Eastern Norway 21-23 July - Run to the hills

One of many young Bluethroat blåstrupe at Fokstumyra

A few days of guiding in eastern Norway gave some birding. We started the ball rolling at the well-known Fokstumyra nature reserve. There were virtually no waders or wildfowl but a number of good birds put in an appearance including Hen Harrier myrhauk and Crane trane. There were good numbers of young Bluethroat blåstrupe about with some of these attended by adults. Best bird here, however, was a completely unexpected species in the form of a singing Quail vaktel.

Female Red-backed Shrike tornskate

The next day we headed on to Valdresflye. The journey there gave cracking views of Siberian Jay lavskrike, a pair of Red-backed Shrikes tornskate at a much higher altitude than I ever expected to see them at, Rough-legged Buzzards fjellvåk, Ring Ousels ringtrost and plenty more besides. Perhaps the best sighting was an adult Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove at Ovre Sjodalsvatnet.

Dotterel boltit

Shorelark fjellerke

Young Snow Bunting snøspurv

Stunning scenery....

Valdresflye itself was a bit on the quiet side but good numbers of Dotterel boltit inculding plenty of young birds were very nice to see having heard little other than doom and gloom about the breeding season up north this year. Other species here included Shorelark fjellerke, Snow Buntings snøspurv and more Rough-legged Buzzard fjellvåk.

Østensjøvatnet, Oslo

We finished the trip with a visit to Østensjøvatnet in Oslo where we picked up Green Sandpiper skogsnipe, had point blank views of Reed Warblers rørsanger and added plenty of new species to the trip list.

Herdlevær 10 May 2016 - Dotterel

Calm and sunny again.

Time to get back to work so I just took a quick check at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø and the short round at Herdlevær. I was not disappointed.

Heavily cropped picture of the male Gadwall snadderand (right hand bird)

At Tjeldstø I finally connected with the male Gadwall snadderand that has been hanging around for a few days. Also here the first Tree Pipit trepiplerke of the year flew out of the trees.

Probably a male Dotterel boltit

Female Dotterel boltit

Female Greenland Wheatear steinskvett

Twite bergirisk

Herdlevær was quite good with the undisputed highlight a nice pair of Dotterel boltit - first in the county this year. The female Black Redstart svartrødstjert was still knocking about and the ringers caught a couple of Greenland Wheatear steinskvett - amazing to think that these birds will fly all the way to Greenland. Also Whimbrel småspove, Twite bergirisk and the usual suspects.

Gullfjell and Herdla 12 July 2015 - Summer Guiding Bergen

Spent the day guiding and for once not in Øygarden but instead on a couple of my old stomping grounds nearer Bergen.

Good weather all day - sunny and warm on Gullfjell in the morning and light rain for Herdla in the afternoon.

Male Dotterel boltit on Gullfjell

Gullfjell produced the goods with the highlight being a nice male Dotterel boltit. In a Gullfjell context the best bird for me was a White-tailed Eagle havørn - the first I have seen there. Other stuff included two Rock Ptarmigan fjellrype, a couple of Ring Ousel ringtrost, good numbers of Golden Plover heilo and plenty of Wheatear steinskvett. Looks like the birds are having a good year on Gullfjell with plenty of newly fledged young about.

Herdla produced a selection of waders on autumn migration - including a cracking adult summer Curlew Sandpiper tundrasnipe - the first for the county this year.

Nautnes / Herdlevær 12 October 2014 - Vis Mig / Doing the right thing....

Southerly breeze, some showers

Grey Wagtail vintererle from the terrace

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk flying over the house

Spent the morning at home on the terrace and found that things have suddenly started moving. Flocks of thrushes and finches came over constantly during the first few hours. Most were not specifically identified but there were good numbers of Redwing rødvingetrost, Bramling bjørkefink and Starling stær. Among the other species seen heading south were smaller numbers of Siskin grønnsisik, many Chaffinch bokfink a Dunnock jernspurv, a late Arctic Tern rødnebbterne,and a Merlin dvergfalk.. A Grey Wagtail vintererle dropped in and at least one Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb showed up in the treetops.

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke - small numbers still heading south

Dotterel boltit

White-billed Diver gulnebblom - white/pale primary shafts visible in this image.

Male Wheatear steinskvett - still striking even in the autumn

A trip to Herdlevær later in the day was also pretty successful with brief views of what was presumably the same Dotterel boltit first seen a couple of days ago, at least one Lapland Bunting lappspurv, a couple of White-billed Diver gulnebblom, a Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger, a few Wheatear steinskvett and good numbers of Golden Plover heilo.

Golden Plover heilo with missing wing. It was carefully carried home and fed before I finally came to my senses and put it out of its misery.

It was one of the Golden Plover heilo that caused something of a dilemma. The bird was seen at close range but it was not immediately obvious that it was missing a wing. The missing appendage was soon located on the ground not far from the stricken plover. With my youngest accompanying me I bowed to the pressure of not just putting the bird out of its misery and we dutifully took the bird home and fed it some worms before I came to my senses and shot it  in the head,

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 24 May 2011 - Dotterel!

Fresh South-westerly and occasional showers after gales during the night.

After a bad start to the day (trampoline blown 150m out of the garden and completely destroyed!) things improved greatly. The same winds that caused so much bother had also deposited two Dotterel boltit in the reserve - a new Øygarden species for me. This long awaited species has only been recorded a few times at most in Øygarden. Normally I see this species on Gullfjell or the Hardangervidda - great to finally see it so close to home. A flock of four waders flying over the house earlier in the day also struck me as being this species.

Other migrants were a couple of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås grounded by the storm and a Black-headed Gull hettemåke.

 Above and below - the first Dotterel boltit for Tjeldstø

 Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås

 Golden Plover heilo

Lapwing vipe chick obeying the frantic cries of its parents and sitting very still in the grass

Singing Lesser Whitethoat møller, at least one Carrion Crow svartkråke and Lapwing vipe chicks were among the usual suspects.

Gullfjell 17 May 2009

Dotterel boltit

Dotterel boltitGolden Plover heilo

I was out of Øygarden for Norway's constitution day and had a quick early morning check on my old patch of Gullfjell before all the festivities started. Undoubted highlight here was a flock of three Dotterel boltit at their regular mid-May stop-off.

Other birds here included Rough-legged Buzzard fjellvåk and Ring Ousel ringtrost.