Øygarden 15-21 December 2023 - Darker times

Just returned from three bird-filled weeks in New Zealand - including a few pelagic trips:) More of that sometime in the future I hope.

I returned to Øygarden just as the weather turned mild - +10C a lot of the time. All the snow and ice that was present whilst I was away rapidly thawed. Quite a bit of wind and showers throughout the period although it was work, life and a bout of covid that kept me chained to the house. No birding at all, although I did have my binoculars and point and pray camera with me whenever I did actually leave the house. As usual under such circumstances it was my terrace that produced most of the interest. Not much in the way of daylight as we approached the shortest day of the year but this was absolutely not the limiting factor this time around.

White-tailed Eagle havørn and up to four Otters were seen daily from the house. My bird feeders proved attractive to flocks of Greenfinch grønnfink and a Chaffinch bokfink or two. Sparrowhawk spurvehauk had a go at the garden birds a couple of time. Other stuff from the terrace included a first year Great Northern Diver islom on 21.12 when an unseasonal flock of Oystercatcher tjeld also turned up. Velvet Scoter sjøorre and more also seen at Nautnes.

First year Great Northern Diver islom photographed from my terrace 21.12

A most unseasonal flock of Oystercatcher tjeld turned up in front of the house on 21.12

Oystercatcher are seen in very small numbers most winters but a flock of four is a big flock during the wintertime:)

Tjeldstø was largely frozen during the period but a male Teal krikkand joined Mallard stokkand and Mergansers siland on the sea there. As the thaw set in Whoopers sangsvane and other wildfowl returned to their usual freshwater haunts.

Male Teal krikkand with Mallards stokkand at Tjeldstø

Breivik produced a young Whooper sangsvane associating with 1-3 Greylags grågås and on 20.12 there was also a Yellowhammer gulspurv there - never a common species out here it is only rarely recorded in the middle winter.

First year Whooper sangsvane with a Greylag grågås at Breivik 15.12. Greylag numbers increased to three a few days later

Yellowhammer gulspurv at Breivik - quite a rarity in northern Øygarden in December:)

Dåvøy was short on gulls but the Heron gråhegre roost numbered up to 30 individuals and a Slavonian Grebe horndykker was present on 21.12.

Record short of the Slav grebe horndykker at Dåvøy

Otherwise small flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost and Redwing rødvingetrost still hanging on various places.

Tjeldstø 17 March 2020 - Taking it easy again

Sunny but windy.

The first Teal krikkand of the year

More geese in and highlight was the first Teal krikkand of the year as well as a Curlew storspove back on its breeding grounds (as opposed to the wintering birds along the coast).

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn

The local White-tailed Eagles havørn seem to be enjoying the fact that the geese are back and are very visible indeed. This cracking adult flew right overhead as we strolled around the area.

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.

Herdlevær & Nautnes 13 January 2018 - Migration

Cold and sunny with light southerly winds

Today was a day of mass migration - enough for a decent autumn day in fact. Flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost headed south pretty much all day with approximately 1000 birds flying over during the couple of hours I spent at Herdlevær. This was no doubt a cold weather movement now that the record numbers that have been overwintering further north are no doubt running out of berries.....

Part of a southbound Fieldfare gråtrost flock

One of a few Rock Pipits skjærepiplerke seen at Herdlevær

Other highlights at Herdlevær were a Peregrine vandrefalk, the first Woodcock rugde of the year, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Razorbill alke. A few Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke, a White-tailed Eagle havørn and many of the usual suspects were also present here.

Male Teal krikkand on the sea in front of my house with a couple of Mallard stokkand

Back home at Nautnes was almost as good with best bird being a male Teal krikkand on the sea in front of the house, the first Bullfinches dompap I have seen locally this year and a flock of seven Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt seen from the terrace. More thrushes, a couple more White-tailed Eagle havørn and a couple of flocks of Redpoll gråsisik were among the other species seen from the terrace.

Other new birds in Øygarden for me this year were a Common Gull fiskemåke and a couple of Jays nøtteskrike.

Øygarden 15 March 2017 - Didn't even make it home without seeing stuff

Back where the wind blows....largely sunny but with a few short heavy showers.

I didn't even get home before seeing the bird of the day - a 2cy Glaucous Gull polarmåke at Rong - seen from the bus window!

After that it was just the usual "coming home" errands with a compulsory two minute stop at Hustvatnet, Tjeldstø. Here the best birds were the first Teal krikkand of the spring, 9 Lapwing vipe, a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple of Whoopers sangsvane and at least 30 Greylags grågås.

Back home at Nautnes Greylags grågås had also returned, a White-tailed Eagle havørn put in an appearance and a flock of 17 Oystercatcher tjeld took a break from migration during a heavy shower.

Herdlevær 15 March 2016 - Migrants "galore"

Light northerly winds and sunny.

Spent a whopping two hours outside - regretted it later though!

On the way to Herdlevær and picked up what was probably the bird of the day in an Øygarden context - a singing Nuthatch spettmeis. Although one of the commonest and most widespread species in Norway this is absolutely not the case in Øygarden. Small numbers breed and it is possible to see this species with a bit of effort - but normally this is something of an irruptive species. This bird was singing well away from the usual haunts,

Several Gannets havsule seen during a short coffee break

A White-tailed Eagle came pretty close

Herdlevær produced a few bits and bobs in the form of the first Skylark sanglerke and Snow Bunting snøspurv of the year - both of these species were pretty much expected. Rather less predictable were a couple of early Dunlin myrsnipe.

A light passage of Common Gull fiskemåke north and Shag toppskarv south were other sure signs that thngs were moving.

Male Teal krikkand at Kollsnes

Second year Whooper sangsvane at Kollsnes.

On the way home a couple of Teal krikkand flew in at Kollsnes after I had stopped to look at a couple of second year Whooper Swans sangsvane.

At Tjeldstø Greylag grågås numbers were approaching 90.

Øygarden 14 April 2015 - Quiet

Onshore winds and sunny with occasional short showers.

Did Hjelme Vest after the morning school run. Nothing of note here although a small flock of Long-tailed Duck havelle were the first I've seen since I returned home.

Things went more or less downhill from there but more migrants have obviously arrived with Song Thrush måltrost and White Wagtails linerle more numerous and Wheatear steinskvett also seen at new localities.

A couple of Sparrowhawk spurvehauk headed over the house in the late afternoon.

Male Teal krikkand at Tjeldstø

Better luck tomorrow - anyone with a basic knowledge of Øygarden knows where I will be on a spring Thursday morning...,.

Nautnes 23 March 2015 - More incidental birds

Southerly winds and overcast in the morning. Glorious later. Not that it made much of a difference today as I was working in town all day today....

Before I left  the house for work I had two new for the year in Øygarden - a Goshawk hønsehauk flew over and there were some Siskin grønnsisik in the garden. The former was also new for the house list.

I passed Tjeldstø on the way to work and caught up with what I up to now thought was an odd-looking and rather small Glaucous Gull polarmåke but opinion seems to be coming round to a hybrid of some sort. I have to agree as it doesn't quite fit either of the two usual white wingers. More on this later if I ever get a minute.

On my way home I drove past Tjeldstø again and saw a flock of four Teal krikkand -.another new for Øygarden this year.

By the time I'd got home and had dinner it was all but dark - ideal conditions for seeing the first roding Woodcock rugde. Nice.

Herdlevær 01 November 2014 - Short-eared Owl

Strong SSW winds, some light rain at times.

Herdlevær was generally quiet but some thrushes and Starling stær feeding in the fields.

Above and below Short-eared Owl jordugle at Herdlevær

Redwing rødvingetrost are everywhere at the moment

Highlight here was Short-eared Owl jordugle that I almost trod on - it was hunkered down in a crack in the rocks obviously trying to find shelter from the wind. Nowhere near as rare here as it is in Oslo but always a cracking bird to see.

A Velvet Scoter sjøorre on the sea, a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt on the rocks, a few Kittiwake krykkje and another flock of small waders flying past were among the other stuff seen here.

Teal krikkand on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

At Tjeldstø a female Blackcap munk was very vocal and a flock of 10 Teal krikkand were on Husvatnet.

The Nuthatch spettmeis was still present in the "garden" today

A couple of Red-throated Diver smålom, two White-tailed Eagles havørn and a Kittiwake krykkje were among the species seen from the house later in the afternoon.

Øygarden 07 March 2011

Grey Heron gråhegre at Dåvøy
Goldeneye kvinand at Dåvøy

Mistle Thrush duetrost at Tjeldstø

Strong south westerly with rain.

Not the most pleasant of conditions today but despite this (or rather because of it) there were a few birds to see. The best sighting was another Mistle Thrush duetrost at Tjeldstø, next best was the first Teal krikkand of the year in Øygarden - a male on the sea at Alvheim.

Six Whoopers sangsvane were back at Tjeldstø - good to see that some managed to hang on through the cold spell. A female Siskin grønnsisik at the feeder was the first in the garden this year.

Solberg 22 November 2010

Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker
Male Blackcap munk feeding on elderberries

and snowberries....

Calm and sunny AGAIN.

Solberg was generally quiet so it was a case of quality not quantity, a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker on the sea was probably the bird reported there yesterday and photogrpahed later at Heggøy. Also a Great Northern Diver islom heading south and a male Peregrine vandrefalk on the lookout for prey. Still plenty of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik about with at least 300 seen just at Solberg. Five White-tailed Eagle havørn also presesent here.

A Teal krikkand that flew in with eight Mallard stokkand was probably the bird seen in the area throughout the month.

At Sæle at least three Blackcap munk fed on elderberries and even snow berries.

Small numbers of Bullfinch dompap still widespread.