Skogsøy 26-27.04.2024 - Loonatic Season is upon us

I have now started a week off work:)

Both 26.04 and 27.04 were spent at Skogsøy, getting up ridiculously early to spend several hours staring out to sea. Not for everyone:)

Glorious weather both days, though lack of wind may have impacted the results a bit. Calm conditions and full on sunshine meant conditions were good for the birds at least. Well over 1000 birds passing on both days with plenty of interest although the number of "bananabills" remained low.

On Friday I forgot my sandwiches so had to sit there hungry for a number of hours. Rookie mistake. I did, however, have my coffee and other essentials.

Two Great Northern Diver islom on the sea were starting to moult and looked pretty good. Best birds were a male Goosander laksand - a rare species to see on migration in Øygarden and the first Great Skua storjo of the year - amazingly although all the big gulls fled a lone Common Gull fiskemåke had a go at it!

The first Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås of the year also put in an appearance. Generally speaking both the number and variety of species increased as is usual at this time of year.

Red throated Diver smålom N 433

Great Northern Diver islom N 1 2K

White Billed Diver gulnebblom N 2 adult

Northern Gannet havsule N 29, S 8

Great Cormorant storskarv N 31, S 10

Eurasian Shag toppskarv N 71. S 60

Greylag Goose grågås N 3, S 1

Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås N 38

Shelduck gravand N 1

Wigeon brunnakke N 4

Eider ærfugl N 4

Common Scoter svartand N 127, S 11

Velvet Scoter sjøorre N 9

Merganser siland N 33, S 4

Goosander laksand 1

Oystercatcher tjeld N 92

Eurasian Curlew storspove N 1

Great Skua storjo N 1

Black headed Gull hettemåke N 1

Common Gull fiskemåke N 130

Lesser black backed Gull sildemåke N 1

Common Guillemot lomvi N 3

Razorbill alke N 6

Atlantic Puffin lunde N 1

Auk N 23, S 2

The first Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås of the spring on their way north

Cormoran storskarv and Shag toppskarv comparison

The first Great Skua storjo of the year at Skogsøy. Amazingly after all the big gulls had left a Common Gull fiskemåke had a go at the bully

A few Greylags grågås still on the move, either non breeders o bird heading much further north. Some of the locals have chicks already

Still Oystercatchers tjeld heading north, well past the peak passage period

Shags toppskarv

A late Shelduck gravand heading north

Velvet Scoter sjøorre are staring to move now

The following morning I did exactly the same thing except that this time I remembered to take my sandwiches out of the fridge:). Rather fewer Red-throated Diver smålom but more of other stuff.  A couple of male Shoveler skjeand were the best sightings, one on its own early on then another with Mergansers siland later on. A couple of Whimbrel småspove, several Tufted Duck toppand  and two nice adult White-billed Divers gulnebblom were among the other highlights.

Teal krikkand N 2 ( a few more flying around)

Northern Shoveler skjeand N 2

Tufted Duck toppand N 10

Eider ærfugl N 8, S 2

Long tailed duck havelle N 8

Common Scoter svartand N 52, S 30

Velvet Scoter sjøorre N 1, S 2

Goldeneye kvinand N 2

Merganser siland N 34, S 4

Oystercatcher tjeld N 354

Whimbrel småspove N 2

Black headed Gull hettemåke N 1

Common Gull fiskemåke N 210

Lesser black backed Gull sildemåke N 2, S 2

Herring Gull gråmåke N 10

Common Guillemot lomvi N 1, S 1

Razorbill alke N 2

Black Guillemot teist N 1

Auk N 4

Common Sandpiper strandsnipe was another first for the year on the way home and a Goshawk hønsehauk put in an appearance too:)

Common Scoter svartand

Now into the overlap zone when both Curlew storspove and Whimbrel småspove are on the move. These two are Curlew stospove

Some of the Gannets havsule passed by close in as usual

2cy Great Northern Diver islom. Almost the easiest ID feature is the way it holds its head / bill

Guillemot lomvi

Good numbers of Oystercatcher tjeld on the move for this late in the season, although the local birds arrived ages ago Norway has a long coastline and it is still wintery further north.

Cormorant storskarv / Shag toppskarv comparison

White-billed Diver gulnebblom. This is what late April / early May is all about!

Goshawk hønsehauk on the way home

Brage and Vega 15 - 25 August 2021 - The Norwegian sector tour continues

 Some days close to the Brage platform produced little of interest, although a Great Skua storjo put on a good show on 15 August. Initially swimming on the sea next to the vessel it obviously upset a flock of Great Black-backed Gulls svartbak that were hanging around there. This changed to panic once the skua took to the wing:)

Sunrise at Brage

Some of the locals

Great Skua storjo

Vega also produced a lone Great Skua and a nice first year Ringed Plover sandlo spent the best part of a day onboard on 19 August. Generally very quiet though with just small numbers of Gannet havsule, Fulmar havhest, Kittiwake krykkje and Great Black-backed Gull svartbak. On 25 August a first year Arctic Tern rødnebbterne rested onboard during a period of strong northerly wind.

Fulmar havhest

Ringed Plover sandlo taking a rest onboard

Skogsøy 19 May 2020 - Another day, another seawatch

Northerly winds and sunny so predictably seawatching again.

The best birds today were a nice adult Long-tailed Skua fjelljo and a couple of flocks of Knot polarsnipe.

Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås

One of the Great Skuas storjo that passed

Raven ravn

Still reasonable numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom heading north

Red-throated Diver smålom followed by two Guillemots lomvi

Today's totals were:

Red throated Diver N	149
Northern Gannet N	32
Great Cormorant N	3
Great Cormorant S	1
Eurasian Shag N	5
Eurasian Shag S	24
Barnacle Goose N	64
Long tailed duck N	12
Common Scoter N	20
Merganser N	10
Oystercatcher N	10
Red Knot	23
Whimbrel N	1
Arctic Skua N	1
Long-tailed Skua N	1
Great Skua N	2
Common Gull N	47
Lesser black backed Gull N	1
Black-legged Kittiwake N	12
Arctic Tern N	23
Common Guillemot N	14
Razorbill N	16
Atlantic Puffin N	10
Auk N	23

On my way home I had to come to an abrupt stop to check out a raptor - a nice Peregrine vandrefalk causing havoc:)

Peregrine vandrefalk

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