Øygarden 24.02 - 01.03 Drive-bys

A fantastic week weather wise. It was the half term holidays so this, combined with work, predictably meant there was little time spent out and about. However, spring has sprung and there has been something of interest most days even if most birding was either drive-bys or from the terrace/office.

6.5kg Cod torsk, just part of a very decent haul.

Crocus are in flower (and have been for a couple of weeks)

On 24.02 I abandoned plans for a birding trip in favour of fishing with my youngest. This turned out pretty well with two Cod torsk to 6.5kg and 5kg along with a few Haddock hyse (largest 3kg) and various other bits and bobs. With White-tailed Eagle havørn overhead, Curlew storspove and other birds this was a very nice afternoon. A short walk at Breivik in the morning produced little other than a couple of Skylark sanglerke - a species seen various places during the week.

The first Wigeon brunnakke I have seen in Øygarden this year (though one turned up whilst I was away a week or so ago)

Potentially one of the rarest birds for Øygarden this year - one of the four Mute Swans knoppsvane

The Mute Swans knoppsvane remained on Husvatnet all week - the longest staying birds in Øygarden ever! Other stuff seen at Tjeldstø during the week included the first Lapwing vipe of the year (28.02), two Wigeon brunnakke (all week), Greylag grågås  numbers continued to increase and VJ3 was seen  again on 28.02. Peregrine vandrefalk and up to five White-tailed Eagles havørn also put in an appearance here.

Whoopers sangsvane at Herdelvær 27.02

A short walk at Herdlevær on 27.02 was relatively quiet but the first migrating Oystercatcher tjeld passed during a coffee break.

Another new for Øygarden this year was a Common Gull fiskemåke at Vik on 25.02.

Migrating Herring Gulls gråmåke (compare wing pattern with pictures below)

Coal Tit svartmeis. Occasionally I take pictures of the common stuff too....

On 01.03 I did a cheeky pre-work seawatch - obvious movement of auks heading north but rather distant for the most part. Three White-tailed Eagles havørn joined 11 Raven ravn to eat something they found / stole on the shore - shortly afterwards some rather vocal Otters swam past...At least as good was a flock of over 50 Eiders ærfugl, proving they are not quite extinct yet.

Others who have been out and about of late have seen the first Shelduck gravand of the year, Goshawk hønsehauk, Little Auk alkekonge and more.

Potentially the most interesting bird of the week was a / the "yellow-legged" gull seen last week. This time I managed to see it a bit better and take some more photos. Although there are some features that point to Yellow-legged Gull gulbeinmåke I am not yet convinced of the identity. The amount of variation in these species certainly doesn't help.

Here the wing formula of Herring Gull gråmåke can be seen for comparison. No black on P5.

The gull to the left seems to have longer tibia, is slightly darker than the Herring Gull gråmåke to the right and has a longer primary projection along with less white in the primaries....

More primary tips visible (5) past the tertials on the yellow legged  gull and more beyond the tail too - so longer winged that the Herring Gull.

A more cropped image. darker eye than Herring Gull with red orbital ring (though this is also a feature of some Herring Gulls with yellow legs). Quite a heavy beak with pronounced gonys.

Variation in head shape. A Hooded Crow started alarming and this bird became nervous - I did not dare to turn away to see the cause of the alarm in case I could clinch an open wing shot....

Underwing shot

Top of wing shot. No white moons on mid-primaries and black band on P5 visible. BUT all white tip to P10 is not necessarily positive....

From the house up to three White-tailed Eagle havørn daily. Starling stær setting up territory, migrating Skyarks sanglerke a few times, Woodpigeon ringdue,  Common Crossbills grankorsnebb and daily Otter sightings.

Herdlevær 28 December 2018 - Back west

I enjoyed a couple of hours doing a relaxed walk around Herdlevær in fantastic winter conditions. Mild, sun at times, no wind, no rain (and above all no white stuff or ice).

First winter Peregrine vandrefalk (the other bird seen was an adult)

Male Wigeon brunnakke

Although it was relatively quiet the birds that were about were well worth seeing with two Slavonian Grebes horndykker probably taking pole position. Two Peregrines vandrefalk, a White-tailed Eagle havørn and a male Wigeon brunnakke were the best of the rest here. Porpoises and Otter also put in an appearance here.

Elsehwere a nice Goshawk hønsehauk at Tjeldstø really put the local Hooded Crows kråke into something of a panic, some flocks of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb still around too.

A nice bonus bird was a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett at Hatten.

Skogsøy 21 January - First trip to Skogsøy

Sunny, fresh southerly breeze.

On this, the sixth day I have actually been in Øygarden this year, it had to be Skogsøy.

There was predictably little passing but as expected this is resulted in the first Gannet havsule of the year along with a small flock of Guillebills alke/lomvi and a light passage of gulls heading south. Excitement was provided by a Peregrine vandrefalk that made a couple of sorties out over the see to attack flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost fleeing the wintery conditions.

Small numbers of Eiders ærfugl on the sea were another local first of the year. Something has happened to the overwintering Eiders here as they seem to becoming ever less numerous....

A couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn put on a decent show and at least one flock of 20 Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb fed in the woods.

Fish-eating birds with punk rock hairstyles

Female Wigeon brunnakke - a scarce winter bird in Øygarden

The way home produced a Wigeon brunnakke and at least a couple of Tree Sparrows pilfink at Tjeldstø.

Øygarden 14 - 16 October 2016 - Still not trying

Light SE and sunny throughout.

Still trying to give up birding (well at least stop being frustrated about not getting out, which might not be quite the same thing).

Guillemot lomvi photographed from my terrace 16 October

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke still around in decent numbers

Some Raven ravn shots that would have been good if they were in focus and/or correctly exposed

Lots of Redpoll gråsisik moving through - not all are just flocks flying over....

Part of a Wigeon brunnakke flock at Tjeldstø

Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger at Herdlevær

Lots of thrushes, Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Common Redpoll gråsisik moving through. Brambling bjørkefink, Bullfinch dompap, Grey Wagtail vintererle (a really good year for this species!) and more also on the move. Most birds seen / heard from my terrace - not really getting outside anywhere else.

Wigeion brunnakke showing quite well with birds seen at a few localites. Four Common Scoter svartand turned up on Husvatnet - this species is not common on freshwater in Øygarden.

Other stuff included a Yellow.-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger and a Waxwing sidensvans during a very short stroll at Herdlevær on 14 October. 

Nautnes 12 October 2016 - Purely social

Calm and sunny.

I see I have some obstacles to overcome now that I have officially stopped birding. Almost the only people I know outside of work are birders. My Mum and my youngest daughter both like to go ringing and the dog still needs a walk. How can one not notice passing birds under such circumstances....? This was a purely social visit.

Collared Dove tyrkerdue at Herdlevær

So it was off to Herdlevær we went. I did not stop and watch the ringing but couldn't fail to notice a flock of four Collared Dove tyrkerdue that landed briefly on a telephone wire and not being entirely deaf it was hard to ignore both the Waxwing sidensvans and a flock of five Bullfinch dompap that headed north over out heads.

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke in evening shade. A splendid example of how auto ISO works....

Most of the largest flock of Wigeon brunnakke ever recorded in Øygarden

In the evening I had to get out with the dog again and had a flock of around 70 Wigeon brunnakke fly over. This would seem to be the biggest flock of Wigeon ever recorded in Øygarden. Not that I care anymore.

I also have a new camera to replace the one that gave up the ghost after a trip to Skogsøy last week - when I still went birding. I'm now unsure what to photograph so I tested some of the new features available (not very well either!)

Northern Øygarden 03 December 2014 . Wasted Wigeon

SW winds, rather murky at first, clearing nicely later.

Kicked off at Hellesøy with very little indeed. A Curlew storspove, a Little Auk alkekonge, a Snipe enkeltbekkassin and a few White-tailed Eagle havørn were all of even minor interest here.

The unusual timing and location of this bird meant that it had to be looked at closely. Initial impression was cold coloured head/neck contrasting with the warmer underparts

Oddly this bird flew up and landed on the road

Patterned axilliaries meant that this was just a normal Wigeon - despite the relatively broad white wing band and "masked" look.

Next stop was Sæle where a Wigeon brunnakke was an unusual find at an unusual time of year and therefore warranted a bit of extra attention. Despite not being completely straightforward we ended up on this bird being a female Wigeon and nothing more exciting than that. A couple of Woodpigeon ringdue were the best of the rest here.

Pale-headed, long winged and "masked" this bird looks to be just a Herring Gull gråmåke. (Harkestad)

At Tjeldstø Whooper sangsvane numbers had risen to five birds including the first young bird of the autumn. Some 13 Mallards stokkand were again feeding around the swans - taking advantage of whatever it was the swans were disturbing with their feet.

Skogsøy 03 October 2014 - Gale!

Southerly gale.

The wind was so strong it was difficult to walk at times. Finding a sheltered spot wasn't really an option either.

Above: various ages of Gannet havsule

Wheatear steinskvett

Wigeon brunnakke

I spent an hour seawatching but all that passed were Gannets havsule, a few Shag toppskarv and small numbers of gulls. Out at the lookout point a Wigeon brunnakke was on one of the small pools there - an unusual sighting to put it mildly. Other stuff included a few Wheatear steinskvett, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe.

Brambling bjørkefink in the garden - a through-the-kitched-window shot

A real Øygarden mega - Marsh Tit løvmeis. Another through window shot

Back home in the garden House Sparrow gråspurv doubled to a massive two and the Marsh Tit løvmeis returned for a second day.

Hjelme Vest 21 April 2014

Another day of constant sunshine and little wind - though a light northerly picked up in the afternoon.

A surprise new for Øygarden for me this year was a flock of eight Wigeon brunnakke on the sea at Hjelme Vest. A Great Northern Diver islom feeding offshore was the best of the rest which included about 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a decent passage of Red-throated Diver smålom.

Dunnock jernspurv in the garden

Back home three Twite bergirisk fed at the feeder, a Wheatear steinsvett turned up in the garden and there was some passage overhead which included Siskin grønnsisik and Swallow låvesvale

Øygarden 14 December 2012 - Water Rail

Southerly winds, still cold.

A couple of short walks with the dogs and the usual household errands produced some quality birds in a short space of time in the failing light of the afternoon.

 Above and below Water Rail vannriske - always great to see this species

 Above and below: Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb at Alvheim

Best bird was probably a Water Rail vannrikse at Alvheim where there were also around 15 Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb.

Wigeon brunnakke landing at Solberg

At Solberg three Wigeon brunnakke were a surprise find - must be being forced out to the coast in the freezing weather. A Woodcock rugde was seen briefly here too.

Tjeldstø produced more very fresh Woodcock rugde tracks, a Goshawk hønsehauk mobbing a White-tailed Eagle havørn. Blackbird svarttrost numbers in the garden continue to increase with seven now present - all but one of which appear to be adult males.