Herdlevær 29 September - YBW everywhere

 Forecast was wall to wall rain. As often happens in costa del Øygarden this rain barely happened.

I was prepared for the worst but in the end barely even did my jacket up when it did rain briefly.

At Herdlevær there were at least five Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger. Other good birds included at least one Lapland Bunting lappspurv, Grey Plover tundralo and Grey Wagtail vintererle. Generally plenty of birds about with a few Chiff-chaff gransanger, small numbers of Ringed Plover sandlo, Golden Plover heilo, Dunnocks jernspurv  among the usual autumn fare. Small flocks of Wigeon brunnakke and Teal krikkand rested on the ponds there.

A couple of shots of a cracking little warbler.....

One the way home a short look at Breivik / Kollnes produced my first Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin of the autumn, a decent flock of Twite bergirisk, several Skylark and a flock of 40 Meadow Pipit heipiplerke. 34 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås fed in the fields there.

Last stop was Sæle where at least two more Yellow-broweds were very active, along with at least six Blackcap munk, four Chiff-chaff gransanger and a flock of eight Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis among other things.

Hernar 03 November 2016 - A good but "normal" day on the island

Light SE, some cloud but mostly sunny.

Three Black Guillemot teist

Common Scoter svartand were the commonest bird today.

Interesting to see the bird lagging behind in the middle picture is entangled in some fishing line or similar

Great Northern Diver islom #1

Great Northern Diver islom #2

A couple of the many Goldfinch stillits on the island

Heron gråhegre

Little Auk alkekonge heading south over land

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

Waxwings sidensvans

A decent morning on the island, no real rarities but plenty of "fillers" with a decent tally for the time of year - at least 45 species. Best birds included a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker, a Lapland Bunting lappspurv (scarce this autumn), Waxwings sidensvans, Goldfinch stillits, a couple of Great Northern Diver islom and at least three Water Rail vannrikse.

Otherwise good numbers of Common Scoter svartand, a single Little Auk alkekonge over land, White-tailed Eagles havørn, Long-tailed Ducks havelle, Velvet Scoter sjøorre, a Chiff-chaff gransanger and most of the usual species.

A Woodcock rugde turned up at Nautnes in the afternoon.

Hernar 15 September 2016 - First Sibes of the autumn

Light ESE breeze, hot and sunny.

There were a massive five birders to cover Hernar today - almost a record! Weather was too nice to ground a lot of stuff but the island produced a decent selection of autumn migrants. Highlight was a Richards Pipit tartarpiplerke that flew around a couple of times. A Lapland Bunting lappspurv was probably the next best thing. There were lots of the usual common birds on the island as well as migrants passing over.

Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper

Typical flight shot of Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke

White-tailed Eagle havørn

A selection of the usual warblers, a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper (actually the first I've seen in Øygarden this year), various finches including a flock of at least 40 Twite bergirisk and at least one Brambling bjørkefink were also present. Sand Martin sandsvale, Reed Bunting sivspurv both flew over. Among the birds resting and feeding there were a few Song Thrush måltrost, some small flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost, several Fieldfare gråtrost and plenty of Blackbird svarttrost.

Four species of raptor were recorded - but just the usual Øygarden suspects - White-tailed Eagle havørn, Peregrine vandrefalk, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk and Kestrel tårnfalk.

Waders included a small flock of Knot polarsnipe and a Redshank rødstilk.

All in something approaching 50 species. The only fly in the ointment was that at least one, if not two Hawk Owls haukugle were seen further south in Øygarden and a much needed Øygarden species for me went into the nets at Herdlevær - a Little Bunting dvergspurv.

Skogsøy 26 April 2015 - More White-bills and some guiding

Fresh south westerly winds and sunny

Gannet havsule

Part of a Red-throated Diver smålom flock

Massively cropped record shot of one of the White-billed Divers gulnebblom

Almost obligatory White-tailed Eagle havørn picture

Not exactly the best conditions for spring seawatching but I spent a few hours out there anyway - and was not disappointed. Highlights were the first Arctic Skua tyvjo of the year and a fly-over Lapland Bunting lappspurv.

Red-throated Diver smålom: 54N
White-billed Diver gulnebblom: 2N
Gannet havsule: 19N
Cormorant storskarv: 7N, 1S
Shag toppskarv: 2N
Long-tailed Duck havelle: 37N
Common Scoter svartand: 21N
Velvet Scoter sjøorre: 2N
Oystercatcher tjeld: 3N
Arctic Skua tyvjo: 1N (pale phase)
Common Gull fiskemåke: 10N
Kittiwake krykkje: 2N

Golden Eagle kongeørn

One of many Ring Ousel ringtrost seen today

The afternoon was spent guiding near Bergen. Highlights were a big arrival of Ring Ousel ringtrost in Gullfjell and a couple of fly over Golden Eagles kongeørn over Unneland.

Øygarden 02 May 2012 - Missing stuff....

Fresh northerly winds but sunny.

The last few days have been good with more diver migrations past Skogsøy, another Crane trane, Golden Eagle kongeørn, the first Arctic Skuas tyvjo and Whimbrel småspove etc etc.

Above and below:  Lapland Longspur lappspurv at Breivik

 Pinkfoot kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø

Rook kornkråke at Skogsøy

Still really struggling to get out and about but managed a quick dash round a few localities today - good birds present at all stops!

At Solberg a second year Great Northern Diver islom headed north and a Peregrine vandrefalk flew past.

Husvatnet at Tjeldstø produced a lone Pinkfoot kortnebbgås.

A drive by at Herdlevær/Skogsøy connected with the Rook kornkråke that has been hanging around there since 29.04.

At Breivik a cracking male Lapland Longspur lappspurv gave excellent views.

Herdlevær 24 March 2012 - End of the "bombehagen"?

Even better weather than yesterday. Cloudless, sunny skies and a very light northerly breeze.

The day started off even better than anticipated with the first rarity of the spring - a Black Redstart svartrødstjert. It looked more like a female than an adult male but sang repeatedly - not sure whats going on there.

A fly over Lapland Longspur lappspurv which called repeatedly was rather earlier than usual and would appear to be the first March record for Øygarden! Other migrants included a small flock of Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, Golden Plover heilo, Skylark sanglerke and the first Reed Bunting sivspurv of the year.

A very brief look at the sea showed that although there was some migration (Oystercatcher tjeld, Common Gull fiskemåke and Red-throated Diver smålom) the passage was much reduced compared to yesterday.

 This Black Redstart svartrødstjert was obviously having a good day at Herdlevær - so much so that it sang repeatedly.

On the way back to the car I found the best rarity garden in Øygarden (and probably the county of Hordaland) in a rather different state than usual. The trees are being heavily cut back and / or removed and another house will be built there. This is surely the end of this gardens magical rarity pulling power. This garden has had Isabelline Shrike rødhalevarsler, Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger and much, much more besides - perhaps the old "bombehagen" at Herdlevær will take over the title of best rarity garden in Øygarden?

Beginning of the end for the best rarity garden in Øygarden?

We can but hope that the new house also gets a productive garden.....but this will no doubt take at least a few years.

Tjeldstø 12 September 2011 - Lap Bunting

Strong southerly winds and heavy rain.

Highlights today were a Black-throated diver storlom flying over the reserve and at least one Lapland Longspur lappspurv - the first of the autumn.

At least 45 Golden Plover heilo, 12+ Snipe enkeltbekkasin, some small flocks of Wigeon brunnakke and Teal krikkand and a White-tailed Eagle havørn were among the other birds seen.

Øygarden 10 September

Lapland Longspur lappspurv
Golden Plover heilo

A couple of hours out and about in the afternoon produced the first Lapland Longspur lappspurv of the autumn at Breivik and a Yellow Wagtail gulerle at Herdlevær.

At Tjeldstø there were over 30 Golden Plover heilo and a Kestrel tårnfalk.

Herdlevær 20 April 2010 - More lap buntings

Highlights were a couple of Lapland Longspur lappspurv that dropped in - something I've always suspected should happen as the vegetation out in the heaths to the north of the island resemble the Hardangervidda quite a bit.

All the other sightings of any note came as we were leaving - a Kestrel tårnfalk hunting over Skogsøy, a Shelduck gravand landing on the sea near Breivik and a Swallow låvesvale flying over.

Back at Tjeldstø a pair of Wigeon brunnakke were new in

Tjeldstø 19 April 2010 - Lapland Longspur

Lapland Longspur lappspurv

Rather springlike after some shock snowfall early in the morning.

Best bird was a Lapland Longspur lappspurv well on the way to acquiring breeding plumage.

Otherwise very much business as usual with geese congregating after eagle flyovers, Reed Bunting sivpsurv, Linnets tornirisk etc.