Tjeldstø and Solberg 08 Febraury 2020 - Another day, another new species

Fresh southerly winds.

Took things easy again today and just popped in at a few localities.

The first Greylags grågås at Tjeldstø

A pair of Greylag grågås on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø were the first I have seen locally this year.

At Solberg there were FINALLY a few seaduck in the form of nine Long-tailed Duck havelle and a Common Scoter svartand. A Curlew storspove and a few Gannets havsule were the first I have seen at this locality thus far this year. Also of note here (and other places) was a build-up of resting large gulls - perhaps preparing for the coming storm.....

Back home a Sparrowhawk spurvehawk in the garden, a couple more White-tailed Eagles havørn, a Black Guillemot teist and a few Long-tailed Ducks havelle.

Tjeldstø 10 February 2018 - Short but sweet

Strong SE winds and overcast

Of late I have been using my spare time for fishing rather than birding, landing some decent Cod torsk to 4kg, Halibut kveite, Ling lange, Coalfish sei and Pollack lyr. Despite eating fish almost every day the freezer is full.

Today I took a very short walk at Tjeldstø where I had two more new species to the Øygarden year list- Best bird was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin which was something of a surprise given the conditions. Although quite a regular species out here during the winter months they can be hard to find when conditions are good for them - and now it seems there is plenty of boggy ground to choose from. A small flock of Greylags grågås may have been early returning migrants as they were on the most popular breeding sites rather than the fields that tend to be used by visiting geese. Eight Whoopers sangsvane, small flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost and a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke were among the other stuff seen here.

An equally quick look at Solberg gave a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Gannet havsule , around 25 Long-tailed Duck havelle and another Greylag grågås..

Tjeldstø 07 February 2016 - Onwards and Upwards

South westerly winds with rain during the morning, clearing in the afternoon.

Female Velvet Scoter sjøorre - picture taken from my terrace

Took things very easy today. A Velvet Scoter sjøorre in front of the house was unbelievably the first of the year in Øyarden. How it took so long to see this regular winter visitor remains a mystery.

Brief stops / drive-bys at Solberg and Dåvøy produced little - just the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn and the Heron  gråhegre roost (22 birds today).

The first Greylag grågås of the year

Adult (or very close to it) White-tailed Eagle havørn - one of a minimum of five seen today

A quick check at Tjeldstø once again proved quite productive with the first Greylag grågås of the year - possibly confirming the ID of a lone goose seen in flight from the car a few days ago. More White-tailed Eagles havørn here along with a single Razorbill alke on the sea along with singles of Common Gull fiskemåke, Long-tailed Duck havelle and Common Scoter svartand.

Øygarden 27 March 2014 - Catch-up

Sunny with light northerly winds

A brief check at a few localities allowed me to catch up on a few of the species that arrived whilst I was away and get one more new for the year in Øygarden - a Dunnock jernspurv. Singing Meadow Pipits heipiplerke and a Willow tit granmeis were among the other species seen here.

Greylag grågås at Breivik

The first Meadow Pipit heipiplerke of the year for me

At Tjeldstø well over 100 Greylags grågås now present and four Teal krikkand on Rotevatnet were the first I've seen in Øygarden this year.

A single Ringed Plover sandlo was displaying at the most usual breeding site for this species.

Nautnes 27 December 2013 - Geese

Considerably calmer today - with immediate results.

Nautnes produced almost all the interest today. New species for the house list were a flock of 67 Greylags grågås together with a lone Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås. Other sightings of note from the garden were Bullfinch dompap and Meally Redpoll gråsisik. A female Otter oter with two young also spent some time feeding in front of the terrace.

Curlew storpsove at Herdlevær

Greylag grågås flock with a single Barncale goose hvitkinngås (bottom bird)

A short walk at Herdlevær produced a Curlew storspove, a flock of 40 Starling stær and three Jackdaw kaie as well as Tree Sparrow pilfink and most of the usual suspects.