Tjeldstø and Herdlevær 03-04 May - Back to reality

 Light winds, dry and sunny.

After the unprecedented social and birding activity over the weekend it was back to reality. Being early May all I wanted to do was hang out at Skogsøy but this was not possible.

However, some good birds to be seen. On 03 May breakfast at Tjeldstø produced a nice Tundra Beam Goose tundrasædgås. It has been a while since I saw this species in Øygarden and was not on the radar at all in early May - this species is normally a winter visitor here. It was seen alongside the long-staying Pinkfoot kortnebbgås which gave good comparison views albeit at long range.

I moved to my usual breakfast stop location and the goose came right past giving better photo opportunites.

Goldfinches stillits turned also up at Tjeldstø and a few migrating Golden Plover heilo joined the five of the usual breeding species of wader there.

Teal krikkand at Tjeldstø

Intial view of the Tundra Bean Goose tundrasædgås

It then joined the long-staying Pinkfoot kortnebbgås

And later on did a nice fly-by causing coffee and sandwiches to be thrown to one side....

Once home it was back to the computer but a few short random scans from the terrace gave a total of 950 Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås heading north and a couple of flocks of Red-throated Diver smålom totalling 17. It looked like it would have been another good day at Skogsøy....

On 04 May I took breakfast at Herdlevær before work. Here a half hour seawatch gave an adult White-billed Diver gulnebblom and 45 Red-throated Diver smålom. Another good Skogsøy day I will never have again....

One of a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn at Herdlevær

House Sparrow gråspurv also at Herdlevær. Not exactly a species I take many photographs of despite their obvious charm.

Skylark sanglerke at Breivik

On the way home a Wryneck vendehals sang enthusiastically but I couldn't really stop to enjoy the experience very long. 

Harkestad & Nautnes 12 January 2016

Amazing weather again with no wind and temperatures around zero. Although the flu seems to be loosening its grip on me my youngest is now down with it and work isn't giving any breaks either.

Rossicus Bean Goose sædgås

The birds were sat on their feet  grazing around themselves - presumably to preserve heat

Albifrons Whitefront tundragås

Somewhat predictably therefore this was yet another day without being out in any meaningful way. However, the daily trip to the shops produced the goose flock back at Harkestad - having not been seen there yesterday either by me or others attempting to twitch them. The four albifrons Whitefronts tundragås and the rossicus Bean Goose sædgås were sat on their feet grazing around themselves. I snapped a few quick pictures and moved on without disturbing them.

A small flock of Starling stær were present there too.

The only other new for the year was from the house - in the form of a Razorbill alke heading south. Other sightings from the kitchen window included a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn robbing an Otter oter, a couple of Porpoises nise and a couple of Long-tailed Duck havelle.

Harkestad-Alvheim 10 January 2016 - Flu (almost) stops play day 2

Slightly warmer with some snow today.

Spent the majority of the day on the sofa in a vegetative state apart from a brief drive to the petrol station to buy some Coca Cola - a drink I normally despise but with both me and my youngest suffering from dehydration it was the necessary medicine.

Tundra Bean Goose sædgås

Albifrons Whitefronts tundragås

Not always easy to see - here hiding in long grass

Of course a drive to the shop is not often just a drive to the shop. On the way there I stopped at Harkestad where I was rewarded with four albifrons White-fronted Geese tundragås and a Tundra (rossicus) Bean Goose sædgås - always good birds to see and especially welcome today. It was so dark that I used ISO values I didn't know I had - something approaching about 100000 I think.

Dipper fossekall - not normally an easy species in Øygarden

The way home was just about as good with Water Rail vannrikse and Dipper fossekall at Alvheim.

Herdlevær 22 January 2014 - Winter birding warms up!

Fairly calm and verging on sunny at times.

The birds are obviously never far away - with the improved conditions there was plenty to see today.

Tundra Bean Geese sædgås at Breivik - short, small bills with restricted orange markings

The day was kick started with a flock of six Tundra Bean Goose (rossicus) sædgås at Breivik - though it seemed like they moved on as they were not present on my way home. These birds were probably the same as reported by a neighbour as flying over Tjeldstø yesterday afternoon. This find ties in nicely with sightings from elsewhere in Norway and the Shetlands.

Arctic Redpoll polarsisik. Very pale undersides with little streaking, no streaking on the undertail coverts

Unstreaked white rump reaching well up the back

Herdlevær was quite productive with the highlight being an apparent Arctic Redpoll polarsisik.

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt with a relatively long bill

"Coughing"....

...and out it comes! Not often one can capture waders regurgitating pellets 

A shorter-billed Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt - very photogenic

Black Guillemot teist

Same bird with prey

...and with the red feet adding a splash of colour.

Common Crossbill grankorsnebb

One of three White-tailed Eagles havørn present

Plenty of other species here too including a flock of around 120 Mealy Redpoll gråsisik heading north. A (the?) Song Thrush måltrost put in an appearance and there was a decent showing of the usual suspects including Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, Black Guillemot teist and Snipe enkeltbekkasin.

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin

Another Snipe enkeltbekkasin was at Skjold.

Øygarden 31 December 2011 - Bird Race Day 2

Fresh and chilly SE wind, snow showers later

Another day marred by species missed - once again many of the regular species failed to show which put a downer on the first part of the day. However, had it not been for the fact this was meant to be a bird race this would have been a superb day's birding.

At Hjelme Vest a couple of Curlew storspove, a few small flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a Common Gull fiskemåke were the only new species. Small numbers of Little Auk alkekonge and the usual seaduck also present.

At Hjelme a couple of Woodcock rugde were just about the only birds to be seen.

A good alternative to turkey dinner at New Year - a freshly dead Whooper Swan sangsvane

Passing Nautnes I found a feshly dead Whooper Swan sangsvane - probably killed by collision with overhead lines. Briefly considered as an alternative to the New Year Turkey I took the bird home with me.

Female Scaup bergand at Alvheim

Next stop was Alvheim where the only bird of note was a female Scaup bergand.

Three of the European Whitefronts tundragås at Tjeldstø

Final locality was Tjeldstø which again saved the day with nine Tundra Bean Geese sædgås, a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås, a Razorbill alke and a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin. I thought that was that for the day but after a tip off I headed out again to Ådnevika to see a flock of six European Whitefronts (albifrons) tundragås. All the previous Whitefronts this year in Øygarden have been of the European form albifrons.

Øygarden 28 December 2011

Strong southerly gale and rain. Challenging conditions to put it mildly.

With very little light and a lot of water scanning the sea at Dåvøy and Solberg produced little - although the duck flocks were relatively close in at the latter locality. At Solberg a diver on the sea managed to evade identification.

Once again Tjeldstø saved the day with the flock of nine rossicus Bean Goose sædgås and two Pinkfeet kortnebbgås back in the fields. Hope they stay for the upcoming New Year Bird Race....

Hjelme Vest 18 December 2011 - White-billed Diver

Calm and relatively mild, some light rain.

 Above and below: Heavily cropped shots of White-billed Diver gulnebblom at Hjelme Vest.

Hjelme Vest was easier to check out than of late due to calm sea conditions. Best sighting was an adult White-billed Diver gulnebblom on the sea. Seems like this species is becoming a commoner winter visitor in recent years.

Other birds here included a Great Northern Diver islom, a Curlew storspove (overwintering birds finally arrived!), a few Black Guillemots teist, a couple of Little Auk alkekonge, a Razorbill alke, several White-tailed Eagle havørn and increased numbers of seaduck inlcuding a few Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

 Above and below: Tundra Bean Geese sædgås at Tjeldstø

The nine Tundra Bean Geese sædgås remain at Tjeldstø together with a couple of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås.

A Little Auk alkekonge seen later in the day whilst not birding

Øygarden 17 December 2011 - Moorehen

Relatively calm and mild. Light rain in the afternoon.

Whooper Swans sangsvane at Tjeldstø

An unforgivable camera battery mix-up meant that the eight rossicus Bean Geese sædgås, the Great Whitefront tundragås and a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås went unphotographed at close range and in good light. It was good to see a small flock of Whoopers sangsvane in the reserve. Other birds inlcuded 10+ Starling stær and Common Crossbills grankorsnebb.

Record shot of the Moorehen sivhøne

A tip-off about a Moorehen sivhøne at Blomvatnet meant a slight diversion to pick up this hard to get Øygarden species - the last time I saw Moorehen in Øygarden was in November 2005.

A stroll at Herdlevær produced nothing out of the ordinary - the highlight being a party of three Snipe enkeltbekkasin.

Tjeldstø 16 December 2011 - Tundra Bean Geese

Another day of good weather - and another spent not birding.

In rapidly failing light a short stroll at Tjeldstø really produced the goods in the form of nine Tundra Bean Geese (rossicus) sædgås. With them were an adult albifrons Whitefront tundragås and a couple of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås.

Other sightings of interest included a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost and a flock of 10 Starling stær.