Øygarden 15 November 2010

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke
Long-tailed tit stjertmeis in the garden

Things obviously a lot quieter today.

Little at Herdlevær other than a Red-throated Diver smålom feeding on the sea. Otherwise just the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn, Tree Sparrow pilfink etc.

A Tjeldstø a small flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis in the early morning almost made us late for school - first for Tjeldstø this year. Also a couple of late Meadow Pipit heipiplerke, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and a Skylark sanglerke were the best finds.

Tjeldstø 14 November 2010

Skylark sanglerke

Calm and mild again, lakes thawing again.

A Jay nøtteskrike in the garden and a Jackdaw kaie flying over was a good start to the day.

A couple of Whoopers sangsvane on Rotevatnet were the first of the autumn for me but at least one was reported on Friday. Other birds of interest included a flock of seven Goldfinch stillits, a Skylark sanglerke and at least ten Tree Sparrow pilfink in the garden - feeding started today!

Hernar 13 November 2010 - Siberian Chiff-chaff

White-rumped Redpolls once again eluded positive ID but this one could be a good candidate for Arctic Redpoll polarsisik

Siberian Chiff-chaff tristis gransanger, it was the piping bullfinch-like call that gave this one away.

Very pale colouration, rather grey compared to this bird

Skylark sanglerke

Adult winter Black Guillemot teist

A last minute trip to Hernar proved quite productive. Wonderfully calm weather added to the experience.

On the sea a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, several Black Guillemot teist and Long-tailed Duck havelle numbers continue to build - still no big flocks though.

On the island best bird was a tristis Chiff-chaff tristis gransanger. Picked up on its almost Bullinch-like call it responded immediately to playback. Very pale indeed. Other stuff included a male Blackcap munk, Water Rail vannriske, two Tree Sparrow pilfink and plenty of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik - including many with pale rumps but as usual the flocks were too restless to go through. Still one Skylark sanglerke present.

Also found the remains of a Waxwing sidensvans - no doubt eated by a raptor of some sort.

Hjelme Vest 12 November 2010

A couple of Curlew storspove and 62 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt were the best birds. Plenty of Crested Tit toppmeis in the woods.

A late Meadow Pipit heipiplerke and more Bullfinch dompap on the move a Tjeldstø

Øygarden 11 November 2010 - oldest ringed Oystercatcher?

A number of birds with pale rumps like the left hand birds kept things pretty frustrating....
Top bird just a pale rumped Mealy Redpoll gråsisik?

Swarms of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik poured passed until around 10:00

Fieldfare gråtrost flock heading south

Fewer Mink around these days - but still too many

SE winds and a hard frost today - much freshwater frozen.

Tried an hour or so of "vis-mig" today at Herdlevær. During the first hour almost 1000 Mealy Redpoll gråsisik headed south. No doubt it would have been a lot more had I started an hour earlier. Passage dropped off rapidly after 10:00. Small numbers of Siskin grønnsisik and Fieldfare gråtrost also on the move.

Not a lot else passing but a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk headed south, at least one Goshawk hønsehauk hunting and up to five White-tailed Eagle havørn visible simultaneously.

FINALLY received details back on the ring I found in an Eagle Owl nest earlier in the autumn. As I had suspected the ring belonged to a wader. In fact it was an Oytercatcher tjeld that was ringed on the south coast of England over 29 years ago - this puts the bird at over 32 when it died - longer than the longest ever lived Oystercatcher in the UK!!

Details were as follows:

"Ringing Scheme: London Ring Number: FV61419 Species of bird: Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

This bird was ringed by Devon & Cornwall Wader Group as age 3 years +, sex Unknown on 31-May-1981 at Dawlish Warren, Exe Estuary, Devon, OS Map reference SX9880, co-ordinates 50deg 37min N 3deg 26min W.

It was found on 25-Aug-2010 at Exact Location Unknown, Hordaland, Norway.

It was found 10678 days after it was ringed, 1230 km from the ringing site, direction NNE."

Hernar 10 November 2010

Late Meadow Pipit heipiplerke at Tjeldstø
Skylark sanglerke on Hernar
Chiff-chaff gransanger

Blue tit blåmeis still very much on the move

Woodcock rugde

With winds initially in the east hopes were high for something good today but although it was an excellent day out no rarities turned up.

A morning spent on Hernar resulted in loads of birds without seeing anything really special. Highlights were swarms of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik with at least 800 seen. Many stopped briefly but most moved straight over. As ever all but impossible to work through them in the hopes of something better. Obvious numbers of Blue Tit blåmeis also on the move.

A Water Rail vannrikse, a couple of Woodcock rugde, a late Chiff-chaff gransanger, singles of Lapland Bunting lappspurv and Snow Bunting snøspurv, a couple of Skylark sanglerke and a Goldfinch stillits meant that there was never a dull moment.

At least four White-tailed Eagle havørn present.

On the way home a Curlew storspove flew over Lyngøy - the wintering birds have well and truly arrived.

Øygarden 09 November 2010

Male Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett at Sæle

Some large Mealy Redpoll gråsisik flocks on the move with a total of at least 400 passing over Solberg in a little over half an hour. Also at Solberg were a Woodcock rugde, several Bullfinch dompap, a Curlew storspove and over 20 Purple sandpiper fjæreplytt.

Sæle was the next stop where a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett and a Goldfinch stillits were the highlights. A Great Northern Diver islom on the sea and couple of Blackcap munk along with most of the usual suspects also seen here.

Øygarden 08 November - More irruptives

First winter male Pine Grosbeak konglebit

Strange looking pipit . very white wing bars and white outer tail feathers together with a largely yellow beak point towards possible Water Pipit vannpiplerke but the heavy flank streaks don't.

Winter plumaged Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

Mealy Redpolls gråsisik

Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis

Bullfinch dompap

Irruptive migrants were once again the order of the day with the highlight being a first winter male Pine Grosbeak konglebit at Sture. Also at Sture was a Lapland Bunting lappspurv and a rather odd looking (and sounding!) pipit.

At Herdlevær a nice party of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis were the first I have seen in Øygarden this year. Several flocks of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik seen - frustratingly difficult to work through as always and glimpses of pale rumps didn't help....

Bullfinches dompap, Starling stær and thrushes still very much on the move.

Tjeldstø 07 November 2010

Herring Gull gråmåke
Herring Gull gråmåke

Herring Gull gråmåke

Herring Gulls gråmåke and Great Black-backed Gulls svartbak fighting over scraps

Common Scoter svartand

Fishing not birding today. Several Cod, a few Haddock, a Whiting, Gunard and a few other species caught today.

Several White-tailed Eagle havørn, plenty of gulls and a steady passage of Starling stær heading south.

Skogsøy 06 November 2010

White-tailed Eagle havørn

After a showery start the weather turned out very nicely. However, little passing over the sea and most of the action was on the way out with highlights being three Pine Grosbeak konglebit, 100+ Mealy Redpoll gråsisik and 12+ Bullfinch dompap. An absolute minimum of three White-tailed Eagle havørn knocking about too.

Passage of interest was limited to a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, a few Little Auk alkekonge and a Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

Øygarden 05 November 2010 Rosefinch again

Common Rosefinch rosenfink, Hjelme
Roadside Grey Heron gråhegre

One of two adult White-tailed Eagle havørn at Hellesøy

A Lapland Bunting lappspurv and two Jackdaw kaie flying over at Breivik were the best birds here. Also Bullfinch dompap giving the eastern "trumpet" call.

Herdlevær was relatively quiet with just Bullfinch dompap and a Treecreeper trekryper of note.

The Common Rosefinch rosenfink was still at Hjelme. Latest ever observation in Norway?

A lot of stuff has obviously moved on in the good conditions - no sign of the geese and thrush numbers have dropped appreciably.

Skogsøy 04 November 2010

Diver lom just starting moult to winter plumage. Large pale beak, pale face and very pot-bellied look....

Here the bird is showing the "no-billed diver" look

Great Black-backed Gull svartbakOn a totally different note - one of the world's largest rock dumpers, Simon Stevin also headed south today

Strong onshore winds meant that Skogsøy was the obvious choice today. However, the wind was too strong for any real movements.

A passage of adult Kittiwakes krykkje heading south were the mainstay but over 20 Little Auk alkekonge also passed along with a Great Northern Diver islom heading north and another large diver lom heading south.

The later bird I did not see in the scope or with binoculars but only through the camera - something that meant I did not "get" the jizz. The large pale bill, pot-bellied look and exposed eye in the white of the face all point towards White-billed Diver gulnebblom but the dark base to the bill and the very dark neck point towards Great Northern islom. Presumably an adult bird that has just started its moult into winter plumage.

A few White-tailed Eagle havørn knocking about along with most of the usual suspects. A Ring Ousel ringtrost on the way back home was a nice bonus bird. Once again Otters very vocal - otters have been very obvious and seen at least daily recently.

Øygarden 03 November - Common Rosefinch

First year Common Rosefinch rosenfink

Rosefinch rosenfink together with a Brambling bjørkefink

Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås at Breivik

Nuthatch spettmeis - not exactly an everday sight for me in Øygarden

Finally managed more than just a quick dash out!
Despite the weather plenty to see almost everywhere but it was the last stop that really produced the goods in the form of a Common Rosefinch rosenfink at Hjelme. Quite an unseasonal find. A Nuthatch spettmeis and a few Bullfinch dompap also seen here.

Started the day at Breivik where best bird was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin but there were hundreds of thrushes in the area too. The Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås was still there with the Greylags grågås,

Plenty of birds but not much of interest at Herdlevær where best birds were three Lapwing vipe and a Skylark sanglerke.

At least 200 Redwing rødvingetrost, 100 Fieldfare gråtrost, 30 Chaffinch bokfink, 10 Tree Sparrow pilfink, 80+ Mallard stokkand, three Teal krikkand and five Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin at Tjeldstø.

Sæle produced little other than three Blackcap munk and a few Bullfinch dompap.

Øygarden 02 November

Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Tjeldstø

Wet and windy again.

A quick look at Solberg produced a couple of Lapwing vipe resting on the shore and seven Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt. A single Razorbill alke fed in the bay.

At Tjeldstø a Yellowhammer gulspurv and a Blackcap munk turned up in th garden (both typical late autumn migrants) and a couple of late Woodpigeon ringdue flew over.

Tjeldstø 01 November - PINE GROSBEAK!

Still bogged down with domestic chores and spent a day of wonderful weather working on the house.
A light passage of 20+ Bullfinch dompap heading north in small flocks was interupted by an altogether different call so I grabbed my binoculars and confirmed a single Pine Grosbeak konglebit flying over. A new species for Øygarden and a most welcome house tick!

Only one Waxwing sidensvans flew over today.

Solberg 31 October

Above and below Fieldfare gråtrost at Breivik

A flying visit to Solberg proved that the day should have been spent at Skogsøy. Obviously a lot of stuff on the move....

In less than half an hour two Great Northern Diver islom went north and nine Red-throated Diver smålom flew south along with over 20 Kittiwake krykkje, a Gannet havsule, Long-tailed Ducks havelle and Common Scoter svartand.

Two White-tailed Eagle havørn and a flock of over 200 Fieldfare gråtrost also seen.

The Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås was still with Greylags grågås at Breivik. A couple of hundred Fieldfare gråtrost Starling stær also feeding in the area.

At Tjeldstø a single Lapwing vipe and 20+ Waxwing sidensvans were seen from the house.