Tjeldstø and Breivik 30 January 2020 - Spring

Cool SE breeze and overcast, some light drizzle

Brambling bjørkefink and Chaffinch bokfink

Just part of a mixed flock of Bramblings and Chaffinch at Tjeldstø, with a single Fieldfare gråtrost sneaking into shot.

At Tjeldstø there was a good flock of 44 Fieldfare gråtrost feeding in the fields  - with them a lone Redwing rødvingetrost and a couple of Starling stær. Also here, and also feeding on the ground, were at least 40 Brambling bjørkefink and around 30 Chaffinch bokfink - good sized flocks for both species out here in winter. Such flocks feeding on the ground are more often associated with spring arrivals.

The first Lapwing vipe of the year

Breivik only heightened the sense of spring with the first Lapwing vipe of the year and a flock of eight Starling stær indicating an arrival from somewhere. A single Snipe enkeltbekkasin was more expected along with White-tailed Eagle havørn, Raven ravn etc.

Nautnes 16 October 2017 - Garden birds

Calmer than of late and sunny. But no time to bird.

A couple of the 30 or so Brambling bjørkefink currently in the garden. Filmed with a point and pray during a coffee break on the terrace.

A Willow Tit granmeis in the garden joined the usual stuff i.e. Brambling bjørkefink, Greenfinch grønnfink etc etc the only birds of note were a couple of Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb at Alvheim.

However, other people were out and about reporting among other things the Yellow-legged Gull gulbeinmåke, Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger and Red-backed Shrike tornskate. 

Øygarden 08-09 August 2017 - Skogsøy, Herdlevær and the usual.

Fantastic to be back out in the field! 

On 08 August several hours seawatching was a great experience if only for the company and the weather (we were drenched by a few short but heavy showers). Birdwise there was something going on most of the time with Oystercatcher tjeld and Common Gulls fiskemåke typically dominating.

There were plenty of other species including an adult Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove, a family of Shelduck gravand (two adults with seven young), a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom, small numbers of Common Scoter svartand and a selection of the usual waders.

At Tjeldstø an EXTREMELY early Brambling bjørkefink turned up with other finches and a Whinchat buskskvett put in an appearance.

One of the Greylag grågås flocks - not the typical V-shaped skein....

A selection of Twite bergirisk shots

The 9th August saw me doing the usual round at Herdlevær in fantastic calm and sunny conditions. A lot more Greylag grågås headed south with at least 145 passing (another flock of 60 flew over the house after I got home). A couple of flocks of Twite bergirisk gave cracking views as they fed on ripening seeds. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett also put in an appearance - a sign that this year may be another invasion year.

Otters were seen both days, Sparrowhawks spurvehauk, several White-tailed Eagles havørn and an Eagle Owl hubro were among the other species seen.

Øygarden 04 April - 09 April - The week that never was

Work, car repairs and family commitments meant that this week didn't really happen in a birding context. There was barely even time to look out of the window but when I did both White-tailed Eagle havørn and Otter were very regular.

Male Curlew storspove at Tjeldstø

On 04 April I spent a massive two minutes or so birding. A couple of Pied Wagtails svartryggerle and the first Wigeon brunnakke of the year were on Husvatnet.

The next day I was not out at all but had a fly over Dipper fossekall at Nautnes and the first Brambling bjørkefink of the year in the garden.

Goldfinch stillits in the garden

A Goldfinch stillits turned up in the garden on 07 April and stayed until at least 09 April.

Shag toppskarv

Dead Whale

Dead Whale with its proud owner

Glaucous Gull polarmåke

I managed a couple of hours out at Herdlevær on 09 April where the higlights were a fly over Glaucous Gull polarmåke and a long-dead whale of some description floating past. A decent selection of the usual early migrants were also seen.

Nautnes 11 April 2015 - Brambling

Good conditions early on but getting wetter and windier later on.

By the time all my driving and household errands were done the rain had set in. Best birds today were a pair of Brambling bjørkefink in the garden along with the usual selection of birds at the feeder.

Other stuff included a White/Pied Wagtail linerle and the first Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke I've seen from the house this year.

Øygarden 07 November 2014 - Going to the office produces Øygarden mega!

Stronger SE winds today with high cloud.

A trip to the office would normally mean that the day was a write-off. Not so today - returning home I stopped to check out two swans on Stegeviksvatnet, Toft. Initially I had driven past thinking these were just the first Whoopers sangsvane of the autumn but something made me turn around and go back....

A real mega for Øygarden - the second ever record of Mute Swan knoppsvane for the islands

This was a stroke of luck (or my gut feeling was good) as the two swans turned out to be Øygarden's second ever Mute Swans knoppsvane - a real mega! As I had gone to the office I didn't have my "proper" camera with me but I had my compact super-zoom in the car with which to document this exciting find. The swans must have moved on pretty quickly as they had already disappeared an hour or two later.

The only previous record of this species was from Hernar in conjuction with the Crag Martin twitch back in May 2011.

To anyone not living on some of the remoter islands this species is probably one of the least exciting imaginable. Not so in Øygarden!

Chiff-chaff gransanger at Sæle

A quick look at Sæle produced at least two each of Chiff-chaff gransanger and Blackcap munk along with a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, a couple of Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and Brambling bjørkefink.

Brambling bjørkefink at Nautnes

Whilst I was taking pictures of the swans with a point and pray camera my daughter was taking pictures of a Brambling bjørkefink from the terrace back home with a "proper" camera....

Herdlevær 10 October 2014 - Expect the unexpected....

Southerly winds with showers.

Conditions were excellent for finding something today - plenty of birds about and the feeling that something was going to turn up was ever- present.

I have to admit today I was thinking waders - hoping for a Grey Plover tundralo or even a Grey Phalarope polarsvømmesnipe. Today's best bird was indeed a wader - but certainly not one that had crossed my mind as even a remote possibility...

Dotterel boltit at Herdelvær

Highlight was a very late and completely unexpected Dotterel boltit - only the second time I have seen this species in Øygarden and the first time in autumn. It is only the sixth October record for Norway and the latest ever in Hordaland according to "the database". I'm well aware that not all records are in the database but this at least gives a pointer towards how unusual this sighting was. It was first picked up on call as a flock of Golden Plover heilo, a Dunlin myrsnipe and some Ringed Plover sandlo passed - and shortly afterwards found on the ground.

Some good flocks of Common Gull fiskemåke passed today

Dunlin myrsnipe

Colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke

Razorbill alke

Red-throated Diver smålom

Other decent sightings were a couple of Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, a late Oystercatcher tjeld and at least 600 Common Gull fiskemåke heading south. Also of interest were a colour ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke, a number of Red-throated Diver smålom, a flock of 14 Skylark sanglerke and good numbers of Song Thrush måltrost.

Tufted Duck toppand with two Wigeon brunnakke at Tjeldstø

At Tjeldstø the first Tufted Duck toppand of the autumn joined a couple of Wigeon brunnakke on Husvatnet.

Brambling bjørkefink at Nautnes

Back at Nautnes a Restart rødstjert was a late autumn record.

Tjeldstø 17 April 2013 - More arrivals

Southerly winds and overcast.

A stroll around the reserve produced a Carrion Crow svartkråke - quite possibly the same bird seen at Skogsøy a couple of days back. Good numbers of Fieldfare gråtrost were seen with at least 200 in the area.

 Above and below: Common Redpoll gråsisik

Four species of finch in this picture

Brambling bjørkefink with Siskins grønnsisik

Above and below: Male Siskin grønnsisik

Female Siskin grønnsisik

The garden was the best place though with the first Common Redpoll gråsisik of the year, about 20 Siskin grønnsisik, a Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a couple of Brambling bjørkefink on top of the usual garden visitors

Hjelme West 05 January 2013 - Year Listing

Calm and very mild but rather dull.

Common Scoter svartand at Hjelme West

Took a walk out to Hjelme West where I predictably I met the county's year listers out and about.

Hjelme West was on form today - the calm seas making it easier to pick stuff up on the sea. Highlight was without doubt a couple of Turnstone steinvender - a very unpredictable species in Øygarden during the winter months.

A Great Northern Diver islom, a Curlew storspove, 80 Long-tailed Duck havelle, several Black Guillemot teist, a Velvet Scoter sjøorre and most of the usual suspects meant this was quite a productive trip.

Male Brambling bjørkefink in the garden

Back in the garden a Brambling bjørkefink was predictably joined by two twitchers - who thus managed three year ticks just in my garden as the male Blackcap munk and a Tree Sparrow pilfink were still about.

A Red-throated Diver smålom was seen at Hellesøy - another new species for the year in Øygarden (and Hordaland for that matter).

Year Listers may be interested in watching this video:

Herdlevær 23 October 2012 - Hawfinch

Calm with scattered cloud cover.

Very pleasant conditions again and yet again plenty of birds about. Highlight today was a Hawfinch kjernebiter. Other decent sightings included a flock of 35 Waxwing sidensvans and a late Oystercatcher tjeld.

 Chiff-chaff gransanger

 Goldcrest fuglekonge - still plenty of migrant Goldcrests passing through

The dangers of migration - all that remained of a Redwing rødvingetrost after being taken by a raptor

Plenty of the usual migrants - hundreds of thrushes feeding in the fields and on the heath, a scattering of Brambling bjørkefink, a few Chiff-chaff gransanger and a couple of Skylark sanglerke.

 Male Brambling bjørkefink - ridiculously high ISO values often lead to a watering down of colours

 Same bird as above taken using flash - better colours but not quite as sharp

Female Brambling bjørkefink with grub

Nigel Goodgame removing birds from the net

 Some better shots of the Rosefinch rosenfink were obtained today - quite good considering the lack of light

 One of a few Tree Sparrows pilfink to get a ring today

A small flock of Waxwing sidensvans dropped into the neighbours garden.

Back home the Rosefinch rosenfink turned up late in the afternoon in poor light and a dozen more Waxwing sidensvans put in an appearance.