Øygarden 27.07-02.08.2026 - Tringa time

Another week without much serious birding although a broken work laptop gave me the opportunity for some seawatching in promising conditions on 27th.

With onshore winds and no chance to do anything sensible workwise I spent a few hours at Skogsøy on 27th. Gannets havsule, a single Arctic Skua tyvjo and a lone Puffin lunde were the only avian items of interest. However, at least three Orcas spekkhoggere were great to see - and quite unexpected given the state of the sea. One was a huge male whose massive dorsal fin was visible over even the biggest waves:)

After this I took mum out for a walk where we heard a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Sæle. The birds are definitely there for those with time to get outside:)

On 29th a couple of short family walks in the afternoon produced a singing male Common Crossbill granorsnebb at Hatten and a Greenshank gluttsnipe at Tjeldstø whilst looking for predatory plants. Some Redshak rødstilk still around - either hangers on from the breeding season or migrants passing through.

A nice sunset from my terrace:)

The next time I left the house was a very short walk in the neighbourhood on the evening of 31st July, this resulted in a Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk that flew in and landed in front of my house:) Unusually this bird posed nicely for the camera and is the first I've seen in Øygarden this year:)

Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk

 

My usual walk at Herdlevær on 2nd August provided just a few Common Sandpiper strandsnipe and the usual suspects.

Probably a Silver-studded Blue. I'm still sticking to birds....

A couple of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke seen heading south. 

Skogsøy 22-23 May 2023 - High hopes

The 22nd May was always going to be about visibility. The forecast was for sea fog early on clearing by 0900. Pretty much the opposite happened:)

Before I left the house a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett sang a couple of times - a good start to the morning:)

View to the east from the parking place at idiot o' clock

And the view to the west - not bad at all, promising even:)

An innocent looking fog bank at 09:10. It was not as thin as it looked.

No massive numbers passing but steady and with some quality (pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgjess, White-billed Diver gulnebblom, a Black-throated Diver storlom, Merlin dvergfalk and more). 

Pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgjess

Cormorants storskarv

We sat for a couple of hours after the fog rolled in as it seemed like it would clear at any moment. Fog is the #1 seawatch nightmare in the spring and unfortunately resulted in an update to my seawatch junky page:)

When it was finally deemed safe to leave we checked out a couple of places including Tjeldstø - in glorious sunshine - typically the fog affected only the sea and a couple of hundred metres inland. Best birds were a couple of Wood Sandpipers grønnstilk and the first Sand Martin sandsvale of the year for me at least. At least five Lesser Whitethroat møller were heard singing at various places:)

Wood Sandpipers grønnstilk at Tjeldstø

The following day the forecast was better with a fresh northerly breeze and sunshine on the cards. Normally a recipe for a good day at this time of year but passage was slow and the hopes of unprecedented numbers of skuas were dashed. Not a complete waste of time though with good views of Brent Geese ringgjess, White-billed Diver gulnebblom and Black-throated Diver storlom as the best sightings. Two Ringed Plover sandlo migrating north were the first I've seen locally this year - two of the usual breeding sites have remained unoccupied so far this year.....

Two of the Arctic Terns rødnebbterne that headed north

Pale-bellied Brents ringgjess at close range

A couple of record shots of the Black-throated Diver storlom

White-billed Diver gulnebblom

Whimbel småspove

Øygarden 10-11 August 2019 - Taking it easy / Unusual TBC irruption

Taking things very easy with just a couple of strolls at Tjeldstø, some observations from the garden and a walk at Hjelme West.

Tjeldstø produced the usual seasonal waders with up to three Green Sandpiper skogsnipe on 11 August when a Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk also put in an appearance. Other waders included a few Greenshank gluttsnipe, Redshank rødstilk, several Ruff brushane and up to 20 Snipe enkeltbekkasin.

Tjeldstø also produced Merlin dvergfalk and a "rusty" Cuckoo gjøk.

The house and garden gave pretty much more of the same plus a Whimbrel småspove.

Heavily cropped shots of the bird near Storavatnet

The male Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb at Hjelme West

Male Two-barred Crossbills båndkorsnebb were heard singing close to Storavatnet and at Hjelme West on 11 August. I was completely thrown when I first heard the song - I am well accustomed to the usual harsh metallic call and the better known trumpet call. But the song was totally unexpected - and thoughts of some strange sylvia warbler sprang to mind as the song reminded me somewhat of a rather strange Lesser Whitethroat. The bird at Storavatnet was alone but the one at Hjelme West had a companion which answered its calls / song but did not show well.

This singing is just another unusual aspect of the ongoing irruption. Some of the other differences are largely single birds rather than flocks, later than "usual" and bypassing the area and getting to the UK before here.

Tjeldstø 29 August 2016 - Half an hour in the sun

Cracking weather, unfortunately the day was spent as so often in front of the computer,

Part of a Golden Plover heilo flock

Golden Plover heilo

Mixed flock of Golden Plover heilo and Ruff brushane

Migrating Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk with a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin

I went to the shop in the evening and took half an hour in the reserve at Tjeldstø. This proved quite productive - a flock of over 50 Golden Plover heilo and at least 15 Ruff brushane were present but very restless -constantly flying up and landing again. A sure sign that an interesting raptor must have been present. All I saw though was an adult White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Other good birds included a mixed flock of Turnstone steinvender and Ringed Plover sandlo flying over, the first Goldeneye kvinand of the autumn and the first Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk I've seen locally this year.

During the occasional coffee break on my terrace at Nautnes I head Merlin dvergfalk, Greenshank gluttsnipe and the usual.

Engerdal 22-26 May 2015 - Not birding Øygarden - but no regrets!

I recently spent a few days in Engerdal in Hedmark county and would liked to have spent more time there. This area is much larger than Øygarden and with a lot fewer people living there. It is a municipality with a massive potential and in many ways an inland version of Øyarden - wild and untamed and even more under-watched.

Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin

Migrating Red-necked Phalarope svømmesnipe

Highlights this time around were a resting Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin, Red-necked Phalarope svømmesnipe, Little Gulls dvergmåke, Capercaille storfugl, Cranes trane and Waxwings sidensvans. All this in addition to the usual selection of waders and wildfowl as well as some personal Engerdal "firsts" such as Buzzard musvåk. All almost without trying.

I had similar problems that Rixy experienced recently with closed roads and a lot of snow - should have been there in a couple of weeks time.....

Here are few images from my latest visit to my second favourite municipality in Norway:

Common Sandpiper strandsnipe

Common Scoter svartand with Velvet Scoter sjøorre in the background

Crane trane

Above and below: Little Gull dvergmåke

Semi-tame Reindeer

Roe Deer

Above and below: Waxwings sidensvans getting settled in

Male Whinchat buskskvett

Whooper Swans sangsvane

Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk back on an almost ice free breeding ground

Above and below: More Wood Sands grønnstilk at lower altitude...

Dunlin myrsnipe feeding along the icy edge of an still frozen pool - note the snow / ice in the lower image

Nuthatch spettmeis

Tjeldstø 24 July 2011 - Tringa storm

Calm and warm for most of the day but only left the house to go swimming.

Best sightings during the first part of the day were limited to a couple of Swift tårnseiler passing ahead of rain and a couple of rather vocal adult White-tailed Eagle havørn over the garden.

 Spotted Reshank sotsnipe

 Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk

 Above and below Spotted Redshank sotsnipe

Thundery rain set in during the evening - so I went out. The reserve produced a cracking Spotted Redshank sotsnipe, a flock of four Wood Sandpiper grønstilk and a fly-over Green Sandpiper skogsnipe - a great way to round off the day.

Tjeldstø 11 May 2011

A stroll around the reserve brought in the usual suspects - loads of Greylags grågås now with chicks and quite a few hirundines including several Sand Martin sandsvale on the move.

 Male Teal krikkand

 Above and below Golden Plover heilo

Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk

A small flock of Golden Plover heilo gave good views, a couple of Collared Dove tykerdue flew past and a Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk dropped into the reserve briefly.