Engerdal 16-22 September 2021 - First Engerdal "twitch"

At odds with the rest of the birding community I chose to head east instead of west during the second half of September. My thoughts being if it is peak time in the west then it must also be peak season in the east:)

As usual Engerdal did not disappoint and punched well above its weight.

My first day out on 16 September produced plenty of birds and Beaver. Best bird in an Engerdal context was a Buzzard musvåk at Kvilten and another at Heggeriset.

My usual round of Galten - Drevsjø - Heggeriset produced good numbers of migrants at Galten and a nice female Goshawk hønsehauk looking for prey. The expected Black-throated Divers storlom were joined by a Slav Grebe horndykker and the usual wildfowl were present. Migrant passerines included Reed Buntings sivspurv, Dunnock jernspurv, Chiff-chaff gransanger and plenty more besides. A lone Herring Gull gråmåke rested on rocks out on the lake.

Merganser siland at Galtsjøen

This was followed by a walk at Lisæter and a walk around Hyllsjøen. Kestrel tårnfalk, flocks of Brambling bjørkefink, the usual thrushes, a couple of Rough-legged Buzzards fjellvåk and plenty more were seen.

On 17 September it was a late and lazy start but whilst waiting for my better half to get ready I clocked up a couple of Black Woodpecker svartspett, Dipper fossekall and more. This was followed by a new walk - Galtåsen, here a flock of 30 Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb fed in the trees and a few Siberian Jay lavskrike fed on the forest floor. Treecreeper trekryper and Crested Tits toppmeis joined the usual suspects in the woods.

Dipper fossekall

Siberian Jay lavskrike

Just as it got dark I received a message about a strange bird - a mobile phone image of what was obviously a phalarope although the exact species was not evident, an interesting sighting whatever it turned out to be. Mostly because it was dark and partly because we were already at the only restaurant in the area I didn't actually leave immediately. Instead I left the house before first light the nest day to head up to Vurrusjøen (having already woken up twice at 0330 and 0430 in the hope that it might soon be light!). Here I had Grey Wagtail vinterle, a couple of Whoopers sangsvane and a reasonable selection of wildfowl. But no phalarope. 

I opted to check a few other localities before returning and could not believe my eyes - a GREY PHALAROPE polarsvømmesnipe - only the second record for Hedmark (previous was September 1969!!!). This is the first time I have ever gone for a bird in Engerdal, hopefully it won't be the last. My family is all too familiar with me leaving the house in the middle of making dinner back in Øygarden but this is the first time they had to experience this in the tranquil world that is / was Engerdal:)

Engerdal's first and Hedmark's second ever Grey Phalarope polarsvømmesnipe

After that everything seemed rather quiet but another Goshawk hønsehauk put in an appearance at Heggeriset.

On 19 September I did not actually go out birding but whilst digging potatoes a nice flock of 47 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås headed south over the house, first record for Engerdal this year.

Part of a flock of migrating Pinkfeet kortnebbgås - quite possibly coming from the same place as the phalarope.

The following day it was back to the grindstone. Galtsjøen produced four Slav Grebes horndykker, a late Yellow Wagtail gulerle, a Tree Pipit treiplerke, Kestrel tårnfalk and four Jays nøtteskrike among other things. An Osprey fiskeørn ate a mammoth catch (sik - no idea of the English name) at Galthåen whilst in the background an elg grazed at the water's edge. 

Back home a Mistle thrush duetrost was the best sighting.

Osprey fiskørn (late!) with a sik (whitefish?)

Grazing Elg

Robin rødstrupe in the garden - in contrast to my garden back west this bird will soon leave as the cold sets in.

Four Slav grebes horndykker

Dull weather early on 20 September prevented me going ahead with my planned walk so it was rather a case of the same as usual with the addition of a female Capercaille storfugl flying over the road. None the less a very pleasant and productive morning out and about. The clouds then lifted and it was up to Svarthammeren where Golden Eagle kongeørn, Kestrel tårnfalk, a few Ring Ousel ringtrost and a good movement of Siskin grønnsisik were the highlights.

Reed Bunting sivspurv have largely moved down to the valleys but some remain in the hills too.

One of three Ring Ousel ringtrost seen

Roe Deer rådyr living dangerously now that the hunting season has started...

At least 67 species noted, not bad at all:) Engerdal year list now at 107 - my best year yet despite not having been there during the summer!

Øygarden 06 - 08 September 2021 - Promising conditions fail to deliver

Southerly winds with some precipitation at long last!

The conditions seemed good to deposit migrants out here on the islands but did not deliver the goods in any big way. 

A short session at Skogsøy on 06 September failed on pretty much all counts with little other than Gannets havsule passing. A couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn and a Peregrine vandrefalk were all that were on offer here.

Popping in at Tjeldstø on the way home produced just one Ruff brushane and a small increase in the number of Wigeon brunnakke present.

My usual round at Herdlevær on 07 September did ever so slightly better with a Little Stint dvergsnipe joining a couple of Ringed Plover sandlo. Also the first Wheatear steinskvett since my return and a few Wigeon brunnakke.

On the way home a Woodcock rugde feeding at Alvheim was the best sighting - no doubt a local breeder but uncommon to see them out in the open.

On 08 September conditions were identical to the previous day -misty with light drizzle. An identical round to the previous day produced just singles of Knot polarsnipe, a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a couple of Wheatear steinskvett. A flock of at least 11 Teal krikkand were at Kollsnes - so some wildfowl obviously started to move. 

Øygarden 05 September 2021 - Dwarves

Calm conditions, ideal for a boat trip around the islands and skerries in the north west of Øygarden - the very same that I see from my kitchen window. 

Dverg means dwarf in Norwegian and the best birds today were both dwarves - Dwarf snipe otherwise known as Little Stint dvergsnipe was one of the first sightings of the day and Dwarf Woodpecker otherwise known as Lesser spotted Woodpecker dvergspett was one of the last birds seen.

Little Stints dvergsnipe

Much of the morning was spent looking for waders on the islands in the north west of Øygarden - quite a productive day was had doing this. A few islands were checked out on the way to Hernar where, although there were still a lot of birds about, there was not a "fall feeling" so we left after a brief check. Migrants new in included Dunnock jernspurv, Chaffinches bokfink and Redwing rødvingetrost. Otherwise "just" 50+ Twite bergirisk and the usual suspects.

Young Robin rødstrupe on Hernar

The islands produced most of the expected wader species and a couple of extras. The highlight were two Little Stints dvergsnipe which flew in together with several Ringed Plover sandlo. Little Stint is a species I previously considered quite a scarcity in Øygarden but in fact is quite regular - something I consider surprising as it is not normally considered a species associated with rocky shores.

Several each of Sanderling sandløper and Turnstone steinvender, around 15 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt (the first of the autumn),  a dozen or so each of Dunlin myrsnipe and Ringed Plover sandlo, a couple of Knot polarsnipe,  a Shelduck gravand and a lone Ruff brushane were among the other sightings.

It almost goes without saying that we saw the usual Black Guillemot teist, White-tailed Eagle havørn etc etc.

Dunlin myrsnipe

Herring Gulls gråmåke and a Commom Gull fiskemåke feeding on something at the surface. Both Great and Lesser Blacked Gulls svartbak og sildemåke were also doing the same thing - as were a lot of fish. Perhaps something was spawning?

Of more interest to the local birders (Øygardens entire population of resident birders were in the same place at the same time with the same plan, just in different boats), there was also a guy on the same mission as us - looking at and photographing waders on islands but who is he??? ID required as we did not recognise either the boat or the person (he has photo-bombed the gull picture above)

Øygarden's other birder was predictably enough on the same mission as us...:)

Jay nøtteskrike at Tjeldstø - probably a migrating / irrupting bird as this species is not often seen at Tjeldstø and although a little early the timing is good....

Knot polarsnipe

One of a few LBBG sildemåke seen today 

The first Purple Sands fjæreplytt of the autumn.

Ruff brushane - a common enough autumn migrant in Øygarden but not often they land on the offshore islans

A few of the Sanderling sandløper seen today

Shelduck gravand

urnstone steinvender

Back ashore in the late morning I checked Tjeldstø where over 50 Golden Plover heilo were in the reserve along with a couple of Ruff brushane. A Jay nøtteskrike put in an appearance - an irreuglar autumn visitor at this locality and five Goldfinch stillits flew over.

After this fantastic morning out I went home to get on with stuff but headed out again after a tip-off to see a Lesser spotted Woodpecker dvergspett at Hatten.

Herdlevær 04 September 2021 - Living dangerously

Light winds and largely sunny.

Today I opted to start off with my usual Herdlevær round. This seemed to prove to be a good idea, at least whilst I was out and about:)

On my way there I saw a number of Red Deer - a common enough sight - but one of them was just too confiding given that the hunting season started a few days ago....

Red Deer living dangerously

Herdlevær was full of birds, mostly local breeders but today the variety increased considerably and there was a very good feel to the birding. On the passerine side of things Dunnocks jernspurv were very noticeable and have obviously started to move, a Tree Pipit treiplerke, a Pied Flycatcher svarthvit fluesnapper, several Willow Warbler løvsanger including a very grey looking one, a good variety of the expected wader species, a couple of Shelduck gravand, the first Red-throated Diver smålom of the autumn and more were seen here.

A Ruff brushane joined a small flock of Golden Plover heilo at Breivik.

A stop at Tjeldstø proved rather quiet but seven White-tailed Eagles havørn in the air together kind of compensated for the lack of other stuff.

Other birders spent the morning seawatching at Herdlevær and notched up Sooty Shearwater grålire and a very good variety of other species passing. Maybe I should have done Skogsøy instead.....

Skogsøy 03 September 2021 - BTD

Light north westerly winds

Once again a bit on the quiet side but a northbound Black-throated Diver storlom was incredibly the first I've seen locally this year. Other than that a couple of Peregrines vandrefalk, a single Fulmar havhest and small numbers of waders.

Black-throated Diver storlom

Gannet havsule

On the way home I popped in at Breivik where there were lots of birds without anything very exciting. Fieldfares gråtrost and Starlings stær alternated between feeding in the fields and eating the plentiful rowan berries. A Chiff-chaff gransanger sang briefly here too.

Fieldfares gråtrost and Starling stær feeding on rowan berries

At Tjeldstø I heard the Spotted Reds sotsnipe again and went all in to locate them. I was was rewarded with stunning views (more of that later). Other species seen here included my first local Wigeon brunnakke of the year (!!), Turnstone steinvender and migrating Ringed Plovers sandlo.

One of three Wigeon brunnakke at Tjeldstø

Hernar 02 September 2021 - A nice try

With so much strong northerly wind the last few days it was never going to be a great day on Hernar, but I am home and had the time so Hernar it was. So good to have the time for once:)

Right enough there was very little in the way of migrants but the island was full of birds, unfortunately mostly just the usual stuff. At least 40 Twite bergirisk along with Linnets tornirisk and Lesser Redpolls brunsisik were the most numerous species. Several Snipe enkeltbekkasin, singles of Sedge Warbler sivsanger and Whitethroat tornsanger and a selection of the usual autumn waders were seen. In a Hernar context the best birds were a Tree Sparrow pilfink and a Shelduck gravand.

A quick look at Tjeldstø gave a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe, three White-tailed Eagle havørn and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.

From the terrace best bird was a Peregrine vandrefalk but the best sighting was a bat hunting over the garden when I got up. 

Skogsøy 01 September 2021 - Northerlies continue

The sunny conditions accompanied by fresh northerly winds continue unabated. The garden is literally dying for some water - a difficult concept to deal with for those who think it rains all the time in Bergen. Out in Øygarden there is a lot less precipitation and this year there has been a lot less than normal.

Given the conditions the only real option was Skogsøy. Things were again rather quiet and very much a repeat of my previous visit a couple of days ago. 11 Fulmar havhest headed north along with a modest passage of Gannets havsule. A Kititwake krykkje, a Razorbill alke and small numbers of Knot polarsnipe, Turnstone steinvender and Dunlin myrsnipe also passed, though once again the waders were largely heading north.

Dunlin myrsnipe

Gannet havsule

After this I did a few drive-bys. Tjeldstø was the best with a Yellow Wagtail gulerle, a Kestrel tårnfalk and at least 300 Starling stær. A flock of Goldfinch stillits at Sæle contained a number of first year birds - surely a further indication that this species is establishing itself out here.