Tjeldstø 05 October 2013 - Pinkfeet

Overcast and dull.

A short stroll through the reserve produced little of interest other than a (the) flock of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås.

Herdlevær 04 October 2013

Strong SE, overcast.

Plenty of grounded migrants but largely the usual selection of autumn thrushes and finches including Brambling bjørkefink and Twite bergirisk. Best among the passerines was a Willow Tit granmeis.

Peregrine vandrefalk

A hour or so seawatching produced a Sooty Shearwater grålire at close range, 300+ Gannets havsule and small numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom, Guillemot lomvi, Velvet Scoter sjøorre and Common Scoter svartand. A Peregrine vandrefalk also came through.

Herdlevær 03 October 2013

Strong southerly winds, mostly sunny

Just a quick walk around and a short seawatch whilst I ate breakfast. By no means covered the whole area - generally speaking quite a bit about. Didn't really check for passerines but Chiff-chaff gransanger, at least three Blackcaps munk and a Wheatear steinskvett seen.

Gannet havsule

Guillemots lomvi

Guillemot lomvi with garfish hornjel

Herring Gull gråmåke

Shag toppskarv

Several Dunlin myrsnipe, a Ruff brushane and a flock of Golden plover heilo as well as more unidentified waders further out. Good numbers of Gannet havsule and small numbers of Guillemot lomvi about.

A Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin was probably the best bird.

Sture 02 October 2013 - Yet another new - they just keep coming!!

Strong southerly winds, largely clear.

A report of a probable Hawk Owl haukugle whilst I was sitting in a meeting at work meant that as soon as I got home there was some serious checking to do.

The legwork paid off big time and confirmed the first find for Øygarden - thank you Bjørnar!! With the massive invasion of Great-spotted Woodpeckers flaggspett, Two-barred Crossbills båndkorsnebb and other woodland species who knows what the next goodie will be....

Some record shots of this eminently photogenic and long-awaited species below:

Record shots of Øygarden first Hawk Owl haukugle

A flock of 26 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås over my garden at Tjeldstø would normally have been the find of the day but paled into insignificance beside the owl.

Part of a flock of Pinkfeet kortnebbgås flying over Tjeldstø

This roadside Snipe enkeltbekkasin gave nice photo opportunities whilst looking for the owl

Hernar 01 October 2013 - Another species unblocked!

Sunny with winds more or less easterly.

Three Hernar regulars made the trip out to the island today and enjoyed a productive morning combing the island for migrants.

Red-breasted Flycatcher dvergfluesnapper

Photo: Bjørnar Skjold

Generally little in the way of grounded migrants but what quality! Star bird was a rather skulky Red-breasted Flycatcher dvergfluesnapper - the first documented find for Hernar but not the first for Øygarden. A species we had all been waiting for finally gave itself up nicely.

Peregrine vandrefalk

The supporting cast included the first Grey Plover tundralo of the autumn, a couple each of Goldfinch stillits and Snow Bunting snøspurv. Another highlight was a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk.

Loads of migrants overhead with flocks of Meadow Pipit heipiplerke passing constantly. Several flocks of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik passed early on but this movement soon dropped off. The usual selection of autumn thrushes, finches (including over 30 Twite bergirisk), a Kestrel tårnfalk, small numbers of Swallows låvesvale and a House Martin taksvale were also seen.

Elsewhere in Øygarden a few Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb were seen near Nautnes whilst a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett and the first Tufted Duck toppand of the autumn were noted at Tjeldstø.

Øygarden 30 September - Another fantastic day....

Calm and sunny.

Still plenty going on! Started the day with a quick look at Tjeldstø. Highlights here were a Willow Tit granmeis and a few Two-barred Crossbills båndkorsnebb. A Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, several Ruff brushane, a Swallow låvesvale and over 150 Common Crossbills grankorsnebb were some of the other birds seen here. A Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger was reported from near the quayside.

Record shots of the Rough-legged Buzzard fjellvåk

Next stop was Herdlevær where the bird of the day was seen - a cracking Rough-legged Buzzard fjellvåk heading north being mobbed by Hoodies kråke. Great to finally "unblock" this difficult Øygarden species. Other goodies included a flyover Grey Wagtail vinterle and a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers gulbrynsanger.

A couple of Mealy Redpoll gråsisik

Plenty of other migrants present including a couple of Blackcap munk, Chiff-chaff gransanger and Willow Warbler løvsanger. Large numbers of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Mealy Redpoll gråsisik in the trees and overhead. Good numbers of Song Thrush måltrost among all the migrant Redwing rødvingetrost, Fieldfare gråtrost and Blackbirds svarttrost.

Another Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett flew over the road at Breivik.

With so much going on there were predictably a few "that got away" - the Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger was almost definitely still present, an interesting pipit or two escaped positive ID, at least one white-rumped Redpoll was seen and a large dumpy snipe that did not fly far.....

Elsewhere in Øygarden another Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke was seen at Sture and a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett was also seen.

Tjeldstø 29 September 2013 - Richard's Pipit

Mostly clear, light southerlies

A quick walk around the reserve showed that there is obviously still a lot going on. Highlight was a Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke which was typically flighty but thankfully quite vocal.

Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke

A small flock of Golden Plover heilo were accompanied by a couple of Ruff brushane.

Still loads of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Great-spotted Woodpeckers flaggspett about.

Herdlevær 27 September 2013 - Finally!!!!

Calm and sunny.

As soon as I got out of the car it was obvious that there was a lot going on. A fair bit of passage overhead and quite a bit of activity in the trees and bushes. Almost the first bird I got onto was a Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger. A few Willow Warbler løvsanger, Goldcrest fuglekonge and a Garden Warbler hagesanger were in the same garden.

Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger

The evenly coloured wing, short primary projection, no contrast on the tertials, length of P2, the supercillium and not least the sylvia like call all confirm this birds identity

A short distance down the road I got onto the bird of the day - a Blyth's Reed Warbler busksanger - the second for Øygarden and in virtually the same place as the previous one. Today's bird was rather easier to see and photograph and with a bit of patience gave itself up nicely.

Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger

At least 750 Mealy Redpoll gråsisik flew over with some flocks stopping briefly. Plenty of Common Crossbill granskornebb passing over and Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb were heard occasionally. A Bullfinch dompap was another good species locally and was the first of the year in Øygarden.

Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett

LOADS of Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett again, a few Skylark sanglerke and plenty more besides.

A Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett drumming on a streetlight at Breivik, normally enough to make a day, was relegated to "also ran" today.

Definitely good to be back......

Breivik 26 September 2013

Fairly quiet but the first Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin of the autumn made the walk worthwhile.

A couple of Ruff brushane, 11 Golden Plover heilo and a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin were the other waders in the area.

Ruff brushane

A new species for the house list came just before midnight in the form of a vocal Tengmalm's Owl perleugle!

Nautnes 25 September 2013 - Two-barred Crossbill

An abortive 15 search for a Hoopoe hærfugl seen earlier in the day produced nice views of a first year male Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb - keeping itself to itself and not joining the many flocks of Common Crossbills grankorsnebb in the area.

Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb

Great-spotted Woodpeckers flaggspett everywhere. A small flock of Brambling bjørkefink were the first of the autumn for me.

Tjeldstø 24 September 2013 - GSWs

A short stroll in fading light produced large numbers of Great-spotted Woodpeckers flaggspett. We all knew it was going to be a big year for this species and it seems as if this may be the best year ever.

Other stuff seen included several Twite bergirisk, a Ruff brushane and good numbers of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Herdlevær 28 August - Rose-colured Starling

My Øygarden bogeybird which I have missed on three occasions now turned up at Herdlevær today in the form of a Rose-coloured Starling rosenstær.

Trumpeter Finch trompeterfink

One of three very vocal and rather flighty Red-throated Pipit lappiplerke present at Øra

I was "unfortunately" further afield and had a good day out (mildly put) in south east Norway with Simon Rix where we saw the long staying Trumpeter Finch trompeterfink (the first for Norway), three Red-throated Pipits lappiplerke, several Beared Tit skjeggmeis and plenty more besides.

Would I have preferred to see the Rose-coloured Starling on my home patch? Would you?

Tjeldstø 23 August 2013 - more migration

Sunny again with light southerlies.

A quick stroll around the reserve produced the first Kestrel tårnfalk and Wigeon brunnakke of the autumn.

Kestrel tårnfalk

A Ruff brushane or two, several Golden plover heilo and about 20 Snipe enkeltbekkasin were out in the reserve. Ringed plover sandlo and Redshank rødstilk were heard flying over.

Herdlevær 22 August 2013 - Whisky strikes again

Sunny with light northerly wind.

A Green Sandpiper skogsnipe was the best sighting, otherwise just small numbers of the usual waders, some Twite bergirisk and the usual suspects.

1cy Black-headed Gull hettemåke at Breivik

Golden plover heilo at Herdlevær

Whisky gets another mink

Whisky caught and killed yet another Mink - too little too late for this breeding season but better than nothing...

A few vocal White-tailed Eagles havørn over the house at Tjeldstø.

Solberg and Tjeldstø 20 August 2013

Southerly winds and cloudy.

Ruff brushane

Virtually no resting waders at Solberg. A single Great Skua storjo, a Whinchat buskskvett and several Twite bergirisk were all that was of interest here.

At Tjeldstø there were five Ruff brushane and at least 20 each of Golden Plover heilo and Snipe enkeltbekkasin. At least 10 Twite bergirisk also out in the reserve.

Small numbers of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb "everywhere".

Herdlevær 19 August 2013 - Shearwaters

South westerly winds with variable cloud cover.

No time to make the trip out to Skogsøy so I joined another birder for a couple of hours at Herdlevær for some reasonably productive seawatching:
0905-1130:

Sooty Shearwater grålire 1S
Manx Shearwater havlire 2S
Great Skua storjo 10S
Arctic Skua tyvjo 3S
Red-throated Diver smålom 2S
Diver (Great Northern?)1N
Fulmar havhest 6S
Golden Plover heilo 1S
Ruff brushane 10S
Sanderling sandløpeer 1S
Bar-tailed Godwit lappspove 10S
Turnstone steinvender 9S
Whimbrel småspove 1
Shelduck gravand 2S

Loads of Gannets havsule and lots of unidentified wader flocks also heading south.

Rong 12 August 2013 - Sperm Whale

Another flying visit to Øygarden.

Little in the way of birds - again largely due to not getting out and about. The only sighting of any note was a Whinchat buskskvett at Tjeldstø - first of the autumn. Good numbers of Snipe enkeltbekkasin also on the move.

A rather more spectacular sighting was the widely reported Sperm Whale at Rong.....

28-31 July 2013 - Tjeldstø - Young Cuckoo, Tringa waders and Two-barred Crossbills

A brief few days back in Øygarden with virtually no time and no car meant that all I could do was cover Tjeldstø to a small extent.

Young Cuckoo gjøk in the garden

Frustratingly no time to photograph these birds but if one looks hard enough there are two Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb in this just about record shot

One of the highlights was a young Cuckoo gjøk in and around the garden. It begged constantly and was fed by its "parent" Meadow Pipits heipiplerke  - although this was surprisingly difficult to photograph.

Typical July tringa waders started to show with Green Sandpiper skogsnipe, Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk and Greenshank gluttsnipe all showing in the reserve.

Something of an invasion of Two-barred Crossbills båndkorsnebb occurred at this time and flocks of up to at least 10 turned up in and around Tjeldstø.

Early June 2013 Tjeldstø - the destruction commences

As mentioned previously on this blog there are some very negative "developments" planned for Tjeldstø. Inevitably these will have an impact on the birdlife (and any other wildlife) in the area.

Beginning of the end for one of the important areas at Tjeldsø

Already a couple of the best areas for Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Woodcock rugde to survive longer periods of hard frost have been destroyed.....