Herdlevær 28 August 2019 - (almost) Before the weather breaks.....

With work to do in the morning I left it until the last minute before the forecast torrential rain hit. I almost made it but was thoroughly soaked on the way home.

Sanderlings sandløper

Fresh westerly winds with rapidly approaching clouds may have been responsible for putting down a few waders. Best of the bunch were four of this years Sanderling sandløper. Other waders were three Knot polarsnipe, a couple of Golden Plover heilo, four Redshank rødstilk, Snipe enkeltbekkasin, and a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe. The only other migrant was a Kestrel tårnfalk.

On the way home a few Whinchat buskskvett joined the usual Wheatears steinskvett at Kollsnes.

Hernar 20 August 2016 - Waders

Calm, hot and sunny.

A trip to Hernar was not part of the day's plans but it was a most welcome change. The island was full of birds but very quiet on the migration side of things. Good numbers of Twite bergirisk, Starling stær and most of the usual species. The only migrant passerine of any interest was a single juvenile Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

A selection of the commoner autumn waders flew over including a Greenshank gluttsnipe.

Juvenile Black Guillemot teist

Adult Black Guillemot teist

Curlew storspove and Whimbrel småspove in flight

Knot polarsnipe flock and a Dunlin myrsnipe

More Knot polarsnipe and Dunlin myrsnipe

Little Stint dvergsnipe

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt - first of the autumn

Sanderling sandløper

Shag toppskarv

One of several Turnstone steinvender seen today

Whimbrel småspove

The journey there and back proved rather more productive with 15 species of wader including a few flocks of Knot polarsnipe, a single Sanderling sandløper, the first Little Stint dvergsnipe of the year and the first Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt of the autumn. Other sightings included Black Guillemots teist, Peregrine vandrefalk and Kestrel tårnfalk.

A Merlin dvergfalk flew right past me as I left the shop at Tjeldstø.

01-07 December - Not birding in the UK

Spent a week catching up with family. Not really out much but the family are strategically placed so there were still some decent sightings.

Mediterranean Gull svartehavsmåke

Hopefully one of the next new species in Øygarden.

 Ringed Plover sandlo

Turnstone steinvender

Colour ringed Sanderling sandløper

A few half hour strolls outside the house at Newbiggin - the Med Gull svartehavsmåke capital of the NE - paid dividends: loads of Med Gulls, a few of which were ringed, including a colour ringed bird that without scope and time didn't get read...Other birds here inlcuded a colour ringed Sanderling sandløper among the decent numbers of waders on the shore, Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke, Merlin dvergfalk, Waxwing sidensvans and plenty more besides.

Grey Plover tundralo at Seahouses

Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove at Seahouses

Mistle Thrush duetrost at Bamburgh

Part of a decent flock of Linnet tornirisk at Stag Rocks, Bamburgh

Further north in the Bamburgh / Seahouses area there were plenty of birds to see too - including roadside Barn Owls tårnugle, Stonechat svartstrupe and good numbers of waders and wildfowl.

Birding Northumberland makes it all too easy...

Skogsøy 01 June 2012 - Chilly seawatch

Finally some birding time!

Sunny but very cold in the fresh northerly winds.

Wearing the same gear as in December with the exception of a warm hat- something that was sorely missed today.

 Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås

 Part of the Brent Goose ringgås flock

Heavily cropped record shot of the Sanderling sandløper

A fairly steady passage of birds throughout the four hours or so we sat there:

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne north ca 90
Kittiwake krykkje north 30
Pale-bellied Brent Goose ringgås north 30
Puffin lunde north 24
Gannet havsule north 20
Red-throated Diver smålom north 12
Razorbill alke north 9
Common Scoter svartand north 7, south 8
Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås north 7
Fulmar havhest north 5
Long-tailed Duck havelle north 2 (fairly late observation)
Common Guillemot lomvi north 4
Black guillemot teist north 2
Dunlin myrsnipe north 1
Sanderling sandløper north 1 (unusual spring sighting)
Arctic Skua tyvjo (dark phase) north 1

Elsewhere in Øygarden a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk was an encouraging sight.

Hernar 16 August 2011

Light westerlies with showers early on.

A decent morning in the field. Highlights at Hernar were the first Garden Warblers hagesanger in Øygarden this year and a fly-by Pinkfoot kortnebbgås - also the first in Øygargen this year.

Other migrants included a couple of Whinchat buskskvett, Greenshank gluttsnipe, an early Brambling bjørkefink and plenty of Willow Warbler løvsanger. At least 40 Twite bergirisk and most of the Hernar regulars meant there was lots to see most of the time.

 Dunlin myrsnipe

Pinkfoot kortnebbgås (right) with Greylag grågås

Sanderling sandløper

On the islands waders included several small flocks of Knot polarsnipe, several Dunlin myrsnipe and a Sanderling sandløper. A Merlin dvergfalk obviously had its eye on the waders too....

Back at Tjeldstø a flock of eight Swifts tårnseiler was the biggest flock thus far in 2011.

Herdlevær 01 September 2009 - Sanderlings

First year Sanderling sandløper
Two adult Sanderlings sandløper

Knot polarsnipe

Cormorant storskarv

This amazing looking caterpillar was HUGE

At Herdlevær a small flock of Knot polarsnipe were attacked by a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk as I tried to get close enough for photos. Also here were a few Sanderling sandløper, Ringed Plover sandlo, a Dunlin myrsnipe and a Redshank rødstilk.

Other than several Wheatear steinskvett there was little in the way of passerines at Herdlevær.

The first migrant Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper of the autumn turned up at Solberg.