Skogsøy 25 May 2002 - Back on form

Fresh SW winds with rain during the night. I used the rain as an excuse to lie in and did not get out and seawatching until 0630. With further rain on the forecast I opted to use the "hide" which is not as good as sitting out in the open where I usually sit but is very comfortable:)

Birds were pouring past to start with but passage tailed off quite quickly. Should have ignored the rain:)

Highlights were two Long-tailed Skua fjelljo and a Pomarine Skua polarjo. During "a last scan" whilst packing up a Sandwich Tern splitterne flew south at reasonable range:)  A couple of Black Guillemot teist and a lone hrota Brent Goose ringgås were among the other sightings.

The "hide" is a bit challenging, especially when it comes to photography so I mostly didn't get any images.

The biggest flock of Red-throated Diver smålom today...

Rock Pipit skjærepiplerke

Brent Goose ringgås going it alone

In almost 3.5 hours the following past:

Red throated Diver smålom N 49, S 2

Northern Gannet havsule N 192, S 7

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 3, S 4

Brent Goose ringgås N 1

Long tailed duck havelle N 2

Common Scoter svartand N 2, S 10

Oystercatcher tjeld N 8, S 1

Pomarine Skua polarjo N 1

Arctic Skua tyvjo N 6

Long-tailed Skua fjelljo N 2

Black headed Gull hettemåke N 2, S 4

Common Gull fiskemåke N 6

Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje N 118, S 4

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne N 1, S 3

Common Guillemot lomvi N 8, S 3

Razorbill alke N 10

Black Guillemot teist N 2

On the way home I picked up a Kestrel tårnfalk and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk at Tjeldstø.

Tragically the Starling stær chicks that were being fed so prolifically by their parents in my nestbox died at some point in the last 24 hours. There was no lack of food so I have no explanation other than that something happened to the parents.

Four dead chicks....

Strangely little in the way of nesting material

....yet up to a day or so ago the parents were coming in with food constantly

Skogsøy 19 May 2020 - Another day, another seawatch

Northerly winds and sunny so predictably seawatching again.

The best birds today were a nice adult Long-tailed Skua fjelljo and a couple of flocks of Knot polarsnipe.

Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås

One of the Great Skuas storjo that passed

Raven ravn

Still reasonable numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom heading north

Red-throated Diver smålom followed by two Guillemots lomvi

Today's totals were:

Red throated Diver N	149
Northern Gannet N	32
Great Cormorant N	3
Great Cormorant S	1
Eurasian Shag N	5
Eurasian Shag S	24
Barnacle Goose N	64
Long tailed duck N	12
Common Scoter N	20
Merganser N	10
Oystercatcher N	10
Red Knot	23
Whimbrel N	1
Arctic Skua N	1
Long-tailed Skua N	1
Great Skua N	2
Common Gull N	47
Lesser black backed Gull N	1
Black-legged Kittiwake N	12
Arctic Tern N	23
Common Guillemot N	14
Razorbill N	16
Atlantic Puffin N	10
Auk N	23

On my way home I had to come to an abrupt stop to check out a raptor - a nice Peregrine vandrefalk causing havoc:)

Peregrine vandrefalk

Skogsøy 03 July 2017 - Weather is great / quality not quantity

A lot of normal people complain about the weather here in the west of Norway. I love it! Weather brings the birds - in this case the strong winds of yesterday afternoon / evening pushed seabirds close to land and gave a spectacular backdrop.

I can cope with a few days of what the general population call good weather and may even spend time with my family under such conditions - as has been the case of late. The last few days I've been fishing, swimming and even camping in attempt to fit in.

However, today I was back at the coal face for an early morning shift. Cracking light and a westerly breeze after the very strong winds during the night meant there were plenty (92) of Gannet havsule to see in the two hours or so I spent out there. Many passed very close giving amazing views.

Highlight were among the first birds to pass - a flock of three Sandwich Terns splitterne together with a 2cy Kittiwake krykkje. Whilst they were a long way off this caused some initial confusion as I kept thinking Sandwich Tern but the gull kept popping into view. Next best bird was a nice Long-tailed Skua fjelljo - though not a full adult.

This might just be a record shot - the three birds in front are Sandwich terns splitterne, the one on the left is obviously a second year Kittiwake krykkje.

Even more cropping shows two of the terns....

...and three

The welcoming committee - an adult Raven ravn with a recently fledged youngster

Adult Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke with food for its young

Two southbound Red-throated Diver smålom

2cy Kittiwake krykkje - not the same bird as with the terns but very similar in terms of plumage.

As so often at this time of year it was quality rather than quantity - not much else passed - just a couple of Puffin lunde, a Guillemot lomvi, a few Red-throated Diver smålom and a Fulmar havhest.

Heard the Corncrake åkerrikse singing again from Herdlevær on the way out.

Skogsøy 24-25 June 2014 - Camping pays off....

Calm with light southerly winds.

Spent the night out at Skogsøy with the girls and no scope. The last bit was proved to not be a very sensible idea....

Not really birding on 24th but had a flock of four Whimbrel småspove heading north.

On the morning of 25th I woke early and spent a couple of hours seawatching between 0500-0700 with just binoculars. The results were well worth it - highlight was a Long-tailed Skua fjelljo drifting north just before 0600. This was followed by a couple of Arctic Skuas tyvjo which also passed within decent binocular range.

Other stuff included 14 Red-throated Diver smålom heading north, singles of Fulmar havhest and Kittiwake krykkje, a flock of six Guillemot lomvi and some movement of moulting Eiders ærfugl. Further evidence that autumn is upon us was a flock of eight Curlew storspove heading south.

Note to self: ALWAYS check ALL pictures have uploaded from camera to PC before deleting.

Skogsøy 25 May 2013 - Manx at last

Northerly winds and more or less overcast.

Another good day at Skogsøy. Seawatched from 06:15-11:30 and had the following:

If you look very hard there are two Manx Shearwater havlire in this picture - honest!

Manx shearwater havlire 2N - the third day of occurrence this spring - well above average
Long-tailed Skua fjelljo 2N
Arctic Skua tyvjo 2N
Great Skua storjo 1N
White-billed Diver gulnebblom 1N
Great Northern Diver islom 1S
Red-throated Diver smålom 53N
Velvet Scoter sjøorre 2N
Common Scoter svartand 18N,35S
Long-tailed Duck havelle 11N
Puffin lunde 4N
Razorbill alke 4N
Guillemot lomvi 6N
Arctic Tern rødnebbterne 30+N (probably at least double this number)
Kittiwake krykkje 15N
Gannet havsule 42N

White-billed Diver gulnebblom with diagnostic bill visible

Great Northerns rarely, if ever, throw their heads like this

Beer-belly and no-billed diver look

Two pale phase Arctic Skua tyvjo

Above and below: Red-throated Divers smålom. Quite a number not in breeding plumage now

Part of a flock of Arctic Terns rødnebbterne

The first of the autumn mingrants? A southbound Lapwing vipe

Skogsøy 23 May 2013 - Skuas forever!

Strong northerly winds and largely overcast.

A late start today didn't appear to matter as most of the interest started late in the morning. Unfortunately I had to leave just as things were picking up nicely....the last thing I saw was a flock of 17 Long-tailed Skua fjelljo heading north.

Highlights between 07:30 and 12:30 were:

Dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo

 

Above three: Long-tailed Skuas fjelljo

Pomarine Skuas polarjo

Long-tailed Skua fjelljo  26 N (largest flock 17)
Pomarine Skua polarjo 4 N
Arctic Skua tyvjo 6 N
Great Skua storjo 3N, 1S
Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås ca 350N
Red-throated Diver smålom  16 N
Whimbrel småspove 3N

Above four pictures: flocks of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås

Gannet havsule

Red-throated Diver smålom

Other odds and ends included:
Arctic Tern rødnebbterne ca 80N (all those identified were this species)
Puffin lunde 1N
Guillemot lomvi 2N
Razorbill alke 2N
Common Scoter svartand 3N
Kittiwake krykkje 5 N
Gannet havsule ca 60N

Similar numbers of most things also passed Herdlevær but at that location there were 76 Long-tails reported,  a couple of White-billed Diver gulnebblom, a Black-throated Diver storlom as well as 3 Manx Shearwater havlire. Think I'll give my lenses a clean before I go out next time....

Heavily cropped record shot of the White-front tundragås

An albifrons Whitefront tundragås turned up beside Husvatnet, Tjeldstø in the evening.

Solberg 22 May 2013 - Long-tailed Skua galore!

Fresh NW breeze and sunny.

The frustration started with the weather forecast yesterday evening. Today was always going to be good. Work and family commitments conspired against any meaningful seawatching but an hour at Solberg (far from the best place for this kind of thing) between 09:00 and 10:00 produced 10 Long-tailed Skua fjelljo (in two flocks), a pale phase Arctic Skua tyvjo, a Great Skua storjo and a Great Northern Diver islom.

Excellent numbers of terns (presumed Arctic), Kittiwakes krykkje, about 20 Red-throated Diver smålom, a Fulmar havhest and plenty of distant unidentified birds streamed north.

Herdlevær produced excellent numbers of skuas.

This was a day that should have been spent at Skogøy. Tomorrow may be too late already.....

SKogsøy 16 May 2011 - Skuas

Light NW then light SW

Well worth the trip out today - although it was a case of quality rather than quantity. Highlights were three Long-tailed Skua fjelljo, two Pomarine Skua polarjo and a Black-throated Diver storlom. Other stuff inlcuded a couple of Arctic Skua tyvjo and 89 Red-throated Diver smålom.

 Raven ravn

 Part of a flock of Red-throated Diver smålom

Record shot of one of the Long-tailed Skua fjelljo

One large diver was probably a White-billed Diver gulnebblom but couldn't quite rule out Great Northern islom.

A Wryneck vendehals sang several times from very close to my garden - no time to check it out more fully. Species 161 from the garden....

Skogsøy 14 June 2009 - quality!

Pale phase Pomarine Skua polarjo

Dark phase Pomarine Skua polarjo

Crested Tit toppmeis

A few hours seawatching in calm conditions around dawn were quite productive - typically for mid June it was quality rather than quantity. Higlights were the first Long-tailed Skua fjelljo of the spring, three Pomarine Skua polarjo and an adult White-billed Diver gulnebblom.

The supporting cast included a couple of Arctic Skua tyvjo, 11 Red-throated Diver smålom and double figure numbers of both Fulmar havhest and Puffin lunde. A passing Dunlin myrsnipe was the first I've had in Øygarden this year (late!).

On land just the usual suspects including the singing Lesser Whitethroat møller.