Øygarden 22-24.03.2025 - Arrivals!

At long last some birding time! It helps to get out of the house and it helps to get out of the car:)

On 22nd March I headed off to Skogsøy bright and early. On the way out the first Dunnock jernspurv and Song Thrusg måltrost of the year showed up along with most of the usual suspects including Goldcrest fuglekonge and Chaffinch bokfink also singing.

I sat for a little under three hours. things were rather quiet in the southerly winds with just the first local Shelduck gravand of the year for me also heading south. A few flocks of unidentified distant geese headed north. Over 40 Gannets havsule headed south and very small numbers of Eider ærfugl and Long-tailed Duck havelle passed. Singing Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke, displaying Curlew storspove and flocks of passerines moving up and down the coast added to the spring-like feel.

On the way home I picked up my first White Wagtail linerle of the year at Breivik and a Hawfinch kjernebiter at Hatten aong with several Bullfinch dompap, Goldfinch stillits etc.

The first Dunnock jernspurv of the year

Male White Wagtal linerle - the first alba wagtails are often yarrellii rather than alba

In the evening the northern lights put on quite a show from my terrace.

Northern Lights at Nautnes

The next day I did my usual round at Herdlevær where Redwing rødvingetrost, Curlew storspove, Woodpigeon ringdue and Bullfinch dompap were among the new arrivals. 

A quick look at Tjeldstø on the way home produced another Redwing rødvingetrost, several Fieldfare gråtrost and a Goshawk hønsehauk among other things. The latter almost caught one of the several Teal krikkand present.

Goshawk hønsehauk takes a break after almost catching a Teal krikkand. VERY cropped image

Even this picture is heavily cropped showing the Goshawk to the left with Greylags grågås and Mallard stokkand very much on the alert.

Redwing rødvingetrost at Herdlevær

Probably a newly arrived migrant - I haven't seen one for a few weeks

A Linnet tornirisk flew over as I did a bit of work in the garden at Nautnes and an evening fishing trip produced a roding Woodcock rugde and surprising lots of squid - ultimately forcing me to give up and go home. On the way back home I stopped at Skjold hoping that last night's Tawny Owl kattugle (the first in 20 years here!!) would show. It didn't.

On 24th March a short trip out between meetings gave the first Meadow Pipit heipiplerke of the year singing at Husvatnet along with a couple of newly arrived Common Gulls fiskemåke. A few Linnet tornirisk and four Skylark sanglerke were at Breivik.

Northern Øygarden 17 January 2021 - Taking things easy.

 Strong southerly winds, some rain showers. A thaw has slowly started - lets hope it lasts long enough to give the birds some respite.

I took things very easy today starting off at Hellesøy just after it got light. Not a whole lot going on with a few Starling stær the best sighting. A few White-tailed Eagles havørn, nine Herons gråhegre feeding in the channel there and a selection of the usual stuff.

A drive-by at Sæle on the way home was a bit more exciting with a Song Thrush måltrost the first of the year as well as being the first for quite some time. This species is a scarce winter visitor here.

Song Thrush måltrost at Sæle

A very short visit to Tjeldstø gave a couple of Woodcock rugde and a flock of 10 Chaffinch bokfink.

Back home at least two, probably three Woodcock rugde in or close to the garden, a Fieldfare gråtrost, a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost and three White-tailed Eagles havørn were among the species noted.

Redwing rødvingetrost

Sture / Hatten 14 March 2020 - Two more new migrants

Today I had to spend most of the morning driving to the shops - my woodpile is now all but finished and I still need the fire on most evenings. Terrible prioritising keeping my daughters warm instead of birding I know.

The first Ringed Plover sandlo of the year.

A short drive out in the afternoon showed that one of the local breeding Ringed Plovers sandlo had returned - pretty much the usual arrival date. I also heard of another new arrival and went to check out a Song Thrush måltrost.

Common Scoter svartand from the terrace

Mallard stokkand

Other than that just a couple of Common Scoter svartand from my terrace, where I also had Curlew storspove, the Oystercatcher tjeld pair and a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn.

Still plenty of Redpoll gråsisik and Brambling bjørkefink around.

Tjeldstø 15 January 2019 - Another new year tick for the county

Brisk North westerly winds, mostly sunny

Awoke to a thin covering of snow which quickly melted.

Spent the day working from home and only made a brief foray out. From the house during telephone calls etc I picked up Curlew storspove, White-tailed Eagle havørn etc.

One of four Collared Dove tykerdue at Tjeldstø today

The first Song Thrush måltrost of the year

At Tjeldstø the highlight was the first Song Thrush måltrost for Øygarden (and the county of Hordaland) this year. This is a regular but scarce winter visitor which I see most winters.

Other stuff here included four Collared Dove tyrkerdue and three White-tailed Eagles havørn. Judging by the way the local Hoodies kråke were behaving there was probably a more interesting raptor about too (Goshawk or Peregrine).

Øygarden 05-06 March 2018 - First Song Thrush

Calm, cold and sunny. Sun warm during the day and thankfully melting snow on south facing slopes giving the birds at least some opportunity to find food.

At one place I had five Woodcock rugde feeding together, multiple Water Rails vannriske (in different locations) and most of the usual suspects. I have continued to put out food in some boggy areas  - and found that it is being eaten. Just hope that the food has been found by the target species....

Redwing rødvingetrost in mid leap

Song Thrush måltrost

On 06 March the first Song Thrush måltrost for the county turned up among Redwings rødvingetrost at Herdlevær. Spring is on its way.....just wish it would hurry up a little.

Øygarden 09 January 2016 - Flu (almost) stops play

Calm, cold and sunny again

Roadside Black Grouse orrfugl

Spent most of the day asleep on the sofa fighting flu. However, a trip to the shops saved the day with a nice roadside Black Grouse orrfugl.

Other stuff included a Song Thrush måltrost at Nautnes, Snipe enkeltbekkasin and the usual.

Øygarden 01 January 2015 - New Year's Bird Race day 2

South westerly winds and overcast but no rain until after dark.

Not a bad day at all considering the effort put in - a walk around Tjeldstø without going out into the reserve followed by a break then a short trip out to cover Solberg and a couple of other places.

At Tjeldstø the best bird was a rather unseasonal Song Thrush måltrost. Other stuff included good numbers of Redwing rødvingetrost, several Starling stær, the Greylag grågås flock and a Woodcock rugde. A couple of Willow Tit granmeis and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett were the first I've seen in Øygarden for a while.

The Nuthatch spettmeis at Nautnes remained - not always an easy species to nail in Øygarden.

At Solberg a Curlew storspove was the best observation, though three very vocal White-tailed Eagle havørn were an impressive sight.

Herdlevær 18 January 2014 - A change and a rest

Fresh easterly wind, ground mostly frozen.

The change in the weather since last time I was about has had some predictable effects - forcing some harder to find species to certain areas. Highlight of today's walk was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, also seen were a couple of Woodcock rugde and a few Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin.

A roadside Song Thrush måltrost at Skogsøy was the first January record for Øygarden! I have strongly suspected overwintering of this species earlier but it is a rare mid-winter find.

Øygarden 10 November 2013 - Just Two-barred Crossbills today.....

Sunny with northerly winds.

Given the weather conditions it was no surprise that the twitchers making the trip out dipped on the thrush today. The area in which the bird had spent yesterday had pretty much emptied.

Song Thrush måltrost - something horribly wrong with its bill - quite possibly the explanation as to why this bird has not yet migrated.

Redwing rødvingetrost - numbers much reduced today

A few Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb over the garden and more over Tjeldstø (whilst changing over to winter tyres) were perhaps the best birds of the day. Strange when that actually comes as a disappointment....

Greylags grågås

A few Pinkfeet kortnebbgås with Greylags grågås

Elsewhere a flock og around 45 Greylags grågås and five Pinkfeet kortnebbgås at Breivik / Kollsnes were new in and a decent sighting.

Solberg was virtually dead - just the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn etc.

Herdlevær 10 December 2011

Calm and mild again.

 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt

Song Thrush måltrost

Soon spring......?!

 

Pleasant conditions but a short stroll produced only a handfull of late migrants - nine Redwing rødvingetrost, a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Song Thrush måltrost (rare December sighting!)

Several Purple sands fjæreplytt, Black Guillemot teist, Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke and of course several White-tailed Eagles havørn also seen.