Øygarden 01.11 - 05.11.2023 - Home office birding and drive-bys

The superb weather just keeps going. Largely sunny with light easterlies throughout. So once again good migration conditions and not the kind of weather to drop stuff down.

On 01 November birding was limited to a few minutes of drive-bys. With local frost freezing some of the fresh water overnight open water was at a premium and thus it was no surprse to find a couple of Scaup bergand along with a Tufted Duck toppand at Alvheim. Also here a relatively large flock of Mallard stokkand with two Wigeon brunnakke in tow. From the terrace a late Woodpigeon ringdue flew over and a Razorbill alke fed on the sea.

Two Scaup bergand and a Tufted Duck toppand at Alvheim

Wigeon brunnakke at Alvheim

On 02 November I didn't even leave the house but three late Oystercatcher tjeld, the usual White-tailed Eages havørn and an Otter were noted.

Pretty much the same story the next day too but with a female Blackcap munk in the garden and a Peregrine vandrefalk flying over at Sture.

During the weekend I managed a couple of walks at Herdlevær. On 04 November this resulted in a few new species for the locality this year in the form of a Slavonian (Horned) Grebe horndykker, Whooper Swans sangsvane and Bullfinches dompap. Black Guillemot teist, Twite bergirisk and Snipe enkeltbekkasin were among the other species seen. Back home a flyover Waxwing sidensvans was the the best bird. Amazingly Red Admiral admiral and plenty of bees and other insects still around - perhaps the term "Indian Summer" is applicable at the moment.

One of several Bullfinch dompap at Herdlevær. These birds are without doubt migrants (and a sometimes a "carrier" for a rather more exciting species)

Mallard stokkand

Otters are still pretty much daily, not often I bother photographing them  - this one at Nautnes

Slavonian Grebe horndykker at Herdlevær

Whoopers sangsvane at Herdlevær

The next day was quieter but a couple of Black Guillemot teist, a late Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple of Curlew storspove (overwinterers now arrived?), a Peregrine vandrefalk, Skylark sanglerke and more meant it was a very pleasant walk. My terrace at Nautnes produced a hunting Merlin dvergfalk and some light vis mig (Siskin grønnsisik, Goldfinch stillits, Woodpigeon ringdue, Meadow Pipit heipiplerke etc).

Still lots of Crossbills korsnebb about, those positively identified have been a mix of Parrot fuukorsnebb and Common grankorsnebb.

The Northern Lights showed a few times, the most notable display was on 05 November where my Pavlovian response was to spend some time on the terrace. Point and pray camera delivered nicely with a minimum of effort:)

Things started quietly and to be honest the camera captured the scene better than the naked eye.

Later on things geared up a notch or two and it was a sight to behold:)

Herdlevær 24 October 2019 - Jack Snipe at last

Strong southerly winds and overcast again.

I did the usual Herdlevær round again - still plenty of Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke and some thrushes and finches. Best bird was a nice Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin - a species that often turns up in wet and windy conditions.

At Hatten a flock of nine Two-barred Crossbills båndkorsbnebb turned up but were typically difficult to photograph in the tree tops where they were joined by a flock of at least 20 Brambling bjørkefink.

Common Scoter svartand from my terrace at Nautnes

Jay nøtteskrike at Hatten

A few of the Two-barred Crossbills båndkorsnebb

Whoopers sangsvane at Tjeldstø

Tjeldstø 23 February 2019 - A new species for Tjeldstø!

Strong southerly wind but mild and dry.

I did no birding today other than a quick stop a Tjeldstø on my way home from various errands. Highlight was a new species for Tjeldstø - Mute Swan knoppsvane! Four second year birds fed there and represent only the fifth record of this species for Øygarden. Not the most exciting of "rarities" but a very nice record indeed and takes the species list at Tjeldstø up to 212.

VJ3 is back and strutting his stuff again. He bred here last year and looks to be intent on doing the same this season. 

The first Mistle Thrush duetrost of the spring

There was plenty of other interest including a Mistle Thrush duetrost feeding in the fields (this seems to be the earliest ever in Øygarden), my first local Tufted Duck toppand of the year and plenty of Greylags grågås - a species that arrived the day after I left Øygarden last week....One of these birds was neck ringed and was a bird I first saw last spring at the same locality. I checked it out on geese.org and very interestingly this bird was observed in Holland back on  20 January this year. It was first seen at Tjeldstø on 21.02.

A rare sight this winter - a young Whooper sangsvane accompanying its parents. Thus far this winter there have only been adults in Øygarden. Not an encouraging sign. Note the female Tufted Duck toppand to the left in the bottom picture.

There were also quite a few Whoopers sangsvane about - including the first immature bird I have seen in Øygarden this winter.

Working on various things outside my house I had the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn and a flyover Skylark sanglerke in addition to the usual stuff at the feeders.

Hjelme Vest 20 March 2018 - The thaw continues

Absolutely cracking weather, mild, warm AND calm.

Insects were hatching today (even saw a moth this evening) and although the lakes are frozen the ground itself and the boggy bits that haven't been drained yet had a good thaw today. There is hope!

Spent much of the day at home with my youngest today but did manage to check out Hjelme Vest under almost ideal conditions - flat calm and bright. I was rather late so the sun gave problems towards the south.

Several Gannet havsule were close in today....

There was nothing out of the ordinary really apart from some Gannets havsule that were closer in than they tend to be at this locality. A flock of at least 85 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt was typical for the time of year -numbers often increase now. A minimum of five Black Guillemot teist, a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, one each of Guillemot lomvi and Razorbill alke along with around 40 Long-tailed Duck havelle were also present.

Grey Seal havert, Otter, White-tailed Eagle havørn, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke, a couple of Curlew storspove and a few flocks of resting Oystercatcher tjeld were among the other species seen.

Survivor - this bird has spent much of the latter part of the winter on its own. Its parents showed it a good place to try before the cold set in for real and it has stuck to it when all the other swans left. It now looks like this tactic has worked - in a day or two this swan's problems should be over. Now it is back at a more traditional place and with mild conditions forecast it should be fine...

Elsewhere Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a selection of the usual spring migrants were seen. The orphaned Whooper sangsvane was at Tjeldstø waiting for the thaw - it looks like this bird has made it on his own through the much of the winter. It is quite likely that the dead adult (still being eaten) at Tjeldstø is one of its parents....

Øygarden 01 March 2018 - Cracking weather unless you have a long probing bill

Freezing calm and sunny.

Fantastic weather for humans, less so for those creatures who like to find their food in the upper layer of the soil. Calm and sunny but frozen. It did not feel cold but it never got warm enough to thaw much even in the middle of the day.

Took a lazy walk at Skogsøy but the lagoons which were the target area today were pretty much frozen. Just a couple of Whoopers sangsvane along with the usual duck. Over the sea a solitary Gannet havsule, a single White-tailed Eagle havørn and not a lot else were to be seen.

Fieldfare gråtrost

Redwing rødvingetrost

Starling stær - probably a returning migrant and quite possibly the only time this year I will bother photographing this rather photogenic species.

A drive-by at Herdlevær gave perhaps the best photographic opportunities of the day with Starling stær, Redwing rødvingetrost and Fieldfare gråtrost feeding on a patch of ground that looked like it had a chance of thawing.

Snipe enkeltbekkasin are having a hard time of things now

Most of the Whooper sangsvane family

Whoopers sangsvane

Tjeldstø was rather better with a family of Whoopers sangsvane, at least two Woodcock rugde, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a fly-over Greylag grågås and many of the usual suspects.

Another Woodcock rugde turned up very close to my house at Nautnes. They will start dying very soon if the weather remains as cold as is forecast.....

Øygarden 17 March 2017 - Bad weather, good bird and some more new in.

Westerly gale with heavy wintery showers - not the most comfortable of conditions!

Took a quick look at a few localities which proved to be quite rewarding.

The first Ringed Plover sandlo of the year was back at the usual place - always nice to see.

Female Goosander laksand - something approaching a rarity in Øygarden

By far the best bird of the day was a female Goosander laksand at Heggøy. This species is almost annual in Øygarden but probably under recorded - Heggøy has hosted this species before. This species is perhaps most often in winter during colder periods where they may be forced to the coast.

Siskin grønnsisik in the garden

A male Siskin grønnsisik in my garden at Nautnes was the first one I have seen locally this year although they were reported from Sture earlier in the year.

Another noteworthy sighting was a Gannet havsule at Tjeldstø - no doubt forced down the fjord by the strong onshore winds. A decent variety of stuff here with a male Teal krikkand, several Lapwing vipe and most of the usual.

Whooper swan sangsvane family at Solberg

Small numbers of Whoopers sangsvane still knocking about here and there - it won't be long now before they move away.

The Heron gråhegre roost at Dåvøy was down to 34 birds today - possibly due to some now seeming to be moving into breeding mode....

Tjeldstø 12 January 2017 - Bad weather = Good birds

Strong Westerly gale with heavy hail showers.

Adult Glaucous Gull polarmåke, Tjeldstø

Not the most pleasant of weather but yesterday's optimism/prediction came true with a nice adult Glaucous Gull polarmåke as the best sighting at Tjeldstø. There are surely more white-winged gulls about....

Whitefronts tundragås, the two birds on the left are young.

The Whitefronts tundragåss (albifrons) were about again and feeding in the fields at Harkestad and the Scaup bergand remained on Husvatnet where there were also six adult and three young Whoopers sangsvane.

One of the two Greylags grågås at Breivik - they haven't managed to pull in anything more interesting yet

Probably the same Whooper sangsvane family that has been in northern Øygarden all winter

....and all the Whoopers sangsvane present at Tjeldstø today

Didn't have time to do much else,,,,,