Øygarden 11-16 November 2025 - Back in Black

Conditions on 10th November seemed absolutely ideal but typically I was deskbound for the day.

On 11th I rushed out in an hour between meetings to pick up a lovely Black Redstart svartrødstjert at Sæle. A silent tristis Chiff-chaff showed well too - presumably one of the birds I found last week still hanging around. Otherwise just a couple of Blackcap munk.

Black Redstart svrtrødstjert at Sæle.

In the rapidly failing light in the afternoon I picked up a rather late Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås fed at Husvatnet.

Late Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås at Husvatnet

There was no birding on 12th other than a couple of drive-bys in conjunction with errands. A first year Red-throated Diver smålom at Herdlevær posed quite nicely. Decent numbers of thrushes and Starling stær still around - including 100s at Kollsnes.

Red-throated Diver smålom at Herdlevær

On 13th November I took my lunch break at Hellesøy where flocks of auks were heading north. On the way home I popped by Sæle where there was still a tristis Chiff-chaff sibirgransanger was still present along with a male Blackcap munk.

Male Blackcap munk

tristis Chiff-chaff sibirgransanger

On 14th I spent a couple of hours outside. A walk at Tjeldstø produced a few noteworthy sightings with the best being a couple of female Scaup bergand. A Tufted Duck toppand with them initially got the pulse racing as it seemed to have an interesting head profile - on closer inspection it turned out to be just a tufty....

Two Scaup bergand, a Tufted Duck toppand and two Mallard stokkand at Tjeldstø

Aythya ducks are not always easy - here a nice side-by-side comparison of Scaup bergand and Tufted Duck

Female Scaup bergand

Tufted Duck toppand not showing the square headed look and with no hint of it's crest.

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First year White-tailed Eagle havørn

Other stuff included a well fed White-tailed Eagle havørn, a couple of Teal krikkand and a nice flock of Redwing rødvingetrost.

Back home the regular Sparrowhawk spurvehauk was having a go at the birds visiting the feeder.

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk photographed through my terrace

The weekend started well with a couple of Otter oter eating a Lumpsucker rognkjeks on the shore in front of my house. 

A walk at Herdlevær gave a distant 1cy White-billed Diver gulnebblom as the best bird. A Great Northern Diver islom headed south and a late Meadow Pipit heipiplerke was present - possibly delayed by the fact it had only one foot.

One-footed Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

Redwing rødvingetrost at Tjeldstø.

A flock of 11 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås fed at Tjeldstø but flew off to the south shortly after I found them.

In fading light a fishing trip gave Common Scoter svartand, a Little Auk alkekonge and Crested Tit toppmeis along with three species of fish.

Skogsøy was the choice on 16th Novmber. Strong winds and protracted hail showers hampered birding somewhat but a few Little Auk alkekonge, several Great Northern Diver islom and small numbers of Kittiwake krykkje meant it was not a waste of time. A nice Goshawk hønsehauk being mobbed by Ravens ravn turned up on my way back to the car. 

A Snipe enkeltbekkasin and 10 Starling stær were at Sture on the way home.

Øygarden 21.11-26.11.2024 - Cold snap shows what is around

 I returned home on the evening of 21.11 and was greeted by some nice Northern Lights.

Northern Lights from my terrace

The next day work prevented me getting out of the house but this didn't stop me seeing some birds. Highlight was a nice Great Northern Diver islom feeding busily just off the terrace. Also a late Oystercatcher tjeld, three White-tailed Eagles havørn and small flocks of various finches flying over.

Oystercatcher tjeld photographed from my terrace

It was still cold and calm on 23.11, I covered Hjelme Vest hoping to find some stuff on the sea, it was rather quiet but a couple of Little Auks alkekonge showed up, small numbers of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a few Oystercatcher tjeld looking at an overwintering attempt, small numbers of the usual seaduck, at least five White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and a Rock pipit skjærpiplerke were among the species seen. Woodcock rugde were evident only by their tracks.

I followed this up with some drive-bys picking up both Water Rail vannriske and Snipe enkeltbekkasin at likely looking spots.

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin

Water Rail vannrikse giving the usual kind of views.....

The next couple of days it was back to work and the weather turned milder. A Velvet Scoter sjøorre flew past the house and a couple of Teal krikkand turned up with Mallards stokkand on Husvatnet.

Common Scoter svartand at Heggøy

Eider ærfugl on Skjoldepollen - an unusual species at this locality

Red-throated Diver smålom at Skjoldepollen

Two Teal krikkand with Mallards stokkand on Husvatnet

On 26.11 it was time to leave again. Good weather and the thaw well and truly completed - the birds wasted no time turning up at their favoured spots. Sightings on the way to the airport included the female Scaup bergand on Husvatnet and another Scaup bergand on Blomvatnet. Whoopers sangsvane were back on two fresh water localities too.

Scaup bergand on Blomvatnet

Tufted Duck toppand on Blomvatnet

Whoopers sangsvane at Kollsnes

White-tailed Eagle havørn at Kollsnes. Seemed to be feeding on a dead sheep but not 100% certain.

Kårstø and Oslo - 12.11-21.11.2024 - Work calls

A few days on an inshore job near Kårstø 12-14 November were great fun. Cool equipment and good data:) And some birds thrown in.

Horned Grebes horndykker, a good selection of seaduck, a couple of diver species and some White-tailed Eagles havørn meant the days at work flew by.

Adult Great Northern Diver islom

Black Guillemot teist

Long-tailed Duck havelle

Velvet Scoter sjøorre

After that it was off to Oslo for some meetings and consequently nothing much to see. I managed a couple of hours on Gressholmen on 17 November where large numbers of Goldeneye kvinand were joined by a couple of Scaup bergand. Not much in the way of passerines but still plenty of berries around in the east - along with some Fieldfare gråtrost and a lone Redwing rødvingetrost feeding on them. An omissus type Herring Gull gråmåke on Nakkholmen made me look twice:)

Two Scaup bergand joined well over 100 Goldeneye kvinand

Almost orange legs on this omissus type Herring Gull gråmåke. No open wing shots and this photo is rather overexposed.

Engerdal 18.10-24.10.2024 - Getting ahead of the invasions

Several days spent bucking the trend by heading east instead of staying put lost me a few good birds on the home front but at the same time put me in touch with a number of species that are impossible to see in Øygarden. I saw around 50 species there, several of which had not been reported thus far this year in Engerdal. I managed to get out for a few mornings in this magical area where I always have the feeling something can turn up:)

Partly due to low cloud and poor visibility it was hard going for some of the time but obviously still plenty of birds about and the first hints of some interesting stuff on the move - for example small numbers of Waxwings sidensvans starting to show and a single Pine Grosbeak konglebit seen and heard at Isterfossen.

On 18th October I started with my usual Engerdal round - checking a few of the lakes and surrounding areas to get a feel for what was about. Best bird was a female Scaup bergand at Vurrusjøen where there was also a decent flock of Goosander laksand. Otherwise it was just the usual species including several Whooper Swan sangsvane, a couple of Black-throated Diver storlom, Dippers fossekall and so on.

Scaup bergand at the Drevsjø end of Vurrusjøen

The following morning I headed a bit higher up to Hyllsjøen but low cloud and poor visibility up here meant things were a bit hard going. Nothing special at all, just small numbers of thrushes and a few Waxwings sidensvans. Back down in the valley a flock of six Waxwing sidensvans at Heggeriset and some good flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost, Fieldfare gråstrost and Starling stær in downtown Engerdal.

Part of a flock of at least 32 Starling stær in downtown Engerdal - probably the biggest flock I've seen of this species in the area

Waxwings sidensvans at Heggeriset

Sunday 20.10 was spent mostly at the house but a flock of 57 Pinkfeet kortnebbgåas heading south was a good sighting and later in the afternoon I connected with a late Robin rødstrupe and a Wren gjerdesmett along with a nice flock of charming Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis.

Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis at Heggeriset

No birding the next day but on Tuesday 22.10, another cloudy day, I kept in the lowlands again. The Scaup bergand remained at Drevsjø where I also heard Waxwing sidensvans and had a distant flock of around 150 geese heading south - presumably Pinkfeet kortnebbgås. I also managed to pick up Treecreeper trekryper and Crested Tit toppmeis in the Drevsjø area - neither of which I see every time I am in the area.

I then tried some promising areas on the edge of the Kvisleflået nature reserve where I was rewarded with good views of a female Capercaille storfugl from the car. A walk in the woods produced almost no birds at all but, just as I returned to the car feeling a bit disappointed a couple of Siberian Jays lavskrike turned up and put on a real show - saving the day by a long way:)

Typical view of Capercaille storfugl

Siberian Jay lavskrike - just love this species, what a character and the places in which it resides are just wonderful.

The morning of my last full day was spent doing pretty much the same as I did on my first day - a "goodbye" round. This was quite a productive trip with singing (!) Black Grouse orrfugl at Volbrenna, a roadside Willow Grouse lirype near Galten, more Waxwings sidensvans, a flyover Pine Grosbeak konglebit at Isterfossen where I also had a Mistle Thrush duetrost, a small flock of Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb (the only positively identified crossbills this time around), a couple of Goldfinch stillits at Drevsjø where I also had a flock of 28 Goosander laksand.

Dipper fossekall at Galten

Goldfinch stillits at Drevsjø

Goosander laksand at Galten

Roadside Willow Grouse lirype moulting into winter plumage

On the way home downtown Engerdal produced a late Blackcap munk and good numbers of thrushes and finches.

Fieldfare gråtrost

Redwings rødvingetrost

The last morning was spent in and around Heggeriset, a distant aythya duck proved too far off to identify conclusively but was either Tufted Duck toppand or Scaup bergand. Plenty of Brambling bjørkefink still around, along with Whooper sangsvane, Goldeneye kvinand, Mallard stokkand and a Wigeon brunnakke on the lake.

Blackbird svarttrost

Brambling bjørkefink