Øygarden 02.02-09.02.2025 -

On 2nd February I did my usual round at Herdlevær, not much to report at all, although five White-tailed Eagle havørn feeding there and several Gannet havsule heading north during a brief coffee break. The albifrons Whitefront tundragås remained at Breivik. On the way home again a short stop at Tjeldstø produced my first local Goshawk hønsehauk of the year and later on I picked up three Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Hjelme.

The next day I was snowed under with work and only managed the briefest of drive-bys. A Common Seal steinkobbe at Dåvøy and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits in the garden along with the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn were all that I managed to see.

Common Seal steinkobbe at Dåvøy

The 4th February was only slightly better with an hour or so out of the house. A couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre near Tjeldstø and the long-staying albifrons at Breivik were the only sightings of note.

albifrons Whitefront tundragås at Breivik

I spent 20 minutes at Hellesøy on 5th February without anything unusual being seen. Several each of Black Guillemot teist and Long-tailed Duck havelle and a few White-tailed Eagle havørn were among the birds seen here.

A tip-off regarding a Golden Eagle kongeørn later in the day had me leaving the house at short notice. Although there were signs of it's presence (flocks of gulls and crows flying around in disarray) it initially proved difficult to locate. I connected with it over Dåvøy where it headed back to Staumsundet. A small flock of Starling stær at Tjeldstø and a single at Skjold may well have been returning birds. Shortly after this I had to leave for a work trip.

Little Grebe dverdykker at Dåvøy

I returned late on Friday 7th February and did some birding the the next day. I started at Herdlevær which was fairly quiet, though I did pick up a Little Auk alkekonge there along with a single COmmon Scoter svartand (very scarce this winter) and a couple of Eiders ærfugl. Four Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, a small flock of Siskin grønnsisik and several very vocal Crested Tits toppmeis were among the other species seen here. A flock of 16 Starling stær near the car park were almost definitely new arrivals.

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Herdlevær

On Sunday 9th February I headed to Hjelme West under ideal conditions. Before I left the house round 150 Siskin grønnsisik headed south over my terrace in flocks of between 20 and 40. The woods at Hjelme were full of Siskin grønnsisik with smaller numbers of Redpoll gråsisik, Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and the usual suspects. The sea and islands were quite good in a recent perspective with a few Great Northern Diver islom, reasonable numbers of Black Guillemot teist (8+), a Red-throated Diver smålom, a Curlew storspove, a few Oystercatcher tjeld, 30+ Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a Turnstone steinvender among the sightings. Long-tailed Duck havelle numbers were horribly low (17) with just an Eider ærfugl or two as the only other ducks.

A Goshawk hønsehauk hunting past my terrace was the first I've seen from my house this year. At Tjeldstø there was a noticeable arrival of Greylags grågås - probably returning birds.

Øygarden 21.12-29.12.2024 - Christmas shutdown

 With Christmas getting closer and work deadlines approaching there was even less field time than usual. 

A Kittiwake krykkje flew past my living room window on 21.12 and a Brambling bjørkefink put in an appearance in my garden together with the usual visitors.

On 22nd December I did the briefest of drive-bys and saw the Little Grebe dvergdykker at Dåvøy again and a flock of 12 Common Crossbill granskorsnebb at Alvheim. A (the?) Great Northern Diver islom turned up in front of the house again and a fishing trip at dusk produced, among other things, a nice Little Auk akekonge.

Great Northern Diver islom off the terrace

Little Auk alkekonge at Sture

Little Grebe dvergdykker still at Dåvøy

A non-birding trip to Skogsøy the following day was a wonderful experience but the only birds of any note were a couple of Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and good numbers of Kittiwake krykkje feeding offshore.

After a period of absence Fieldfares gråtrost started to show up in small flocks from 26.12 and increased in numbers thereafter peaking with a flock of 75 at Harkestad on 29.12. Numbers of Chaffinch bokfink also increased, with hindsight this seems like they knew what weather was on the way.

On 28.12 I managed to get out for a couple of hours picking up the Scaup bergand on Husvatnet and small flocks of Chaffinch bokfink at various places. I did my usual round at Herdlevær picking up a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a Little Auk alkekonge and not much else.

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Herdlevær

Øygarden 28.10 - 02.11.2024 - Insect eating Snow Bunting

My first trip out on my return to Øygarden from the east of Norway was to Hellesøy - two Woodlark trelerke had been there up to and including the day I travelled home.

No sign of the larks but a confiding Snow Bunting snøspurv gave great views. As would be expected thus bird was mostly eating seeds in an area of waste ground. However, it also caught and ate some kind of beetle/weevil.

First it catches sight of the bug....

...grabs it

Starts dismantling it....

...and finally swallows it

Snow Bunting snøspurv at Hellesøy

There were generally quite a few birds about with migrants such as Blackcap munk, Goldcrest fuglekonge and plenty of the usual thrushes and finches.

I also visited Hellesøy briefly the following day in damp and overcast conditions. The Snow Bunting snøspurv remained and again there were plenty of other migrants included a couple of Chiff-chaff gransanger, Goldcrests fuglekonge and a flock of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Goldfinches stillits at Dåvøy

Goldfinch stillits tearing apart a thistle

Snow Bunting snøspurv at Hellesøy

A few other very brief drive-bys showed there was plenty about with Blackcap munk, Woodpigeons ringdue and yet more thrushes. Rather frustrating to not be out more.....

On 30th October I squeezed in my usual round at Herdlevær where a Merlin dvergfalk and a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt were the best sightings.

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt at Herdlevær

The first Whoopers sangsvane of the autumn turned up at Tjeldstø and a Rock Pipit skjæpiplerke fed in my driveway. Sparrowhawks spurvehauk obviously on the move - no doubt following the large numbers of thrushes passing through.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in my driveway

The next couple of days I was barely away from the computer but Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke seemed to be on the move with birds turning up away from their usual spots. Five minutes at Tjeldstø produced a few Kittiwake krykkje heading up the fjord into strong winds and a Razorbill alke landed on the sea.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in a driveway at Hellesøy

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Herdlevær

Finally it was the weekend again and I spent a couple of hours seawatching at Skogsøy, several Great Northern Divers islom passed and another fed on the sea. A Little Auk alkekonge was amazingly the first of the year for me. Small numbers of the usual seaduck (Velvet Scoter sjøorre, Common Scoter svartand and Long-tailed Ducks havelle) headed south as did a selection of gulls including Kittiwakes krykkje and Black-headed Gulls hettemåke.

Great Northern Diver islom with an interesting looking fish at Skogsøy

Kittiwake krykkje

Long-tailed Duck havelle

A late Dunnock jernspurv was seen on my way out to the seawatch

A brief stop at Sture on the way home produced a Chiff-chaff gransanger feeding a mixed flock of tits.

Skogsøy 12 February 2023 - Purple Sandpiper uncropped

 Very similar weather to yesterday with a light SW wind and some occasional light drizzle.

I opted for Skogsøy in the hope that the movement from yesterday would continue. It didn't and the sea itself was rather quiet with just a couple of Razorbill alke, a few Gannets havsule and a Kittiwake krykkje passing.

Ir was nice to have some company and I was joined by a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt who flew up to land beside me when it heard my thermos fall over. Although reasonably alert for 15 minutes or so it quickly lost interest in the passage and went to sleep. I should probably have done the same:)

I was joined by a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt today:)

Other birds at Skogøy included a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and a Great Northern Diver islom feeding inshore.

The long-staying Rook kornkråke at Oen showed itself on the way home as did a Fieldfare gråtrost - a species that has been very thin on the ground the last couple of weeks.

Fieldfare gråtrost

The Greylag grågås flock at Tjeldstø increased to five (the two from yesterday joined by the birds from Breivik?). Back home a flock of three flew over the house where I also had a few more Gannets havsule, a Peregrine vandrefalk and a couple of Long-tailed Duck havelle.