Herdlevær & Tjeldstø 27 April 2025 - More goodies

Having promised my better half breakfast in bed I had a bit of a late and lazy start. Still managed to see quite a bit of interest:)

On my way to Herdlevær I had the first Sand Martins sandsvale of the year at Husvatnet along with the lone Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås. At Breivik a nice Mistle Thrush duetrost and an obvious arrival of thrushes, White wagtails linerle and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke.

Fieldfare gråtrost at Breivik

Mistle Thrush duetrost at Breivik

Herdlevær produced my first Common Sandpiper strandsnipe of the year and several other new species for this locality for the year - including several flocks of Barnacle Geese hvitkingås heading north. A couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and at least three Otters oter were also seen here. A noticeable increase in the numbers of White Wags and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke here too.

Otter with catch

White-tailed Eagle havørn eyeing up the Otter with catch

A rather dark White Wagtail linerle, probably the same dark individual I saw in the same place a week ago

A quick check at Husvatnet on the way home was well worth it with a pair of Pochard taffeland present, predictably popular with year listers. It's been a while since this species last turned up in northern Øygarden.

Pochard taffeland on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

Sand Martin sandsvale - pictures taken with point and pray whilst waiting for the main attraction to come a bit closer

Similarly tried for flight shots of Swallow låvesvale with the point and pray.

Øygarden 29 April 2024 - Hirundine arrival

Today I checked a few localities on a day with strong southerly winds and some light rain.

Small numbers of Black-headed Gulls hettemåke fed in fields here and there. 

At Tjeldstø a Hawfinch kjernebiter turned up alongside a flock of Brambling bjørkefink.

Several Swallows låvesvale at Dåvøy were joined by the first House Martin taksvale of the year and a Sand Martin sandsvale showed at Solberg where five Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt also put in an appearance. 

Raptor wise is was back to just White-tailed Eagles havørn with several seen.

A Common Sandpiper strandsnipe on the shore in front of my house was the first at Nautnes this year-

Tjeldstø and Kollsnes 30 April 01 May 2020 - Back to drive-bys

Back to drive-by birding again.

Greenshank gluttsnipe at Kollsnes

On 30 April I picked up my first Sand Martin sandsvale of the year at Tjeldstø and had two Greenshank gluttsnipe at Kollsnes.

A brief stop at Tjeldstø on 01 May gave a Hawfinch kjernebiter as the best bird.

Herdlevær 21 April 2019 - Fall conditions

Finally a dull and very slightly wet start to a day.

Jackdaw kaie

Pied Wagtail svartryggerle

I opted for a short walk at Herdlevær which produced the first Jackdaw kaie of the year, my first local Goshawk hønsehauk of the year, a Pied Wagtail svartryggerle and a selection of the usual migrants.

On my way to Herdlevær I stopped at Husvatnet where a flock of seven Sand Martin sandsvale were the first of the year as was a lone Whimbrel småspove.

Greylag grågås VJ3 is still in the area.....

Tjeldstø 02 June 2011

Overcast with occasional light drizzle, light SW

A quick stroll around the reserve produced little new with a female Merlin dvergfalk making a pass at some Meadow Pipits heipiplerke as the highlight. A Sand Martin sandsvale or two joined the Swallows låvesvale feeding over Husvatnet and the Reed Bunting sivspurv was singing again after a long period of silence.

White Wagtail linerle with a big beakfull of bugs for its young

Otherwise it was very much business as usual.