Øygarden 28.10 - 02.11.2024 - Insect eating Snow Bunting

My first trip out on my return to Øygarden from the east of Norway was to Hellesøy - two Woodlark trelerke had been there up to and including the day I travelled home.

No sign of the larks but a confiding Snow Bunting snøspurv gave great views. As would be expected thus bird was mostly eating seeds in an area of waste ground. However, it also caught and ate some kind of beetle/weevil.

First it catches sight of the bug....

...grabs it

Starts dismantling it....

...and finally swallows it

Snow Bunting snøspurv at Hellesøy

There were generally quite a few birds about with migrants such as Blackcap munk, Goldcrest fuglekonge and plenty of the usual thrushes and finches.

I also visited Hellesøy briefly the following day in damp and overcast conditions. The Snow Bunting snøspurv remained and again there were plenty of other migrants included a couple of Chiff-chaff gransanger, Goldcrests fuglekonge and a flock of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Goldfinches stillits at Dåvøy

Goldfinch stillits tearing apart a thistle

Snow Bunting snøspurv at Hellesøy

A few other very brief drive-bys showed there was plenty about with Blackcap munk, Woodpigeons ringdue and yet more thrushes. Rather frustrating to not be out more.....

On 30th October I squeezed in my usual round at Herdlevær where a Merlin dvergfalk and a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt were the best sightings.

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt at Herdlevær

The first Whoopers sangsvane of the autumn turned up at Tjeldstø and a Rock Pipit skjæpiplerke fed in my driveway. Sparrowhawks spurvehauk obviously on the move - no doubt following the large numbers of thrushes passing through.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in my driveway

The next couple of days I was barely away from the computer but Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke seemed to be on the move with birds turning up away from their usual spots. Five minutes at Tjeldstø produced a few Kittiwake krykkje heading up the fjord into strong winds and a Razorbill alke landed on the sea.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke in a driveway at Hellesøy

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Herdlevær

Finally it was the weekend again and I spent a couple of hours seawatching at Skogsøy, several Great Northern Divers islom passed and another fed on the sea. A Little Auk alkekonge was amazingly the first of the year for me. Small numbers of the usual seaduck (Velvet Scoter sjøorre, Common Scoter svartand and Long-tailed Ducks havelle) headed south as did a selection of gulls including Kittiwakes krykkje and Black-headed Gulls hettemåke.

Great Northern Diver islom with an interesting looking fish at Skogsøy

Kittiwake krykkje

Long-tailed Duck havelle

A late Dunnock jernspurv was seen on my way out to the seawatch

A brief stop at Sture on the way home produced a Chiff-chaff gransanger feeding a mixed flock of tits.

Øygarden 24.09-30.09.2024 - High hopes

I was quite optimistic to be home in Øygarden during the last week of September. Work put a massive brake on things as usual, there were plenty of birds about but nothing mega.

A couple of hours out on 24.09 produced just a few late(ish) Ruff brushane at Brevik, some decent flocks of Starling stær, Chiff-chaffs gransanger, Blackcaps munk and the usual.

Two of the three Ruff brushane at Breivik

I found this Toad in a bucket on my terrace, no idea how it managed to climb in or how long it had been there but I set it free in the garden where I hope it will eat a few pests before it hibernates:)

The next day I did my usual round at Herdlevær where things were quiet until they weren't. I'd seen little of note until a Snow Bunting snøspurv turned up right in front of me. As soon as I started trying to take pictures a Merlin dvergfalk and a Grey Wagtail vintererle flew over simultaneously, closely followed by a Grey Plover tundralo. Back home to work where I had a Jay nøtteskrike flying over, a Grey Plover tundralo on the shore and a White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Grey Plover tundralo at Nautnes

Snow Bunting snøspurv at Herdlevær

On 26 September I spent the morning on Hernar - WAY too long since I last managed to get there. My first Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger of the autumn was the best bird. There was plenty to see with good numbers of Brambling bjørkefink (100+), Twite bergrisik (30++), a Water Rail vannrikse or two, most of the usual thrushes and finches, a couple of Grey Wagtail vintererle, several Reed Bunting sivspurv, a couple of Swallows låvesvale and plenty more. A great morning in great company with Bert de Bruin and Roald Hatten:)

After this I was not really out in any meaningful way.

Skogsøy 24 March 2024 - More than 1100 on the move

Sunny with fresh northerly winds

I spent a few hours seawatching at Skogsøy, slow going on the way out as there was some light frost.

Plenty of movement and a typical early spring day with Oystercatcher tjeld and Common Gull fiskemåke dominating. A Carrion Crow svartkråke headed out to sea shortly after dawn and a couple of Snow Bunting snøspurv headed north. A couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn flew over and were harassed by the local Raven ravn pair.

Red throated Diver smålom N 3

Northern Gannet havsule N 15

Great Cormorant storskarv N 14, S 1

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 9, S 120

Greylag Goose grågås N 1

Eider ærfugl S 12

Long tailed duck havelle N 3, S 1

Merganser siland  N 2, S 1

Oystercatcher tjeld N 518

Common Gull fiskemåke N 319

Lesser black backed Gull sildemåke N 2

Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje N 2

Common Guillemot lomvi N 4, S 3

Black Guillemot teist N 1

Auk N 49, S 65. Undoubtedly a lot more than this, rather distant.

On the way home a short stop at Husvatnet showed that Greylag grågås numbers had suddenly increased to 80 - a big arrival during the last day or two.

Today I took my "proper" camera rather than the point and pray with me.

Common Gulls fiskemåke

Cormorants storskarv

Gannet havsule

Great Black-backed Gull svartbak

Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke

Oystercatchers tjeld

Hernar 29 March 2023 - All day gamble

Today I took the day off work and visited Hernar for the first time this year. The weather forecast was good and there was wall to wall sunshine all day.

First arrival at Hernar 2023:)

With the conditions over the last few days I was in no way certain there would be much about but with no meetings or other commitments I took the chance to be out all day:)

The first round of the island was hectic with Goldfinch stillits, Pied Wagtail svartryggerle, a flock of 10 Snow Buntings snøspurv and a flock of Woodpigeon ringdue seen. Things slowed down after that but I ended up on about 36 species which is pretty much the Hernar average away from the autumn.

One of the Snipe enkeltbekkasin on the island

Snow Buntings snøspurv - a typical early spring migrant but always a joy to see.

One of only two White-tailed Eagles havørn seen on the island today

..and a couple of short videos:

Other migrants included a few Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Woodcock rugde (though both these species may have been overwintering birds), lots of Blackbirds svarttrost, a couple of Goldcrest, the first Chiff-chaff gransanger of the spring, migrating Skylark sanglerke and more.

The sea was a bit on the quiet side with only small numbers of seaduck present. 

A number of the local breeders were holding territory - Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke, Oystercatcher tjeld, Greylags grågås, Starling stær and more. At least one pair of Greenfinch grønnfink were busy with nest building.

I misjudged two things - the state of my camera battery and the whereabouts of my spare battery. Shortly after taking pictures of the Snow Buntings my camera died. However, in true Hernar style help was on hand and I managed to recharge the battery:)

Øygarden 28 March 2023 - How do they cope?

Snow most of the day, sludd/rain after work.

Spent the day trying to catch up with work stuff and just did a few very quick drive-bys after I logged off in the evening.

Despite the atrocious conditions there was something to see at each stop. A few Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Tjeldstø, a Pied Wagtail svartryggerle at Ådnevika and a Snow Bunting snøspurv at Kollsnes. I still got soaked even though I didn't even get out of the car.

Migrants that arrive early always run the risk of meeting adverse conditions. Today it was hard to watch.

Pied Wagtail svartryggerle

Three Snipe enkeltbekkasin

Snow Bunting snøspurv

Snipe enkelbekkasin

Snow Bunting snøspurv

Pied Wagtail svartryggerle

 

Skogsøy 04 October 2021 - Snow Bunting

Strong gale from south, largely sunny but some short showers.

Today I opted to use the hide, very comfortable given the conditions and made seawatching possible if not actually ideal:)

The best bird was actually very close to the hide in the form of the first Snow Bunting snøspurv of the autumn. 

In the period 10:20 - 12:15 I had the following:

Gannet havsule, 39S, 20N

Red-throated Diver smålom 43S

Razorbill alke S 1

Common Gull fiskemåke S 19

Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke S 2 adult

Herring Gull gråmåke S 3

GBBG svartbak 3S

Cormorant storskarv S2

Skua sp (Arctic / Pom) 1N (very distant)

Wader (small and pale) 2S

Guillemot lomvi 2S

Common Scoter svartand 8S

Auk 3S

Kittiwake krykkje 10S, 1 1cy N

Gannet havsule

Snow Bunting snøspurv

Looking for gold at the end of the rainbow...

Random view on the way back home