Typically the weather turned just as I had some limited possibilities to get out and about.
On 16th September I did my Herdlevær walk in between work tasks - and got absolutely drenched. Normally my boots keep me warm and dry but this time I even ended up with wet feet from rain running down my legs on the inside of the boots! However, all was not lost - the drive to Herdlevær produced Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove, Curlew Sandpiper tundrasnipe and Ruff brushane among other things:)
Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove (with Ruff brushane and Meadow Pipit heipiplerke)
Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove / Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix)
Curlew Sandpiper tundrasnipe with Ruff brushane
Curlew Sand was a new species for this locality!
Curlew Sandpiper tundrasnipe
Ruff brushane
Herdlevær gave Peregrine vandrefalk, small numbers of waders, Wheatear steinskvett, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and so on.
The next day I did an all-dayer on Hernar. Conditions were about as bad as they can be with strong northerly winds and some heavy showers early on. However, this was my only chance to get out and I crossed my fingers that some of what had turned up during the last week or so might still be around. I struggled to get over 40 species but there were some migrants about with several Chiff-chaff gransanger, some Goldcrests fuglekonge, Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesanpper, Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper, Lapland Bunting lappspurv, a Tree Pipit trepiplerke and more. Given the conditions I was not disappointed and just glad to be out.
It looks like Hernar is going to become harder to get to - unsurprisingly there are now plans to cut down on the boat service. We need a massive increase in birding activity to keep the boat running. There should be increased services in the autumn at least!
Things did not look good at all for a day of looking for migrant passerines.....
...things did improve though - but the strong northerly wind only eased off just before I left
Kestrel tårnfalk
Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper
Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper
Robin rødstrupe
Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper.
On Friday 19th September I did a quick round at Herdlevær again - this time spending a massive 15 minutes with my scope whilst I ate my sandwiches - resulting in a flock of pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås heading south along with Red-throated Divers smålom and a Guillemot lomvi. Otherwise rather quiet but small numbers of various waders were present and a couple of Otters turned up.
The next day I finally also made it out to Skogsøy with a strong south westerly blowing. Just the usual here with no surprises with over 30 Red-throated Diver smålom, a few Kittiwakes krykkje, a single Black-headed Gull hettemåke and small numbers of various other gull species passing. Five Arctic Tern rødnebbterne were potentially the last of the autumn.
I checked Tjeldstø on the way home and just as I left a flock of geese came over, these were obviously interesting but I didn't confirm ID immediately. I raced after them as it looked like they would land at Ådnevika - they didn't but I managed better views and confirmed that they were indeed Bean Geese. Speeding onwards I headed to Breivik where I found them restless in the fields. I managed to get views in the scope and some photos - these were Taiga Bean Geese taigasædgås - potentially the biggest flock ever in Øygarden! Needless to say these proved a popular target for the Bergen based twitchers.
1cy Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Skogsøy
Taiga Bean Geese taigåsæedgås flying over Tjeldstø
Taiga Bean Geese taigåsæedgås in the fields at Breivik
Taiga Bean Geese taigåsæedgås almost landing at Ådnevika
An afternoon trip out to Gressholm in Oslofjord was relatively exciting as there were good numbers of Redpoll gråsisik feeding on the ground - plenty of pale rumps to see and one bird especially looked very promising for Arctic Redpoll being pale, very lightly streaked and seemed to have a white rump. This prompted me to get the camera out of my bag but I never saw the bird again.
Common Redpoll gråsisik
Rump pale but very streaked on this one
Some of the Waxwing sidensvans present
At least 20 Waxwing sidensvans were also present on the island - feeding on rosehips and another more distant flock was seen on one of the neighbouring islands in the scope.
Otherwise several Shelduck gravand, a few Oystercatcher tjeld and the usual Velvet Scoter sjøorre etc.
I returned the following day and had a migrating Skylark sanglerke and a couple of Woodpigeon ringdue as newly returned migrants.
On 06 March I covered the now almost completely destroyed Fornebu. Amazingly a few singing Skylark sanglerke and a couple of Snow Bunting snøspurv amid the very worst of the destruction. Other species included Water Rail vannrikse, Hawfinch kjernebiter and a couple of Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.
Male Three-toed Woodpecker tretåspett
A long walk inland in decidedly more wintry conditions on 07 March produced a feeding Three-toed Woodpecker tretåspett as the undisputed highlight. What a mega this would be back home in the west! Fresh Hazel Grouse jerpe droppings were a sign that more eastern specialities were in the area.
Common Buzzard musvåk
Part of the Taiga Bean Goose sædgås flock
A day out with Oslo Birder on 09 March was quite productive with highlights being 124 Taiga Bean Geese sædgås, a singing Great Grey Shrike varsler, two Cranes trane, a few Stock Dove skogdue, a couple of Goshawk hønsehauk and several Common Buzzard musvåk. Skylarks sanglerke and Yellowhammer gulspurv were singing everywhere.
I covered some of the usual localities to see what was going on. It was all very typical early December with Fieldfares gråtrost (flocks of up to 50) and small numbers of Redwing rødvingetrost still around.
Common Scoter svartand
Wader wise it was almost situation normal with a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a couple of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt at Herdlevær and Curlew storspove from the house as I changed to winter tyres. A small wader at Herdlevær on 02 December was a lot more interesting - looking rather common sandpiper like but I didn't get good enough views to clinch any kind of ID. Whatever it was it would have been a good record given the time of year.
First year Great Northern Diver islom
A Great Northern Diver islom on the sea at Herdlevær showed well (at least in the scope) on both days.
Taiga Bean Goose sædgås
Highlight was a Bean Goose sædgås at Breivik on 01 December. Probably a "taiga" (fabalis) given the length of the beak and the general size of the bird
FINALLY out of the house for a massive hour in the field. This short trip out makes me wonder what I've missed during the recent time spent at home and working.
Looking good for Taiga bean (fabalis) sædgås
A Bean Goose sædgås looking good for Taiga bean (fabalis) sædgås was at Breivik.
One of several pairs of Greylag grågås at Tjeldstø
Starling stær flock
At Tjeldstø there were Lapwings vipe displaying, a flock of Starling stær and many of the ever increasing numbers of Greylag grågås were already paired up and good to go. Four Woodpigeon ringdue here too - new migrants.
Whooper Swan sangsvane
A 15 minute walk in the sunset yesterday evening produced, among other things, a Whooper Swan sangsvane and a flock of eight Lapwing vipe at Tjeldstø.
A good morning out. A short seawatch produced plenty of birds heading south - in 1.5 hours the following passed (all south):
Little Auk alkekonge 84
Common Scoter svartand 98
Velvet Scoter sjøorre 2
Red-throated Diver smålom 7
Goldeneye kvinand 2
Kittiwake krykkje 13
Common Gull fiskemåke 30
Herring Gull gråmåke 100
Razorbill alke 2
Common Scoter svartand
Little Auk alkekonge
Velvet Scoter sjøorre
On the way home the roadside fields held what may be the most interesting flocks of geese ever seen in Øygarden: Albifrons White-fronts tundragås 8 (2 ad, 6 first years)
Fabalis (TAIGA) Bean Goose sædgås 4
Pinkfoot kortnebbgås 13+
Greylag grågås 23
Bean Goose sædgås in the foreground together with Pinkfeet kortnebbgås, two more behind.
Four fabalis Bean Geese sædgås in the above picture, two Pinkfeet kortnebbgås (left hand birds), a 1K Whitefront tundragås bottom right and a Greylag grågås in the background.
Fabalis Bean Goose sædgås
Albifrons Whitefronts tundragås with a Taiga Bean Goose sædgås in the background
Slightly less wind with very little rain but foggy. WAY better conditions than yesterday.
Altogether more successful today. A fabalis (Taiga) Bean Goose sædgås together with 13 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås were virtually the first birds of the day. At least 25 Greylags grågås joined them and in the next field seven albifrons White-fronts tundragås were a welcome bonus. Seems like my suspicions from yesterday were correct on both counts.
First view of Taiga Bean Goose sædgås with Pinkfeet kortnebbgås in the fog
Above and below Bean Goose sædgås with Pinkfeet kortnebbgås
A late Woodpigeon ringdue shared the same fields along with Starling stær, Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Fieldfares gråtrost.
Other stuff included a Goshawk hønsehauk at Herdlevær and a Pochard taffeland and a late Meadow Pipit heipiplerke at Tjeldstø.
Small numbers of Whooper Swans sangsvane seen at both Kollsnes and Tjeldstø.
