Oslo 21-24 March 2023 Finally out birding in the capital

 I have not managed to get out and about in the Oslo area for way too long so I made sure that I did what I used to call my usual trip around the islands and was not disappointed.

Tuesday 21 March saw me at the office all day but I did spend 15 minutes of my lunch break outside picking up my first Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke of the year and generally enjoyed the many signs of spring even though there was still some ice on the sea and much of the ground was still covered in snow. Flocks of Greylag grågås and some Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås fed on the snow-free patches of grass. On the shore a few pairs of Oystercatcher tjeld and Black-headed Gulls hettemåke were setting up territory.

Goldeneye kvinand

Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke

Oystercatcher tjeld

On 22 March a flock of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås flew north over the flat during the morning and in the evening a nice adult female Goshawk hønsehauk posed nicely in the evening as the light was going.

Goshawk hønsehauk

I took the first boat out to Gressholmen on 23 March. Although still feeling a bit on the wintery side there was plenty to see including a Great-crested Grebe toppdykker on the sea, a couple of Stock Dove skogdue, two flocks of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås, four Whooper Swans sangsvane heading north, migrating Skylarks sanglerke and lots of local breeders back on the island including singing Chaffinches bokfink, displaying Shelduck gravand and Oystercatcher tjeld. 

A Green Woodpecker grønnspett was vocal and seen briefly from the boat on Bleikøya.

Øygarden 28-31 January 2021 - Winter!

 Cold, calm, mostly sunny with snow showers.

Abnormally cold and snowy for the west of Norway. Temperatures mostly around freezing, down to a few degrees below at night and up to a few degrees above during the day.

On 28 January all I managed was a late afternoon walk west of Rong. Just a few White-tailed Eagle havørn, six Velvet Scoter sjøorre and some of the usual suspects. Generally rather quiet - and hard to walk on the snow/ice never knowing if it is rock or ice below the snow.

Dethloff hytta, Rong

A walk at Herdlevær with Sonia on 29 January was rather more productive - potentially a LOT more. Highlight was a probable Grey Phalarope polarsvømmesnipe at long range in the scope - a small. pale bird fluttering around in circles low over the sea. Worth claiming? Maybe - not sure what else it could have been. A light passage of auks heading north were too far off to identify. Birds that were identified included a Razorbill alke on the sea, Snipe enkeltbekkasin (despite staying away from the most likely spots) and a Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

Elsewhere Woodcocks rugde at a couple of locations, Starling stær and Fieldfare gråtrost struggling in the snowy conditions and 12 Blackbird svarttrost in the garden.

Moon over Nautnesvågen, before dawn on 29 January - picture taken whilst putting food out for the birds in my garden

Early on Saturday morning (30 January) I did my usual Skogsøy walk and seawatched for an hour. Very quiet, just a couple of flocks of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and a Woodcock rugde on the way out. Seawatching was largely unproductive though a distant flock of 40 auks was the biggest flock thus far this year. A flock of 20 Guillemot lomvi headed the same way and a couple of Gannet havsule stopped to look at something.

Cormorant storskarv with the wrasse too far

Raven ravn moving in on an eagle

Seawatching never stops....

Whoopers sangsvane at Alvheim at 0815 - 45 minutes before the sun came up. ISO 5000 and upper image lightened considerably....

One of at least three White-tailed Eagle havørn over the lookout point at SKogsøy on 30 January. This one is a 3cy bird.

As usual a few White-tailed Eagles havørn were seen and a Cormorant storskarv struggled with a wrasse sp that was right on the limit of what it could manage:)    A flock of 24 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt was probably the best sighting here.

On my return to the car the local Hoodies kråke panicked and a flock of Herons gråhegre took to the wing. Despite looking frantically around I didn't get onto the raptor that scared them - I was thinking Goshawk hønsehauk but given the timing of a reported Gyrfalcon jaktfalk a kilometre to the north it may well have been this that scared them

Other stuff seen during the day included a couple of Whoopers sangsvane at Alvheim well before dawn, Woodcock rugde and Curlew storspove from the house and the flock of 20 Greylag grågås at Breivik.

Needless to say on 31 January I was thinking raptors - even though I have had my eye open for them the last couple of weeks. This paid off quite well with a Goshawk hønsehauk at Tjeldstø, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk at Oen and from my terrace and best of all - a cracking male Merlin dvergfalk at Solberg

It is rare to see so much snow out here in Øygarden! Here looking north over the reserve at Tjeldstø (I saw 5 White-tailed Eagles havørn from this point)

The Merlin dvergfalk showed well in the scope - I really need on of those mobile/scope adaptors!

Heavily cropped image from the DSLR

A couple of different Snipe enkeltbekkasin that were not flushed.

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Skogsøy 12 March 2020 - A most excellent day

Strong SW winds with occasiona short but heavy hail showers.

The morning started well with the first Dunnock jernspurv of the singing from one of the usual spots  - an early date for this species that normally turns up somewhat later.

Oystercatcher tjeld flock heading north

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

Shags toppskarv

I seawatched for just over 1.5 hours; there was nothing like the numbers of seabirds passing compared to yesterday with just 18 Kittiwake krykkje heading north. Small numbers of Gannets havsule were also on the move with birds moving in both directions. Several auks passed including several Guillemot lomvi, a Razorbill alke and some went unidentified. The southward migration of Shag toppskarv was obviously underway with over 40 birds passing. Oystercatcher tjeld headed north despite the hail showers and ended up with a total of 140.  A Peregrine vandrefalk drifted past - no doubt on the lookout for an unwary auk or Oystercatcher.

Other than that a few White-tailed Eagle havørn, several Raven ravn and Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke obviously settling in for the season.

Record shots of today's Stonechat svartstrupe

On the way home I managed to confirm yesterday's Stonechat svartstrupe with a female bird still present but just as difficult to follow and document. Several Skylark sanglerke and a Meadow Pipit heipiplerke were in the same area.

More Woodpigeon ringdue and Starling stær seen here and there too so birds are still arriving even with the strong winds.

After a visit to the shops, which were full of people buying enormous amounts of food the wind started dropping and I started to think I should fill my freezer up with fish. I spent the late afternoon / evening fishing and during this time had cracking views of a Goshawk hønsehauk, had the first roding Woodcock rugde of the year, watched Ravens ravn chasing White-tailed Eagles havørn and heard several species singing - Blackbird svarttrost, Robin rødstrupe, Wren gjerdesmett and Coal tit svartmeis all joined in - a cracking way to end a computer free, corona free day!!

Øygarden 01-02 November 2019 - Still plenty going on!

On 01 November I did a quick check at Herdlevær which produced Goshawk hønsehauk and Goldfinch stillits as the best birds.

Peregrine vandrefalk at Tjeldstø

Tjeldstø was slightly better with three White-tailed Eagles havørn - two adults seemed to cooperate on catching a large fish and a younger birds that tried to get in on the action. Also a first year Goshawk hønsehauk and an adult Peregrine vandrefalk.

Thrushes and finches still picking off the last of the rowan berries and some late Dunnock jernspurv also moving through - heard or seen at a few locations.

Female Blackcap munk at Blomvåg

On 02 November I spent at hour at Sæle where I had a couple of flocks of Waxwing sidensvans as the best birds. Family errands meant I had to chase a bus to Rong and on the way home I picked up a couple of female Blackcaps munk at Blomvåg, a Merlin dvergfalk over the road at Oen and both Waxwing sidensvans and Goldfinch stillits at Ådnevika.

A short trip out in the afternoon finally gave me actual views of a Green Woodpecker grønnspett, a few more Waxwing sidensvans flocks heading south and 100s of finches - mostly Common Redpoll gråsisik, Siskin grønnsisik and Brambling bjørkefink.

Otter in my "garden"

I did actually leave the terrace to get the close up shots!

Back home at Nautnes a Little Auk alkekonge turned up on the sea outside the house and an Otter put on a nice performance as it devoured a butterfish.

Sture and Skogsøy 26 January - Another good day

Light North Westerlies with a few short hail showers, largely sunny.

Goshawk hønsehauk at Sture

Female Scaup bergand

Kicked the day off at Sture to check out a female Scaup bergand. The same locality also turned up, among other things, a Goshawk hønsehauk, a Dipper fossekall and some Willow Tits granmeis.

Next up was Skogsøy which was much quieter than my previous visit both in the woods on the way out and over the sea. Of saving grace were a couple of Kittiwake krykkje - the first in Hordaland this year and not exactly unexpected.

A roadside Snipe enkeltbekkasin

Willow Tit granmeis in the garden

Plenty of thrushes, again mostly Redwing rødvingtrost all over the place, the female Wigeon brunnakke on Husvatnet, Whoopers sangsvane at a couple of places and the first Willow Tit granmeis actually in my garden this year were some of the other sightings.

Herdlevær / Tjeldstø / Storavatnet 18 March - Eagle quest leads to some good birds

Guiding again today (just about the only reason I can get to spend more than a couple of hours out!) in calm and sunny conditions.

The aim was getting close to White-tailed Eagles havørn - something that we managed but only just despite seeing an absolute minimum of 11 different birds including eight at one locality!

Started the day at Herdlevær which showed that there was a good passage of birds migrating north today - not that I paid that much attention. At least 100 Common Gulls fiskemåke, plenty of Gannets havsule and Oystercatchers tjeld were on the move. Otherwise it was more or less the usual with a White-tailed Eagle havørn, and most of the usual suspects including a few Tree Sparrow pilfink.

Next up was Tjeldstø where Husvatnet produced my first Meadow Pipit heipiplerke of the year, a pair of Tufted Duck toppand, a few Lapwing vipe, a flock of 20 Woodpigeons ringdue among the Greylags grågås and other birds. A male Scaup bergand, a small flock of Skylark sanglerke, a Gannet havsule, a Curlew storspove and a few more White-tailed Eagle havørn were among the other species seen at Tjeldstø.

Storavatnet's best birds today were a truly massive Goshawk honsehauk and a Golden Plover heilo - both being the first I have seen locally this year. More White-tailed Eagles havørn here as well as a couple of Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and another Curlew storspove.

Breivik 21 Janaury 2017 . I should stay at home

Very calm and dull

Took a walk with the dog at Breivik where I added Tree Sparrow pilfink and Fieldfare gråtrost to the local year list. Other than these it was very much the usual with a flock of 40 Greenfinch grønnfink, at least eight Chaffinch bokfink and the usual Crested Tit toppmeis etc

A sandwich break at Alvheim on the way home produced a couple of Great Northern Diver islom on the sea but the ONLY duck present were two Mergansers siland.

Goshawk hønsehauk - taken with the phone through my scope - quite possibly the first time I have tried this.

Cropped from image above

Heavily cropped image of the same bird from the point and pray at full zoom....

The Goshawk is in this picture even though it doesn't even show up as single pixel - part of the view from my terrace

Back home the local corvids warned about the presence of a Goshawk hønsehauk, I had stupidly gone out on the terrace without binoculars and saw a distant accipiter that I thought was this species. I dashed back inside to grab my bins and came outside to see a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk fly over the garden. I didn't like being wrong and took a sweep of the treeline - sure enough the Goshawk hønsehauk had landed in the trees some distance away. Also at least one White-tailed Eagle havørn.

The first Siskin grønnsisik and Meadow Pipit heipiplerke of the year were reported from Sture.

Dåvøy 03 February - A short diversion

Strong north westerly winds with wintry showers

Managed to squeeze in a short diversion and spent whole half an hour at Dåvøy today - pick of the sightings was the overwintering Slavonian Grebe horndykker. The usual selection of stuff including a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke getting quite upset about a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.

Bird of the day was seen from the car whilst continuing with the afternoon school / shop run - a nice Goshawk hønsehauk over the road at Tjeldstø.

Back home a Curlew storspove flew over the house - first I've seen thus far this year at Nautnes, normally this is quite a regular winter bird from the kitchen window.

Herdlevær and Tjeldstø 14 April 2015 - Merlins / Getting everything wrong

Started with southerly winds and rain but the sun got out later.

Merlin dvergfalk at Tjeldstø

A couple of hours out and about today proved relatively productive. Normally Merlins dvergfalk are not everyday fare in Øygarden but today I had one at Breivik, another at Tjeldstø and yet another at back home at Nautnes. The one at Tjeldstø I originally mistook for a Kestrel - thankfully I photographed this one - albeit at long range.

Male Goshawk hønsehauk at Tjeldstø

Another (probable) mistake was what I thought to be a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk - having seen one fly over and stoop on some passerines only 10 minutes earlier. I took a few photographs of what I thought was the same bird - but looking at the shape of the wing and general proportions I think this must actually be a male Goshawk hønsehauk.

These images of a female White Wagtail linerle are not cropped!

Yet another mistake was what I assumed to be a female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle at Sture but was in fact a White Wagtail linerle. The seemingly dark and blotchy upperparts had me fooled but the rump was not black so this will have to go down as White....it gave superb photo opportunities which I also managed to mess up - overexposing such that the white on the face loses all definition. Partly incompetence and partly because the camera was set to overexpose in flight on raptors from below.

Male White Wagtail linerle at Herdlevær - this was involved in a dispute with a male Pied Wagtail svartyggerle which was nothing like as obliging....

Herdlevær produced a Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a couple of Jackdaw kaie, a male Pied Wagtail svartryggerle, a few White wags linerle and not a lot else.

Two more male Pied wags svartryggerle at Breivik where I also heard Dunnock jernspurv singing for the first time this year.

An all dark corvid at Skogsøy got away due to traffic.

Hopefully I'll get things right tomorrow.....

Tjeldstø 12 January 2013 - First "rarity" of the year...

Calm, sunny and freezing again.

 The first Treecreeper trekryper of 2013 - a rare winter sighting in Øygarden

Still struggling to get out and about but had a very productive hour at Tjeldstø in the afternoon. Highlight was without doubt a Treecreeper trekryper. First for Øygarden this year and the first I've seen here since 2010! This species is very much an irruptive autumn migrant and is very rare in winter.

Treecreeper occurrence in Øygarden (from artsdatabasen)

 Above and below - 2 cy Goshawk hønsehauk

Other good sightings included a second year Goshawk hønsehauk, a Woodcock rugde, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a couple of Little Auk alkekonge.

 Above and below - Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb at Sture

A short stroll at Sture produced a small flock of Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb.