Skogsøy 22 December 2011 - LESSER SCAUP CONFIRMED!

Southerly, dull and overcast.

 The first flap confirmed suspicions about the identity of this bird - grey on all primaries!

 Getting slightly closer - but light still terrible

 Head profile clearly visible in this shot

 The high peak at the back of the head is unlike any Greater Scaup

 Spooked by raptor or Raven it took flight - giving a clear view of the underwings. Dark bases to the flight feather s were another nail in the ID coffin....

 Better view of the wingbar - clearly showing the brown-grey colouration on all primaries

 A clearer shot of the underwing

And finally a gratuitous flight shot that adds little or nothing to the above...

It was a good call to go back out for another look for the intersting duck I found a few days ago. The bird was present again in exactly the same place I found it first time. After a long wait during feeding, diappearing and sleeping the bird finally flapped its wings....and the wingbar fit LESSER SCAUP PURPURHODEAND exactly!

Further waiting brought the bird no closer so bill detail was difficult to document with photographs. Luckily, the other birder present - newly moved into Øygarden - managed to confirm lack of / very limited black nail on the beak.

If accepted this record will be the first record for the county of Hordaland and possibly only the fifth for Norway (someone correct me here as I am not sure about this) depending on whether one counts returning birds as new.

The bird finally started to come closer but was spooked by something (heard Ravens alarming but didn't dare look away from the viewfinder). It then flew a short distance but this gave the long awaited view of the underwing - again confirming the identification and hopefully ruling out all talk of hybridisation...

Many thanks to all those who have been assisting (and encouraging me!) with this tricky bird!

Finally an introduction to something almost as rare as the duck - a birder living in Øygarden. Nigel Goodgame has recently moved to Øygarden from inland UK. He has already found a number of goodies on previous trips and will no doubt find plenty more -but what a way to kick off living and birding in Norway!

Nigel Goodgame - one of two very happy birders at Skogsøy today

There are now three birders living in Øygarden. Only one of them is Norwegian.....

Øygarden 21 December 2011

Calm and sunny, light covering of snow. Fog rolled in off the sea in the afternoon.

 Above and below: Jay nøtteskrike

Just about a record shot of the Golden Eagle kongeørn - it looked a lot better in the telescope!

Alvheim was decidedly the best spot today with a number of decent sightings - the best of which was a young Golden Eagle kongeørn - the first I've seen in Øygarden this year (missed the previous one in March). Other good birds inlcuded a Jay nøtteskrike, the female Scaup bergand and an adult Goshawk hønesehauk.

At least five White-tailed Eagle havørn present and a couple of Black Guillemot teist too.

At Tjeldstø a flock of five Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a lone Redwing rødvingetrost were the pick of the day.

Skogsøy 20 December 2011

Clear and sunny cold SE wind.

A Woodcock rugde flew over the garden before I left the house.



I was out at Skogsøy before the sun came up but despite searching for a few hours yesterday's duck was nowhere to be seen - just the Common Scoter svartand it was associating with.

 Above and below: hunting Kestrel tårnfalk

The reason the Kestrel was rather warmly coloured....spectacular sunrise

Goshawk hønsehauk

All was not lost as a couple of good winter sightings put in an appearance - a Kestrel tårnfalk and at least one Snow Bunting snøspurv. Other raptors included a Peregrine vandrefalk, a Goshawk hønsehauk and at least two very vocal White-tailed Eagles havørn.

Nothing strange about this Scaup bergand...

Domestic duties produced a quite normal looking Scaup bergand at Alvheim - a bird that gives more confidence to yesterday's bird....

Skogsøy 19 December 2011 - Small Scaup?

Cold north-westerly wind but nice day in shelter....

 Interesting head profile and small compared to Common Scoter svartand

 Here the size of the bird compared to Common Scoter svartand (left) and Long-tailed Duck havelle (right)

 Above and below - seems to have a high crown and flat top to the head rather than sloping backwards

Spent rather a lot of time on a Scaup bergand that seemed rather small and high-crowned. It never came any closer and the light didn't get any better so I gave up and left it at that.

Whilst watching the Scaup a Black-throated Diver storlom flew south - a nice bonus bird.

Little doing over the sea though a Peregrine vandrefalk came past at close range.

Still plenty of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb about - no Parrots though...

At least three White-tailed Eagles havørn about today

Other birds incluced several Razorbill alke and a flock of five Greylag grågås heading south.

Hjelme Vest 18 December 2011 - White-billed Diver

Calm and relatively mild, some light rain.

 Above and below: Heavily cropped shots of White-billed Diver gulnebblom at Hjelme Vest.

Hjelme Vest was easier to check out than of late due to calm sea conditions. Best sighting was an adult White-billed Diver gulnebblom on the sea. Seems like this species is becoming a commoner winter visitor in recent years.

Other birds here included a Great Northern Diver islom, a Curlew storspove (overwintering birds finally arrived!), a few Black Guillemots teist, a couple of Little Auk alkekonge, a Razorbill alke, several White-tailed Eagle havørn and increased numbers of seaduck inlcuding a few Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

 Above and below: Tundra Bean Geese sædgås at Tjeldstø

The nine Tundra Bean Geese sædgås remain at Tjeldstø together with a couple of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås.

A Little Auk alkekonge seen later in the day whilst not birding

Øygarden 17 December 2011 - Moorehen

Relatively calm and mild. Light rain in the afternoon.

Whooper Swans sangsvane at Tjeldstø

An unforgivable camera battery mix-up meant that the eight rossicus Bean Geese sædgås, the Great Whitefront tundragås and a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås went unphotographed at close range and in good light. It was good to see a small flock of Whoopers sangsvane in the reserve. Other birds inlcuded 10+ Starling stær and Common Crossbills grankorsnebb.

Record shot of the Moorehen sivhøne

A tip-off about a Moorehen sivhøne at Blomvatnet meant a slight diversion to pick up this hard to get Øygarden species - the last time I saw Moorehen in Øygarden was in November 2005.

A stroll at Herdlevær produced nothing out of the ordinary - the highlight being a party of three Snipe enkeltbekkasin.

Tjeldstø 16 December 2011 - Tundra Bean Geese

Another day of good weather - and another spent not birding.

In rapidly failing light a short stroll at Tjeldstø really produced the goods in the form of nine Tundra Bean Geese (rossicus) sædgås. With them were an adult albifrons Whitefront tundragås and a couple of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås.

Other sightings of interest included a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost and a flock of 10 Starling stær.

Øygarden 15 December 2011

Calm and mild.

Velvet Scoter sjøorre

Excellent weather so I was predictably stuck inside all day. A run to the shops produced a couple of Greylags grågås and Kollsnes and a pair of Velvet Scoter sjøorre on the sea at Oen.

Chaffinch bokfink flock in the garden now at 17.

Øygarden 14 December 2011

Southerly strong gale force winds.

At Solberg just a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn and an Otter. Duck numbers increased as mountainous seas force the birds into relatively sheltered waters.

At Alvheim the best bird was a Guillemot lomvi - first for some time and a Gannet havsule also passed.

Cormorant storskarv - quite possibly a sinensis bird.

Tjeldstø produced little - just a Little Auk alkekonge and a Black-headed Gull hettemåke of near interest.

Tjeldstø 11 December 2011

Fresh SSE, mildish.

Highlight was an unseasonal Turnstone steinvender. Late migrants / overwintering birds included a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a Redwing rødvingetrost and a Starling stær.

Otherwise just a couple of Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke, a Little Auk alkekonge and the usual.

Good numbers of birds at the feeders including up to 70 Greenfinch grønnfink, several Tree Sparrow pilfink and a small flock of Chaffinch bokfink.

Herdlevær 10 December 2011

Calm and mild again.

 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt

Song Thrush måltrost

Soon spring......?!

 

Pleasant conditions but a short stroll produced only a handfull of late migrants - nine Redwing rødvingetrost, a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a Song Thrush måltrost (rare December sighting!)

Several Purple sands fjæreplytt, Black Guillemot teist, Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke and of course several White-tailed Eagles havørn also seen.

Hjelme West & Sæle 09 December 2011

Calm and relatively mild.

Best sighthing was probably Woodcock rugde in the woods at Hjelme West where there were also at least five White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Black Guillemot teist, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and small numbers of the usual seaduck. Nice views of an Otter catching and eating crabs here.

At Sæle several Little Auk alkekonge, a few Kittiwake krykkje and the usual.

Øygarden 08 December 2011

Southerly wind and cold with it.

One of four Great Northern Diver islom seen today

 

At Dåvøy there were two Great Northern Divers islom on the sea, a Black-headed Gull hettemåke (no doubt the same bird as recently seen at Herdlevær), a couple of Redwing rødvingetrost and two Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke.

Solberg was rather quiet with just a couple of Little Auk alkekonge knocking about and a Great Northern Diver islom heading south. Also a Gannet havsule and a single Kittiwake krykkje here.

A brief stop at Alvheim produced yet another Great Northern Diver islom on the sea, a distant Peregrine vandrefalk and at least four White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Solberg 07 December 2011 - Hen Harrier!

Calm and sunny.

The weather was fantastic so typically I was busy with other commitments all day - only managing half an hour or so at Solberg.

The distant speck to the top left is a Hen Harrier myrhauk (honest!) - the perched raptor is White-tailed Eagle havørn

White-tailed Eagle havørn at Solberg

Highlight by far was a ringtail Hen Harrier myrhauk circling over one of the islands before heading north. Rare at the best of times this is probably the first December occurrence in Øygarden.

A Great Northern Diver islom was almost certainly the same bird seen yesterday. Other sightings included 10 Greylags grågås heading north, a Black Guillemot teist, a Common Seal steinkobbe and an Otter.

 Dolphins jumping at Tjeldstø

Common Crossbill grankorsnebb in the garden

At Tjeldstø a pod of approximately 20 Dolphins were an excellent bonus.

Øygarden 06 December 2011 - Don't land on the ice!

Started clearish and calmish but rapidly deteriorated to a day long snow storm.

 Ice-skating Little Auk alkekonge

 I was heading away from the auk by the time this happened...

It was barely light when I spotted a Little Auk alkekonge out on the ice on Husvatnet. After a few half-hearted attempts at take off it was snatched by one of the local Hooded Crows kråke and carried off. Had it landed on the open water just a few metres away it could easily have dived and escaped....

Male Pochard taffeland on Husvatnet

A male Pochard taffeland on Husvatnet and a couple of flocks of geese also flew over Tjeldstø.

A short boat trip around Alvheim and Solberg produced a couple of Great Northern Divers islom, a few Fieldfare gråtrost, three Starling stær and at least two White-tailed Eagles havørn. But with visibility virtually nil and appalling conditions we gave up and headed home.

Bad news on getting home was that my camera has stopped working....this will no doubt be expensive.