Skogsøy 08 November 2016 - Winter!

SE winds and sunny but rather cold - a degree or two below freezing and a seemingly disproportionate amount of ice forming - even on the shores.

Part of a flock of Common Scoter svartand

Goldcrest fuglekonge

Redwings rødvingetrost

Today I actually went birding but the results were rather less than I hoped for. I started off at Skogsøy early on where there was not a lot passing. Small numbers of Common Scoter svartand, auks (though I only managed to identify a few of them due to the "heat haze" out to sea), a Whooper Swan sangsvane that came in from the sea - from the direction this could well have been a bird arriving from Iceland. White-.tailed Eagle havørn, Black Guillemot teist and Little Auk alkekonge were among the other species seen here. Redpolls gråsisik and Common Crossbill grankorsnebb still very much on the move.

I did a drive-by at Herdlevær where a flock of Redwing rødvingetrost foraged under leaves and were spooked by a Woodcock rugde that flew in.

At Solberg a late Oystercatcher tjeld and several Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt were the best sightings.

Tjeldstø was slightly better with a Red-throated Diver smålom on the sea, a Dipper fossekall on Husvatnet, Wigeon brunnakke, Teal krikkand and Goldfinch stillits among the species seen.

Øygarden 03 October - What autumn is all about!

A cracking day all round. Great weather and superb birding,

The first bird of the day was a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe heard from my terrace at Nautnes.

Savi's Warbler sumpsanger (DSLR shot)

Savi's Warbler sumpsanger (mobile phone)

Some very happy ringers with bags full of birds

I started the day with a quick trip to Herdlevær. I was going to do my usual round but a phone call as I left the house changed that. An unidentified warbler had been caught in the half light; by the time I got there it was light enough to identify it as the first Savi's Warbler sumpsanger for the county of Hordaland - and from what I can see from some quick checks also the first autmn record for Norway - all other records are of summer birds. THANK YOU NIGEL - sterling effort!!

Goldcrest fuglekonge are very visible at the moment

Sparrowhawks spurvehauk are common now - typcially following the thrushes on migration

Starling stær

Other migrants picked up at Herdlevær included Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger, a late Sand Martin sandsvale, Swallow låvesvale, Chiff-chaff gransanger, the first Skylarks sangelerke of the autumn and plenty of the usual thrushes and finches.

Hen Harrier myrhauk at Tjeldstø

I then headed home via the shop and a drive-by at Tjeldstø - this produced a nice Hen Harrier myrhauk pursued by Hooded Crows kråke.

Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger

Today I realised I haven't taken a single picture of this species this year yet! There was a time we'd document every one of these sprites

After sorting some stuff out at home I headed out again in the afternoon and checked a few localities. Sæle produced at least 10 Blackcap munk and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits as the best birds whilst Breivik turned up another Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger.

Common Crossbills granskorsnebb, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and White-tailed Eagles havørn were seen pretty much everywhere. Goldcrests fuglekonge very obviously on the move and a few Chiff-chaff gransanger here and there.

Checking out the new bling

Paparazzi at work

An amusing incident with a Goldcrest fuglekonge happened as I prepared to leave Herdlevær. I had left my car door open and when I sat down and started the car I suddenly noticed there was a Goldcrest fuglekonge sitting on the dashboard. I opened both doors but it seemed quite happy checking out the dog, preening on the back seat and in no hurry to leave the car. Soon everyone had their mobile phones out and were taking pictures of it inside the vehicle. With both doors open this lead to people taking pictures of people taking pictures.

Late October - Early November Southern Norwegian Sector

Still not birding Øygarden - or anywhere else for that matter.

This male Eider ærfugl followed the vessel for a couple of days and looked like it wanted to climb onboard.

This lone Goldcrest fuglekonge called constantly and vainly for some others of its own species

Redwings rødvingetrost were seen or heard more or less daily

A grand total of about 20 minutes on deck in the space of two weeks produced quite a bit of movement at times. Best birds were Short-eared Owls jordugle seen on a few dates. Otherwise just the usual autumn migrants including four species of thrush and Little Auk alkekonge.

A couple of species I don't see much of around platforms also turned up - an Eider ærfugl and a Cormorant storskarv.

Porbeagle shark video grab

Skogsøy 20 December 2012

Calm, sunny and cold.

A return to freezing conditions again after a welcome break.

 Whooper Swan sangsvane family at Skogsøy

Eider ærfugl

Typically for the time of year there was little passage over the sea - highlights were:

Red-throated Diver smålom 1 south
Little Auk alkekonge 3 south
Velvet Sctoer sjøorre 5 north
Gannet havsule 2 north

Other birds seen on the way out inlcuded seven Whoopers sangsvane and a couple of Waxwing sidensvans.

A Fieldfare gråtrost at Oen on the way home was the first I've seen since the snow came.

Coal Tit svartmeis

Goldcrest fuglekonge

Back in the garden a Goldcrest fuglekonge was an unusual December visitor - normally they come into the garden during migration periods.