Light winds and mostly dry, some sunny spells and a couple of heavy showers.
Another guiding trip to Herdla, the intention was to cover this locality and then move on elsewhere. However, it took all day to cover Herdla properly. There was plenty to see with the undoubted highlight being a first year Citrine Wagtail sitronerle which suddenly turned up but was hard to follow as it chased pipits around. It gave good views in the scope when it appeared out of the grass it was feeding in and called repeatedly in flight.
We were also treated to repeated aerial acrobatic displays by two young Peregrines vandrefalk - they seemed just to be playing and did not hunt at all - though there was some evidence that they had been feeding on waders. A few White-tailed Eagles havørn were present on and off throughout the day.
As expected waders were the focus with 14 species including a couple of Little Stint dvergsnipe, two Sanderling sandløper, singles of Knot polarsnipe and Turnstone steinvender and around 25 Bar-tailed Godwits lappspove. By far the most numerous wader was Ringed Plover sandlo. Ruff brushane and Dunlin myrsnipe gave the best views as the fed in the grass.
All in over 50 species so a great day out.
A Nutcracker nøttekråke flying over the road on the way home was a nice bonus bird!
Another guiding trip to Herdla, the intention was to cover this locality and then move on elsewhere. However, it took all day to cover Herdla properly. There was plenty to see with the undoubted highlight being a first year Citrine Wagtail sitronerle which suddenly turned up but was hard to follow as it chased pipits around. It gave good views in the scope when it appeared out of the grass it was feeding in and called repeatedly in flight.
One of the many Bar-tailed Godwits lappspove present
Here showing darker upper tail coverts
Most features visible in this shot
Full pale border around the face dark lateral crown string.
Two broad white wing bands and broad white edges to tertials
White undertail coverts showing well here
All black bill
Citrine Wagtail sitronerle
We were also treated to repeated aerial acrobatic displays by two young Peregrines vandrefalk - they seemed just to be playing and did not hunt at all - though there was some evidence that they had been feeding on waders. A few White-tailed Eagles havørn were present on and off throughout the day.
As expected waders were the focus with 14 species including a couple of Little Stint dvergsnipe, two Sanderling sandløper, singles of Knot polarsnipe and Turnstone steinvender and around 25 Bar-tailed Godwits lappspove. By far the most numerous wader was Ringed Plover sandlo. Ruff brushane and Dunlin myrsnipe gave the best views as the fed in the grass.
All in over 50 species so a great day out.
A Nutcracker nøttekråke flying over the road on the way home was a nice bonus bird!
