Nautnes 20 January 2018 - Winter again

Light southerly winds, sunny, snow on the ground and a lot of freshwater frozen.

Eventually made it home after delayed flights meant I spent an involuntary night at Copenhagen airport.

Two of the Mealy (Common) Redpolls gråsisik in the garden today

(un)Common Gull fiskemåke flying over the house

The garden provided a couple of Øygarden year ticks in the form of several Little Auks alkekonge flying past and a Lesser Redpoll brunsisik together with several Mealy Redpoll gråsisik feeding around the almost empty feeder. The male Teal krikkand was still on the sea in front of the house together with his Mallard stokkand friends, a Common Gull fiskemåke (anything but common in the winter out here) flew over as did a pair of Bullfinch dompap - another infrequent winter visitor here.

Still some flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost heading south as well as small numbers of Redwing rødvingetrost. A couple of Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk put in an appearance at Tjeldstø.

Herdlevær 07 October 2016 - Finally a Red-throated Pipit they can't argue with!

Calm and sunny AGAIN.

Indisputable Red-throated Pipit lappiplerke

Once again I received a telephone call just as I left the house. So I went to Herdlevær instead of where I had intended...FINALLY a Red-throated Pipit lappiplerke in the hand. This is very important in Øygarden (and Hordaland in general) as fly-over birds on call are NEVER accepted. I have had this species a number of times over the years but they are impossible to document when not on the ground. My latest record, almost a year ago to the day was recently rejected. Why exactly is this? Had I heard the same call in eastern or northern Norway it would be safe. I learnt the call at Falsterbo where birds are often just fly-overs. Nevermind - it is finally in the bag now.

Redpoll gråsisik.

Check out the bill on this thing. Mega.

Also a lot of Redpolls gråsisik of unknown origin about - quite a number of them with very large bills but not rostrata - I've had these things in my garden before and it would be great to know where they come from....

Didn't really get out today but had Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, a Bullfinch dompap and plenty more besides from the house during the course of the day.

Skogsøy 16 January 2016 - Productive first trip to Skogsøy

Calm and sunny. Very frozen again after some tendency towards a thaw.

A stroll out to Skogsøy - the first of 2016 - produced most of the expected species. Highlight were a couple of Peregrines vandrefalk - one of which was busy devouring whatever it was it had caught. A huge flock of around 400 Common Redpoll gråsisik fed in the woods and was joined by about 15 Siskin grønnsisik and several each of Chaffinch bokfink and Greenfinch grønnfink.

The lagoons were relatively quiet with two White-tailed Eagles havørn watching over the area. As expected there were Whoopers sangsvane here - five adult and five young. A Common Gull fiskemåke feeding here was a relatively uncommon winter sighting.

The sea was fairly quiet with just 11 Eiders ærfugl, several Long-tailed Duck havelle and a few Black Guillemot teist about.

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