Skogsøy 13 November 2022 - Less about the seawatching

 Strong southerly winds, overcast and with light drizzle most of the time I was seawatching.

Today was much more about what was seen away from the seawatching than what was going on migration wise. A Dipper fossekall, the second for Skogsøy (the first was in January this year) was out close to the lookout point - an unusual location but there is plenty of food in those pools:)

On my way back in a fly-by Short-eared Owl jordugle, three Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb and three Slavonian Grebes horndykker were the best finds.

November is a good month to see migrating Dipper fossekall in Øygarden

Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb, Skogsøy 

The bay at Skogsøy, the slav grebes should be visible in here somewhere

Slavonian Grebes horndykker came swimming over from Herdlevær

I sat from 0930-1110 and had a decent passage of gulls (mostly Herring Gulls gråmåke, Common Gulls fiskemåke and Kittiwake krykkje) and Common Scoter svartand plus a Red-throated Diver smålom, a late Oystercatcher tjeld and a few Velvet Scoter sjøorre. Most stuff passed very close in indeed - visibility was awful and it was not possible to see very far.

Migrating Common Gulls fiskemåke

Many Common Scoter svartand headed south at close range today

Herring Gull gråmåke (picture taken with the new superzoom, the rest of the flight shots with an older DSLR)

Kittiwake krykkje

Velvet Scoter sjøorre

On the way home I picked up a Goshawk hønsehauk hunting thrushes at Kollsnes. At Tjeldstø best sightings were a male Blackcap munk, a few Snipe enkeltbekkassin, three Whoopers sangsvane and a selection of duck including a few Wigeon brunnakke and a Teal krikkand.

Back home the latest ever Linnet tornirisk to be recorded in Øygarden fed in my garden:)

The latest Linnet tornirisk ever recorded in Øygarden

Also shows why "weeds" are so important to wild birds.

The first ever video with the new camera:)

Skogsøy 15 May 2020 - Skuas on the move again

Another day of NW winds. Feeling rather cold and wintery despite my thermal overalls.

Once again it was seawatching that was the name of the game. 14 Poms polarjo, six Arctic Skua tyvjo and four Great Skua storjo were the highlights but still good numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom, Kittiwake krykkje and Long-tailed Duck havelle passing.

Dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo (left) with two Poms polarjo

Dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo (left) with two Poms polarjo

 When you see these two species together it is difficult to understand how the two can be confused. But I certainly don't manage to ID every skua that passes.....

Two Poms, an Arctic Skua and a Grey Seal

The Barnacles hvitkinngås passed at close range again on their way north

Two of the Great Skua storjo that passed today.

I have to admit I prefer the name of Bonxie that I grew up with.....

Guillemot lomvi illustrating why a Brunniches might be difficult to claim.

So often the light makes it look like they have a white line running down the bill - at this range this is not a problem when the underwing etc etc can be seen but further out they are probably overlooked

Another decent day for Long-tailed Duck havelle - strong headwinds are a pre-requisite for larger numbers of these birds

Still Mergansers siland heading north

POMS!! Polarjo.

Along with White-billed Diver these are highlight of the spring. And this year I was at home AND seawatching:)

Velvet Scoter sjørre 

In almost six hours I had the following passing:

Red throated Diver N	137
Red throated Diver S	1
Black throated Diver N	1
White Billed Diver N	2
Northern Gannet N	73
Northern Gannet S	20
Eurasian Shag N	7
Eurasian Shag S	12
Barnacle Goose N	14
Eider S	2
Long tailed duck N	162
Common Scoter N	23
Velvet Scoter N	11
Merganser N	4
Oystercatcher N	33
Whimbrel N	2
Pomarine Skua N	14
Arctic Skua N	6
Great Skua N	4
Common Gull N	1
Black-legged Kittiwake N	71
Arctic Tern N	13
Common Guillemot N	27
Common Guillemot S	1
Razorbill N	8
Atlantic Puffin N	1
Auk N	11

Engerdal and Oslo 18.02-23.02 - New species for Engerdal!

I spent a few days up in Engerdal where the weather was mildly put, variable.

Golden Eagles kongeørn

On arrival on 18.02 the best sighting were three Golden Eagles kongeørn circling overhead. The usual Dipper fossekall and garden birds including better numbers of finches than normal in wintertime. Siskin grønnsisik, Common Redpoll gråsisik and a few pairs of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb were also in the garden.

Common Redpoll gråsisik

Parrot Crossbills bånkorsnebb

An afternoon skiing trip in glorious sunshine on 19.02 produced all three species of Crossbill - all in pairs and some singing. I could not remember having seen Two-barred båndkorsnebb in the area before so went into the reporting system to check. It turned out that no-one has recorded the species in Engerdal before. Although not in the reporting system it is highly unlikely that this species has not been seen before here.

I slogged up a hill in a snowstorm on 20.02 notching up more Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb and a nice male Black Grouse orrfugl.

It was a cold and windy day on 21.02 and a walk at Drevsjø in conjunction with a shopping trip produced a nice male Capercaille storfugl flying over.

Female Black Woodpecker svartspett playing hide and seek

Part of a flock of Mute Swans knoppsvane that flew over

Velvet Scoter sjøorre

Back in Oslo on 23.02 we took an afternoon trip to Gressholmen, thinking that we would cover at least one of the other islands but ended up using up our time on a feeding female Black Woodpecker svartspett. Not much else of note other than the first Starling stær I've seen in Oslo this year and a few small flocks of Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

Hernar 06 June 2019 - Corncrake catch up

I spent a couple of hours on my favourite island before work, so a price had to be paid later in the day.

The island was full of birds but without anything particularly surprising. A Yellow Wagtail gulerle was perhaps the most unexpected find. However, best birds were two "singing" Corncrakes åkerrikse.

Several newly fledged Fieldfare gråtrost were being fed by their parents

Gannet havsule

A Redpoll brunsisik in the garden when I got home had a lot of white in the streaks on its back - something I normally associate with Mealy (Common) Redpoll, but still plenty of buff in the wing-bar.

Overflying Red-throated Diver smålom

Snipe enkeltbekkasin keeping watch

Obligatory Hernar Twite bergirisk shots......

Velvet Scoter sjøorre

Wheatears steinskvett also have plenty of young to feed

A Peregrine vandrefalk, the usual Twite bergirisk, Cuckoo gjøk, a few Sedge Warbler sivsanger and a flock of five Red-throated Diver smålom flying overhead were among the other sightings.

A pair of Velvet Scoter sjøorre on the sea together with a couple of Common Scoter svartand were the only ducks seen.