Øygarden 02.03-04.03.2025 - Home briefly

 On 02 March I managed my usual round at Herdlevær. Some signs of spring with Oystarcatcher tjeld, Starling stær now back. A flock of 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt , White-tailed Eagles havørn and the usual also seen. 

Best bird was a female Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes - a bird that turned up whilst I was away.

A quick look at Hjelme in the afternoon produced the first local Jay nøtteskrike of the year along with a flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost, Brambling bjørkefink, Chaffinch bokfink and Starling stær.

Spring is well on the way, Crocuses at Herdlevær

Siskin grønnsisik have been common "all winter" but have suddenly started visiting my feeder.

Female Stonechat svartstrupe at Kollsnes

Herdlevær & Hatten 24 June 2017 - Some locally uncommon breeders - and another giving it a good try

An afternoon stroll at Herdlevær produced mostly the usual suspects - many species with newly fledged young including Wheatear steinskvett and Meadow Pipit heipiplerke. Worryingly three female Eider ærfugl had no young in tow. Mink are a big problem at Herdlevær and now I am without my dog I will have to find other ways of getting rid of these...

Ringed Plover sandlo pair

The Ringed Plover sandlo pair were still present and obviously guarding either young or eggs,

The Corncrake åkerrikse first heard a couple of days ago gave a brief burst of song as I walked past. Wonder if it has been displaced from somewhere else where the grass has been cut...

At Tjeldstø a male Tufted Duck toppand was an unseasonal observation. House Martin taksvale, Black-headed Gulls hettemåke and at least four Arctic Terns rødnebbterne were also present here.

Siskin grønnsisik

Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper nest

Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper

I popped in at Hatten on the way home and amazingly managed a year tick in the form of Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper - with a nest full of well grown young. Daft that it has taken so long to see this species but great to see this species breeding in Øygarden. It is probably a lot commoner than it seems to be - the places this species breeds don't receive much coverage.

Øygarden 17 March 2017 - Bad weather, good bird and some more new in.

Westerly gale with heavy wintery showers - not the most comfortable of conditions!

Took a quick look at a few localities which proved to be quite rewarding.

The first Ringed Plover sandlo of the year was back at the usual place - always nice to see.

Female Goosander laksand - something approaching a rarity in Øygarden

By far the best bird of the day was a female Goosander laksand at Heggøy. This species is almost annual in Øygarden but probably under recorded - Heggøy has hosted this species before. This species is perhaps most often in winter during colder periods where they may be forced to the coast.

Siskin grønnsisik in the garden

A male Siskin grønnsisik in my garden at Nautnes was the first one I have seen locally this year although they were reported from Sture earlier in the year.

Another noteworthy sighting was a Gannet havsule at Tjeldstø - no doubt forced down the fjord by the strong onshore winds. A decent variety of stuff here with a male Teal krikkand, several Lapwing vipe and most of the usual.

Whooper swan sangsvane family at Solberg

Small numbers of Whoopers sangsvane still knocking about here and there - it won't be long now before they move away.

The Heron gråhegre roost at Dåvøy was down to 34 birds today - possibly due to some now seeming to be moving into breeding mode....

Nautnes 23 March 2015 - More incidental birds

Southerly winds and overcast in the morning. Glorious later. Not that it made much of a difference today as I was working in town all day today....

Before I left  the house for work I had two new for the year in Øygarden - a Goshawk hønsehauk flew over and there were some Siskin grønnsisik in the garden. The former was also new for the house list.

I passed Tjeldstø on the way to work and caught up with what I up to now thought was an odd-looking and rather small Glaucous Gull polarmåke but opinion seems to be coming round to a hybrid of some sort. I have to agree as it doesn't quite fit either of the two usual white wingers. More on this later if I ever get a minute.

On my way home I drove past Tjeldstø again and saw a flock of four Teal krikkand -.another new for Øygarden this year.

By the time I'd got home and had dinner it was all but dark - ideal conditions for seeing the first roding Woodcock rugde. Nice.

Tjeldstø 17 April 2013 - More arrivals

Southerly winds and overcast.

A stroll around the reserve produced a Carrion Crow svartkråke - quite possibly the same bird seen at Skogsøy a couple of days back. Good numbers of Fieldfare gråtrost were seen with at least 200 in the area.

 Above and below: Common Redpoll gråsisik

Four species of finch in this picture

Brambling bjørkefink with Siskins grønnsisik

Above and below: Male Siskin grønnsisik

Female Siskin grønnsisik

The garden was the best place though with the first Common Redpoll gråsisik of the year, about 20 Siskin grønnsisik, a Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a couple of Brambling bjørkefink on top of the usual garden visitors

Tjeldstø 28 March 2012

For the third day in a row work commitments prevented any time out of the house.

However, I couldn't help noticing the first Siskin grønnsisik I've seen this year in the garden. This winter has been unusual with none of the usual winter finches turning up.

Sunflower seed consumption has gone through the roof the last week or so - almost 3kg a day as the Greenfinches grønnfink prepare for the breeding season.