Tjeldstø 15 January 2019 - Another new year tick for the county

Brisk North westerly winds, mostly sunny

Awoke to a thin covering of snow which quickly melted.

Spent the day working from home and only made a brief foray out. From the house during telephone calls etc I picked up Curlew storspove, White-tailed Eagle havørn etc.

One of four Collared Dove tykerdue at Tjeldstø today

The first Song Thrush måltrost of the year

At Tjeldstø the highlight was the first Song Thrush måltrost for Øygarden (and the county of Hordaland) this year. This is a regular but scarce winter visitor which I see most winters.

Other stuff here included four Collared Dove tyrkerdue and three White-tailed Eagles havørn. Judging by the way the local Hoodies kråke were behaving there was probably a more interesting raptor about too (Goshawk or Peregrine).

Skogsøy 02 January 2019 - A day too late.....

Strong northerly winds gradually dropping during the day.

The first new species for the year was a Curlew storspove flying over my house whilst I was outside repairing my storm damaged bird feeder. Blue tits blåmeis could now also fly and reach my other feeders....

A late trip to Skogsøy produced the goods before I even started seawatching and was a species I looked for specifically yesterday as the weather conditions dictated that they must be around - a first winter Glaucous Gull polarmåke headed north with other gulls as part of a return movement of birds displaced by yesterday's storm. Among other new for the year were a Starling stær and several Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Mammals seen were the predictable Otter oter in front of the house and a nice (but lonely) Orca spekkhogger heading north at Skogsøy.

North Øygarden 16 December 2018 - Time for some birding!

Cold with a brisk SE wind. The weather conditions were somewhat unusual with some heavy seas caused by winds that were not that noticeable in many places.

Today I did what I used to call my usual winter round but is in fact something I haven't done for a long time. Starting at Dåvøy then moving on to Solberg and Alvheim. This trip produced a lot of the usual winter species here in Øygarden.

Curlew storspove

Grey Heron gråhegre

Teal krikkand

Dåvøy scored with a Slavonian Grebe horndykker as the best bird with a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn also putting in an appearance.

Three Teal krikkand were present on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø (an increase of one from yesterday) along with a Common Gull fiskemåke and a Whooper Swan sangsvane. Other birds at Tjeldstø included a Woodcock rugde and a couple more White-tailed Eagles havørn.

Solberg produced two more White-tailed Eagle havørn, a flock of around 15 Long-tailed Duck havelle and a couple of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt.

At Alvheim there were at least five White-tailed Eagle havørn, two Curlew storspove and a Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

Back home I had a further two White-tailed Eagles havørn from the terrace.

Øygarden 30 July - 02 August - No time for tringas

Late July / Early August is the best time for Green Sandpiper skogsnipe in Øygarden but I didn't find time to get out and look for them. However, roadside birds enabled me to pick them up as drive-bys on the way to and from work. I had up to four on 02 August.

Curlew storspove at Tjeldstø

Green Sandpiper skogsnipe, Hatten

Grey Heron gråhegre

Twite bergirisk

Others had more luck with Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk but I only picked up one - on the same pools as the Green Sands showed up on.

Other stuff included the long-staying Pinkfoot kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø, small flocks of Twite bergirisk here and there along with most of the usual suspects.

Breakfast at Herdlevær on 30th July produced a selection of the usual waders including 17 Knot polarsnipe, a Greenshank gluttsnipe, several Golden Plover heilo and eight Common Sandpiper strandsnipe. Small numbers of Velvet Scoter sjøorre and Common Scoter svartand passed during the 15 minutes I spent eating.

A couple of early Brambling bjørkefink put in an appearance by my postbox at Nautnes on 02 August. Maybe they are breeding closer than I thought they were....

Øygarden 19 March 2018 - Rain at last

Light rain at first, sunny with fresh northerly winds later.

I woke up to cloudy skies and light drizzle. Just what I have been hoping for as this kick starts the thaw so many birds badly need right now.

There is obviously some turnover of birds now with things changing all the time - a great time of year....

I didn't really do much birding today - just a quick stroll at Breivik and a short stop at Solberg to eat my sandwiches. Otherwise it was just a few drive-bys during errands.

Curlew storspove at Harkestad

Hopefully the thaw is not too late for these guys....

Breivik produced one each of four thrush species - with a Mistle Thrush duetrost as the highlight.

Solberg was rather windswept with just a flock of 12 Long-tailed Duck havelle and a lone White-tailed Eagle havørn of any note.

A Curlew storspove attempted to feed in the fields at Harkestad - first one I have seen away from the shore this year.

A flock of 12 Starling stær beside Husvatnet were obviously new in and the biggest flock so far this year.

Otherwise it was the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn, Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a couple of Woodcock rugde thrown in for good measure.

Øygarden 25 January 2018 - Plugging some more gaps.

Light Westerlies, mostly sunny.

Excellent weather after a night of strong gales. Pity I have to work for a living and could not spend such a wonderful day outside.

As usual it boiled down to some hurried drive-bys and a very short walk or two.

At Hellesøy there was a Great Northern Diver islom on the sea but little else other than the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn.

Robins rødstrupe seem to be coping well with plenty around still

Sæle produced a Starling stær among a flock of thrushes and incredibly my first Goldcrest fuglekonge of the year. How on earth it has taken so many days without seeing one of the commonest woodland birds out here I will never know. Perhaps it has something to do with not being able to hear them when walking in crunchy snow - something that has now thankfully disappeared.

Massively cropped picture of the Lapwing vipe at Tjeldstø - it should now be able to find food in the fields and probably also on the shoreline.

At Tjeldstø a Lapwing vipe was the best sighting - hardly a surprise given the recent weather conditions.

As usual I spent most of the day at home in front of the computer but managed to pick up a Curlew storspove in the scope during a telephone call.

Redwings rødvingetrost were pretty much everywhere and suddenly greatly outnumber Fieldfare gråtrost as the commonest thrush.

Elsewhere in Øygarden a Scaup bergand was reported - worth a check tomorrow.....

Øygarden 04 April - 09 April - The week that never was

Work, car repairs and family commitments meant that this week didn't really happen in a birding context. There was barely even time to look out of the window but when I did both White-tailed Eagle havørn and Otter were very regular.

Male Curlew storspove at Tjeldstø

On 04 April I spent a massive two minutes or so birding. A couple of Pied Wagtails svartryggerle and the first Wigeon brunnakke of the year were on Husvatnet.

The next day I was not out at all but had a fly over Dipper fossekall at Nautnes and the first Brambling bjørkefink of the year in the garden.

Goldfinch stillits in the garden

A Goldfinch stillits turned up in the garden on 07 April and stayed until at least 09 April.

Shag toppskarv

Dead Whale

Dead Whale with its proud owner

Glaucous Gull polarmåke

I managed a couple of hours out at Herdlevær on 09 April where the higlights were a fly over Glaucous Gull polarmåke and a long-dead whale of some description floating past. A decent selection of the usual early migrants were also seen.

Blomvåg 19 January 2017 -Triple Trumf Bonus

Fresh WSW, some light drizzle at times,

Dipper fossekall, ISO 5000 and slow shutter speed - see the splash in the water to the right of the image

Better images of the same bird - not a photo one could expect to take on a mild winter's day in Øygarden

Basically not out and about today, although I did go to the shop that is 12 minutes to drive to instead of 6 because I get more bonus on whatever I buy on a Thirsday - the so-called "Trippel trumf torsdag". There is a small lake with a stream running past it right next to this shop so I thought I would check it out - this proved to be a good idea with an unexpected bonus bird in the form of a Dipper fossekall - another local year tick.

Dipper are relatively scarce although regular winter visitors in Øygarden and not really something one can just go and see out here. Had I wanted to take pictures I would have gone somewhere else - like Gullfjell for example.

Spent the rest of the day inside working but picked up a Curlew storspove and a flock of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb from the house in addition to the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn etc.

Herdlevær 22 August 2016 - Photogenic waders and an exciting falcon

Light easterly breeze, hot and sunny.

The cracking weather continues - too nice really from a birding point of view.

The potential highlight was a very large, bulky and long-tailed falcon which I kept getting a "Goshawk vibe" off. There is a very strong possibility that this may well have been a Gyr jaktfalk.....I spent too long watching it sitting on a rock before it disappeared further north - I had hoped it would come and take one of the Knot polarsnipe feeding in front of me.

Curlew storspove

(This image has not been cropped at all)

First year Knot polarsnipe

There was not a huge amount of variety of waders at Herdlevær today - but they posed well for the camera. Knot polarsnipe were the most numerous with over 30 present - all but a few of them first year birds.

A Kestrel tårnfalk and the now usual Twite bergirisk also seen here.

A Yellow wagtail gulerle flew over whilst I was waiting for a bus at Nautnes - first I've had in Øygarden this year.

Skogsøy 02 March 2014 - Spring

Light SE, light cloud cover and some drizzle.

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Skogsøy

A late, lazy and short trip to Skogsøy produced the first Razorbill alke and Little Auk alkekonge of the year in Øygarden (unprecedently late!).  Small numbers of Gannets havsule passing and most of the usual suspects on the sea including a Velvet Scoter sjøorre and a Black Guillemot teist.

Some of the Lapwings vipe at Tjeldstø

Greylags grågås have arrived "everywhere" and a flock of at least eight Lapwing vipe were present at Tjeldstø. Four Woodpigeon ringdue at Breivik were another sign of spring.

Curlew storspove at Herdlevær yesterday

Spring well on the way!

A Curlew storspove at Herdlevær yesterday was probably one of the several overwintering birds rather than a migrant.

Dåvøy 06 January 2014 - A wasted day

Southerlies with showers for a change.

An abortive trip to work meant nothing was acheived there or in the field. A very rapid check at Dåvøy in failing light and inclement weather produced the first Snipe enkeltbekkasin of the year.

Apart from that two Curlew storspove at Solberg was the only sighting of note.

Still no Eiders ærfugl.......perhaps they have tired of all the wave action and all moved inland? There was a decent flock in Bergen harbour beside the vessel I visited there today.

Nautnes 27 December 2013 - Geese

Considerably calmer today - with immediate results.

Nautnes produced almost all the interest today. New species for the house list were a flock of 67 Greylags grågås together with a lone Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås. Other sightings of note from the garden were Bullfinch dompap and Meally Redpoll gråsisik. A female Otter oter with two young also spent some time feeding in front of the terrace.

Curlew storpsove at Herdlevær

Greylag grågås flock with a single Barncale goose hvitkinngås (bottom bird)

A short walk at Herdlevær produced a Curlew storspove, a flock of 40 Starling stær and three Jackdaw kaie as well as Tree Sparrow pilfink and most of the usual suspects.

Herdlevær 13 November 2013 - Eastern Jackdaw?

Fairly strong NW winds, showers

Another half-hearted attempt to see if there was any movement over the sea. There wasn't - just small numbers of Gannets havsule, a Kittiwake krykkje and a single Red-throated Diver smålom. Just the usual White-tailed Eagle havørn, Curlew storspove etc.

Still good numbers of Blackbirds svarttrost coming through but nothing much in the way of other migrants.

A Jackdaw kaie was quite striking and showed some characteristics of the eastern form soemmerringii. Its a can of worms that is probably best left unopened....

Very pale head with whitish collar

 

Here together with a more normal looking Jackdaw kaie...

And with different lighting....

Elsewhere good numbers of Willow Tit granmeis around Nordlåvatnet - this species has become less obvious at the usual migration sites but is obviously still around in more typical habitat.

Whooper swan sangsvane at Kollsnes - probably same bird as at Tjeldstø yesterday

 

Herdlevær 28 December 2012 - Goldie again

Strong southerly winds slowly increasing. Mainly dry, some thawing.

Golden Eagle kongeørn mobbed by Raven ravn. The split in the white wing patches on the underwing indicate that this bird is at least in its fourth year.

Curlew storspove

Herdlevær seemed rather quiet to start with but things picked up nicely in the end. Highlight was an immature Golden Eagle kongeørn, probably the same bird seen from my house several days ago. Views were not brilliant but better than last time - seems like it may be a fourth year bird or thereabouts.

Other birds of note were a fly-by Curlew storspove and at least two Woodcock rugde. A lone Starling stær was the first for a while.

The two Blackcaps munk remain in the garden.