Herdlevær 27 September 2013 - Finally!!!!

Calm and sunny.

As soon as I got out of the car it was obvious that there was a lot going on. A fair bit of passage overhead and quite a bit of activity in the trees and bushes. Almost the first bird I got onto was a Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger. A few Willow Warbler løvsanger, Goldcrest fuglekonge and a Garden Warbler hagesanger were in the same garden.

Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger

The evenly coloured wing, short primary projection, no contrast on the tertials, length of P2, the supercillium and not least the sylvia like call all confirm this birds identity

A short distance down the road I got onto the bird of the day - a Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger - the second for Øygarden and in virtually the same place as the previous one. Today's bird was rather easier to see and photograph and with a bit of patience gave itself up nicely.

Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger

At least 750 Mealy Redpoll gråsisik flew over with some flocks stopping briefly. Plenty of Common Crossbill granskornebb passing over and Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb were heard occasionally. A Bullfinch dompap was another good species locally and was the first of the year in Øygarden.

Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett

LOADS of Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett again, a few Skylark sanglerke and plenty more besides.

A Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett drumming on a streetlight at Breivik, normally enough to make a day, was relegated to "also ran" today.

Definitely good to be back......

Herdlevær 20 August 2010 - Mayhem!

Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger - this picture shows the supercillium going behind the eye.
The above shot shows the short primary projection
Above picture illustrates the plain tertials

Record shot of an extremely skulking Barred Warbler hauksanger - this was as good as views got even after waiting well over an hour.....

Record shot of Barred Warbler hauksanger - normally a great find but relegated to also-ran if the Blyth's turns out to be "good".

Under normal circumstances this Stonechat svartstrupe would have made the day....

A Stonechat svartstrupe at Breivik was a promising start to the day and a brief look at Herdlevær turned into an hour of patient waiting after finding an Acro which, after listening to some sounds, consulting some books and getting opinions from other birders was finally identified as a Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger. The bird called repeatedly - exactly as per the call on the "Calls of Eastern Vagrants CD". With such a bird requiring good documentation I returned later in order to try and obtain some better images but there was no sign of it. However, a first year Barred Warbler hauksanger was ample compensation!