Øygarden 06-11 November 2022 - November:)

November is one of my favourite months as although the main migration may be over there is always something to see and it often a time for things that may be common elsewhere to turn up.

I arrived home as the light was going on 06 November and just had to pop across to Sæle, just in case "something" might have lingered on. This was not the case but a couple of Bullfinch dompap (never common here but a typical early November migrant), some Blackcaps munk, a few Chiff-chaff gransanger and a Rook kornkråke along with the usual thrushes, Robins rødstrupe etc meant that it wasn't waste of time.

Chiff-chaff gransanger - this one was calling like a normal one

Rook kornkråke, a scarce but annual visitor in early spring and late autumn

The following day I was back there again for an hour or so - hoping to turn one of the Chiff-chaff into a tristis. This was also not the case but a Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis and a Willow Tit granmeis put in an appearance amongst the Blackcaps munk, Chiff-chaffs gransanger, Goldcrests fuglekonge and other migrants present. Plenty going on so it was most enjoyable.

Chiff-chaffs gransanger at Sæle

Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis

A very short visit to Herdlevær on 08 November produced a very vocal tristis Chiff-chaff sibirgransanger, a Woodcock rugde, a Willow Tit granmeis, a flock of six Waxwing sidensvans, a Goldfinch stillits and plenty of commoner migrants.

On the way home I picked up a couple of lateish Meadow Pipits heipiplerke at Breivik and a Lapwing vipe at Tjeldstø.

Crested Tit toppmeis at Herdlevær

Lapwing vipe at Tjeldstø

Three of six Waxwing sidensvans at Herdlevær

A morning visit to Hellesøy on 09 November gave a Waxwing sidensvans and a Merlin dvergfalk as highlights.

On the way home a couple each of Goldfinch stillits and Goldcrest fuglekonge were the only things of interest but plenty of Redwing rødvingetrost and Blackbird svarttrost about. Sæle gave up the same as the previous visits with Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis, Blackcaps munk and Chiff-chaffs gransanger still around. 

It was here disaster struck - my trusty DSLR gave up the ghost. I thought it was my lens that was on the way out but the camera itself refused to take pictures. Yet another one bites the dust and puts me in a predicament....

Next up was a female Scaup bergand at Husvatnet, without a camera there were no pictures...

Back home a Redpoll gråsisik and a couple of Tree Sparrow pilfink joined the more usual selection of species in the garden

There was no time to get out of the house on 10 November, though a trip to the shops in the late afternoon produced an unusual sighting in the form of a Fulmar havhest swimming amongst the boats at Rong and the Lapwing vipe a Tjeldstø was still present along with the Scaup bergand.

Fulmar havhest, either sick or exhausted at Rong.

Unusual place and time of year, this bird swam in among the small boats tied up along the quayside

On 11 November I did no birding at all, but drove into Bergen for a lovely couple of hours with my youngest and a quick visit to a camera shop. More about the latter later....

Øygarden 31.01 - 02.02.2018 - Bits and bobs

Fieldfare gråtrost

Redwing rødvingetrost

Part of the Fieldfare gråtrost flock feeding in the snow

Three of the four albifrons Whitefronts tundragås

Rain and snow on the last day of January combined with a heavy workload meant I limited things to a drive-by at Tjeldstø. Plenty of thrushes feeding in the fields and four albifrons Whitefront tundragås at Harkestad were pretty much the only sightings.

Crested Tit toppmeis - a common woodland bird that I don't tend to photograph very much

Tufted Duck toppand

Whitefront tundragås

I try not to take too many White-tailed Eagle havørn photographs but it would have been downright rude to ignore this poser

February started with very nice conditions indeed - calm and sunny with some frost. A quick trip out to Hjelme Vest produced pretty much the usual with a few Great Northern Divers islom, a couple of Kittiwake krykkje feeding, a few Black Guillemots teist and several White-tailed Eagles havørn among the sightings. Long-tailed Duck havelle now up to more than 40 birds - pathetic numbers compared to relatively few years ago.

An aythya duck at Husvatnet fooled me for a while and needed closer inspection - it turned out to be a Tufted Duck toppand. However, the effort was not wasted as some Whitefronts tundragås flew in right over my head.

Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb weightlifting

Razorbill alke

A quick walk at Skogsøy in stunning conditions on 2nd February gave little out of the ordinary - at least three White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Great Northern Diver islom and a massive eight Gannet havsule heading north. A Razorbill alke was feeding close in and some Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb put in an appearance.

Øygarden 25-28 March 2017 - Fog stops play for the only day I was out

Largely little wind, ranging from foggy to glorious sunshine.

Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås beside Husvatnet - my first in Øygarden this year but this species was first seen back in February. I wonder if these two are "overshoots" from Oslo - having joined up with the wrong flock of Greylags on their way north...

Crested Tit toppmeis are setting up territories now

I had the good fortune to stumble over Eagle Owl hubro - these shots are very heavily cropped and I turned around and left the area immediately. This is a sensitive time of year for them.

Distant flock of Oystercatcher tjeld at Solberg on 28th - they would have been very close at Skogsøy

White-tailed Eagle havørn enjoying its ill-gotten gains at Nautnes, picture taken from my terrace.

The trend of not getting out continued - with the exception of 26th March when I got up early and went out to Skogsøy to watch the fog. Seriously, the visibility looked misty but reasonable from Nautnes but at Skogsøy I spent and hour waiting in vain for the vis to clear a bit. I gave up and went back home to work. Elsewhere I had Woodcock rugde roding over the house, Song Thrushes måltrost arriving in bigger numbers now - pretty much everywhere and more Meadow Pipits heipiplerke too.

On 25th I barely left the house but had the first Merlin dvergfalk flying over the road on a trip to the shop. Same story on 27th, although a trip to the shops produced a couple of Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås and two Black-headed Gulls hettemåke at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø.

From the house Otter and White-tailed Eagle havørn still being seen daily - the latter robbing the former more often than not. Also Black Guillemot teist, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and most of the usual.

The 28th was most frustrating as I had hoped to get out to do some seawatching but work made sure that didn't happen. I ate my breakfast at Solberg and had a few hundred Common Gull fiskemåke and over 100 Oystercatcher tjeld in just 20 minutes. Also a Turnstone steinvender heading north. This passage continued until at least lunchtime (seen from the kitchen window....). A White wagtail linerle turned up just outside the house.

Hjelme Vest 08 January - Most of the usual specialities and another unseasonal find

Calm, sunny and cold again.

It would be so nice to get a day out but again made do with an hour or so.

Hjelme Vest produced several predictable new species for the year in the form of Raven ravn, three Curlew storspove, 30 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt, 27 Long-tailed Duck havelle, a couple of Little Auk alkekonge, one each of Black Guillemot teist and Common Guillemot lomvi.

Best bird, however, was a Merlin dvergfalk which obviously had its eye on the waders.....seems like this is the first county record of the year - where was this during the New Year Bird Race?

Crested Tit toppmeis - one of the characteristic woodland birds in Øygarden

Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin struggling with the cold

Other stuff included several Snipe enkeltbekkasin and most of the usual suspects including Crested Tit toppmeis and a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Very little in the way of ducks and no divers or grebes though.....

Skogsøy 05 July 2015 - SUrprisingly productive seawatch

Calm and windless.

Given the time of year and the conditions expectations were not that high. One can always hope though and a couple of hours spent seawatching from just before 0600 provided a bit of everything with seabirds, autumn migration and a rarity or two.

Rook kornkråke

Highlight was a flock of four Sandwich Terns splitterne heading steadily north - although classed as a county rarity (approx 15 county records, the majority of which are from Øygarden) this species undoubtedly occurs quite regularly - it is more a question of coverage. A Rook kornkråke close to where we park was an unusual July record and is probably the same bird that has been hanging around in Øygarden since the spring.

Shelduck gravand

Autumn migration included 23 Shelduck gravand heading south - including a massive flock of 18.(which was my previous best count). This is the second highest count of this species in Øygarden (and quite possibly the county). Also small numbers of Oystercatcher tjeld on the move along with a single Curlew storspove.

Gannets havsule

Seabirds were the usual suspects for the time of year and included small numbers of Gannet havssule, a Black Guillemot teist, a single Great Skua storjo and several flocks of Common Scoter svartand.

One of several curious Crested Tits toppmeis seen in the woods

Hjelme West 19 January 2013 - Red-necks

It remains calm, sunny and freezing.

A morning trip to Hjelme Vest proved quite productive. Highlights were the first two Red-necked Grebes gråstrupedykker of the year on the sea.

Crested Tit toppmeis

The "light-billed Diver" seen last time was still present and turned out to be an adult Great Northern Diver islom. Tricky one in many ways and easy to fall into the Yellow-billed Diver trap.   Otherwise very much the same as previous recent visits with Black Guillemots teist relatively common, a Curlew storspove, a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre, Woodcock rugde tracks in the woods etc.