Herdlevær and Skogsøy 04.10-05.10.2026 - Its raining Jack Snipe!

For my week off from the grind I had hoped for some classic fall condition with light easterly winds and some showers. This was not the case, gale force winds and some heavy downpours dominated. 

But this is October and it is Øygardeb and any weather is good for something. The freedom to just go birding was pretty much enough in itself....

Sunday 4th October started well as I stopped at Tjeldstø on my way to Herdlevær. A female Shoveler skjeand gave great roadside views during a drive-by at this site.

Shoveler skjeand at Tjeldstø

This bird attracted some attention from local listers later in the day

Herdlevær was relatively dissapointng with just a few of the usual waders and a decent passage of Gannets havsule while I ate my breakfast.

Ringed Plover sandlo at Herdlevær

On 5th October I had to kill some time whilst waiting for the visibilty to clear so I spent some time covering various localities before heading out to Skogsøy.

At Tjeldstø there was no sign of the Shoveler skjeand but a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke showed well in a flooded field and my point and pray outperformed my camera by a good margin.

Rock Pipit sjærpiplerke at Tjeldstø

Breivk gave at least six Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin on the first cursory pass - numbers were more than the Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin I saw there. I even almost stepped on a few I hadn't seen whilst getting into position for some record shots of those that I did see. The light was awful so it was challenging to change from dark and gloomy shots on the ground to a flock of 22 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås against the sky.

Jack Snipes kvartbekkasin

Part of a flock of 22 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås - not a common species here in the west of Norway, the majority tend to pass through rather further east...

Two hours of seawatching at Skogsøy gave some good birds including an adult Pomarine Skua polarjo and four Manx Shearwater havlire along with a good movement of Gannet havsule (70+), a few Black-headed Gulls hettemåke and a young Peregrine vandrefalk.

Gannet havsule

Young Peregrine vandrefalk

After this a walk at Herdlevær gave some Brambling bjørkefink and the usual suspects. A second round  at Breivik gave more of the same as earlier in the day and a skulky Garden Warbler hagesanger.

Brambling bjørkefink are typically passing through in good numbers

A Goshawk hønsehauk over the road at Skjold was a nice bonus sighting...

Øygarden 26.09-27.09.2026 - Weekend Birding

I was travelling with work all week so not even the usual incidental obersvations to note this time. But I did get the weekend at home.

On Saturday 26th September I did my usual round at Herdlevær which was quite productive. The local Bergen Birdlife group were out in force so I almost went somewhere else.

Best birds were a Lapland Bunting lappspurv and a couple of Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin.There were some other migrants inlcuding some of the usual waders, a Reed Bunting sivspurv, Chiff-chaff gransanger and Dunnock jernspurv.

Dunlin myrsnipe trying to look like something more interesting. Nice try.

...and back on land again. Back to normal

Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin are not easy to spot with their superb camo

Here somewhat easier from a different angle

After this I stopped briefly at Sæele but there was nowhere left to park - too any birders. The only sighting worth a mention were a couple of Twite bergirisk.

Twite bergirisk

The next couple of hours were spent trying to repair my central hoover. Always something....

On Sunday 27th I spent a couple of hours seawatching at Skogsøy. There was some migration into strong SE winds:

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne S 8 (a bit on the late side)

Cormorant storskarv S 10, N 1

Gannet havsule S 16, N 4

Herring Gull gråmåke S 7

Common Gull fiskemåke S 25

Turnstone steinvender S 1

Golden Plover heilo S 7

Grey Plover tundralo S 13

Dunlin myrsnipe S 3

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt S 2

GBBG svartbak S 2

RB Merganser siland S 4

Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove S 2

Black Guillemot teist N 1

Common Scoter svartand S 2

Bar-tailed Godwits lappspove with Grey Plovers tundralo

Common Gulls fiskemåke

Cormorants storskarv

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt with Dunlin myrsnipe

Shag toppskarv

Guiding 28-30.04.2026 - Some good birds and some frustration

On 28th April I did Herdlevær and Tjeldstø before heading into town to pick up a couple from Hurtigruten.

Tjeldstø produced the goods both on the way into town when I found the first Spotted Redshank sotsnipe of the year and on the way home when birders looking for the Spotted Red had found two nice male Ruff brushane and Greenshank gluttsnipe. I also managed brief views of an early male Whinchat buskskvett which frustratingly vanished before I could get anyone onto it.

Spotted Redshank sotsnipe at Husvatnet

Spring records are a lot less common than in the autumn when they are to be expected but this species is just about annual in spring.

Herdlevær produced Collared Dove tyrkerdue and an early Arctic Tern rødnebbterne new for the year. Goldfinch stillits, Twite bergirisk and the usual suspects were also present. Half an hour with the scope gave 31 Red-throated Diver smålom, 85 Oystercatcher tjeld, several Common Scoter svartand and more in addition to the tern.

A Jay nøtteskrike at Hatten was another local first - not something I've even tried to see so far and I was actually hoping for something else entirely:)

Greylag grågås with young.

This species seems to get their young earlier and earlier. The first goslings were observed over a week ago!

A flock of 18 Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås flew north over Kollsnes - today would have been a good day to sit at Skogsøy!

In the evening a roding Woodcock rugde seen from my terrace was a fitting end to a quite productive day.

On 29th April Common Sandpiper strandsnipe was another local first for 2026 and seen from my terrace as we prepared to leave for a day out and about.

Hjelme failed to produce what I had hoped for which was very frustrating but a Cuckoo gjøk was a new for the year here. A good variety of woodland species turned up including a few Common Crossbill grankorsnebb - the first I've seen for a while.

The obligatory stop at Husvatnet produced a remarkable record in the form of a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin - I think this is the first time I have seen this species on spring migration even though it is a regular autumn migrant and an occasional winter visitor.

Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin - a species that was absolutely not on the radar today!

Other good birds at Tjeldstø were two Barnacle Geese hvittkingås, a Goshawk hønsehauk and several White-tailed Eagles havørn. At least two pairs of Tufted Duck toppand hint at some possibilities but usually these birds move on despite appearing settled for a while.

We then headed inland where there was a mixture of disappointment and success. A nice Green Woodpecker grønspett was the best sighting on the avian side of things but was eclipsed by nice views of a Pine Martin mår! Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper and a variety of other species were also noted - but not the one we went inland for:(

In the evening at least four roding Woodcock rugde were seen from the terrace just befoe bedtime:)

Another visit to Hjelme on 30th April was again unsuccessful for the target species.

However, Stonechats svartstrupe were more cooperative with two nice males seen at two localities as we left Øygarden in search of some other species.

Herdla was the first stop where we had hoped to see the Yellow Wagtails gulerle that have been reported there the last few days. This was not to be but a good selection of decent birds were seen with two Lapland Buntings lappspurv, four Bar-tailed Godwits lappspove, a male Ruff brushane and a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker. Good numbers of waders included 360 Golden Plover heilo in stunning summer plumage, Greenshank gluttsnipe and the usual breeding wader species at this site. A male Pied Wagtail svartryggerle was probably the same bird as on my previous visit there. A House Martin taksvale was the first I've seen on this side of the country too - as well as being a bonus species on the "wish list".

Female Lapland Bunting lappspurv

Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker

With time running out and with heavy traffic time was limited by the time we reached Gullfjell. After some initial disappointing scans of the area the target species showed very well indeed as we left the area - a lovely Dipper fossekall.

Øygarden 28.01-01.02.2026 - Oriental Turtle Dove, Orcas and other winter goodies

After a couple of days working in Bergen I was out for a couple hours on 28th in calm and sunny weather. Night time temperatures are still well below freezing and almost all fresh water is now frozen.

At Hellesøy most of the birds were at long range but a Merlin dvergfalk flew overhead to hunt over the islands to the north. A lone Red-throated Diver smålom was on the sea and, as it was so calm, it was easy to spot the Black Guillemot teist - at least eight were present. Also around 20 Long-tailed Ducks havelle and of course a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn.

After this I found the first Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin of the year - an anticipated species given the conditions. The last few winters I've seen less of this species than previously - this could be for a number of reasons, some sites which didn't freeze over have been drained and built on, some have become more inaccessible (fences etc) and some are just too time consuming to visit. A couple of other regular sites have just failed to produce.

Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin

I had to head into Bergen again on 29th January but did a few drive-bys on the way just as the sun was coming up. This resulted in a few Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Water Rail vannriske.

An Oriental Turtle Dove mongolturteldue was reported half an hour south of where I live on 29th January, so right on the limits for what I am prepared to drive to see a bird. With a few hours to spare I gave it a go - and amazingly heard it singing together with another birder. At first we thought it was some reckless twitchers using playback but this was not the case. Despite spending some time in the area I never actually saw it - but it was seen flying out of where we heard it. Woodpigeon ringdue, Willow Tit granmeis and a variety of other species were seen in this area too. I didn't bother trying for the Rook kornkråke that was close by, more will surely turn up later in the year:).

On the way home I popped in at Dåvøy where a Little Grebe dvergdykker was still present along with Woodcock rugde, Great Northern Diver islom, a roost of 25 Grey Heron gråhegre and a Tree Sparrow pilfink which was the first I've seen locally this year - some of the usual feeders they turn up on are just not in use this year for some reason. Other localities gave a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Water Rail vannrikse.

On Saturday 31st January I spent most of the day out and about. Hellesøy was rather quiet but did produce my first Starling stær of the year, a Woodcock rugde and good numbers of Blackbirds svarttrost.

A flock of five Redwing rødvingetrost at Hjelme fed in the frozen fields together with several Blackbirds svarttrost. Goodness knows what they are finding to eat under these hard frozen conditions. There seem to be plenty of ripe juniper berries but I almost never see any birds feeding on them.

Otherwise several Woodcock rugde, a couple each of Water Rail vannrikse and Snipe enkeltbekkasin seen here and there well off the beaten track at various places.

The first Greylags grågås of the year turned up at Tjeldstø where a (the?) second year Black-headed Gull hettemåke was also present.

Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Tjeldstø

Greylag grågås at Tjeldstø

Robin rødstrupe - although many have moved into gardens with feeders there are still some "out there" and seemingly coping with the far from ideal conditions

Sunday 2nd February was a fantastic day. It started with superb views of a Water Rail vannriskse I have been feeding and moved on from there. Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Woodcock rugde featured once again. A walk at Solberg proved very quiet with almost nothing to see other than a White-tailed Eagle havørn, though there was one of the first signs of spring - numbers of Great Black-backed Gulls svartbak had started to increase.

...just the most amazing feet:)

Water Rail vannrikse

Snipe enkeltbekkasin

Woodcock rugde

At Tjeldstø a Turnstone steinvender joined a couple of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt on one of the offshore islands but the highlight was a pod of Orcas feeding on what I presume must have been Herring sild. 

Orcas at Tjeldstø

On the way home a couple of Tufted Duck toppand turned up on Skjoldepollen. The male was straightforward but the female made me wonder for a bit as it showed some pro-Scaup bergand features - most notably the hint of pale in the cheek and a rather rounded head. The bill pattern and contrast between the back and sides swing it to Tufty for me.

Tufted Ducks toppand on Skjoldepollen