December 2015 - Same wind, different direction

Winds still very strong but, just for a change, from the north west instead.

Didn't hang around out at Skogsøy and saw correspondingly little. A Curlew storspove was the best sighting here. A flock of Starling stær were the only other birds of note.

Roadside Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Breivik

At Breivik a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke gave very good roadside views and a very unseasonal Meadow Pipit heipiplerke fed in the garden back home at Nautnes.