Herdlevær 04 April 2010 - Ring Ousels

Record shots of Ring Ousel ringtrost at Herdlevær

A stroll at Herdlevær proved quite successful despite it being generally quiet. Most of the usual species seen and just as I was about to leave I got onto a pair of Ring Ousel ringtrost - the rarest of the common thrushes in Øygarden. Despite being a common breeder not far inland this species is barely seen annually in Øygarden.

Skogsøy 03 April 2010 - the Wrens have gone...

A pair of Teal krikkand at Kollsnes
Female Long-tailed Duck havelle at Skogsøy

Gannet havsule

Eider Ærfugl

Crested Tit toppmeis

The most noticable bird was the one that almost didn't show for the second visit in a row - just one singing Wren gjerdesmett today - normally one of the most numerous songsters in the area. Obvious that the very cold winter has taken a formidable toll on this tiny species. In Øygarden as a whole it looks like 80-90% of the population is gone.

The migrants seem to have fared a lot better with Robin rødstrupe, Song Thrush måltrost, Dunnock jernspurv and Redwing rødvingetrost all singing as normal.

A few hours seawatching were rather quiet after the first hour - possibly due to overcast and showert conditions. Only real movement was 100 Gannet havsule heading south, 61 Oystercatcher tjeld, a Red-throated Diver smålom and 50 Cormorant storskarv flying north. Small numbers of Teal krikkand and Greylags grågås also on the move.

As I headed home the weather cleared and flocks of geese and Cormorants headed north on a broad front most of the day.

Only new bird for me today were a couple of Twite bergirisk at Breivik on the way home.

Tjeldstø 02 April

Barely out of the house today so the first Yellowhammer gulspurv of the year was a welcome garden visitor. A couple of Lesser Black-backed gulls sildemåke were also the first I've seen for sure at Tjeldstø this year (despite seeing them elsewhere for some time).

Several Siskin grønnsisik and Redpolls brunsisik at the feeder along with a couple of Tree Sparrow pilfink.

Tjeldstø 01 April 2010

Male Siskin grønnsisik at the feeder
Oystercatcher tjeld

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn puts the geese up

More migrants in today with the first Redshank rødstilk of the year in the reserve - the first for Øygarden was seen a few days ago on the coast. Also a fly over Golden Plover heilo.

Loads of Meadow Pipits heipiplerke and Song Thrush måltrost singing now.

Some visibile migration noticable with seven Whooper Swan sangsvane heading north high up. Cormorants storskarv and Fieldfare gråtrost also seen on the move.

A Dunnock jernspurv singing at Blomvåg was the first I've heard this year.

Øygarden 28 March 2010

Male Siskin grønnsisk in the garden
Female Siskin grønnsisik

Rook kornkråke

Rook kornkråke with Hooded Crows kråke

Only out for the briefest of walks. Once again rather dull and wet but picked up the two Rooks kornkråke beside the car park at Skogsøy and then a male Wheatear steinskvett at Kollsnes - the first trans-Saharan migrant to return to Øygarden this year.

Skogsøy 27 March 2010 - Migration at last

Whiskey gets a mink.

Migrating Shag toppskarv

Part of a Common Scoter svartand flock

A few hours seawatching just after dawn gave typical results for the time of year including a few new including a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke, two Shelduck gravand (rather oddly flying south), a Fulmar havhest and a Red-throated Diver smålom heading north.

Small numbers of Oystercatcher tjeld, around 200 Common Gulls fiskemåke and several Black-headed Gulls hettemåke all headed north and apprximately 130 Shag toppskarv went south.

Other birds seen included several Curlew storspove, a Goshawk hønsehauk and a White-tailed Eagle havørn.

Whisky, my dog, did his bit for conservation on the way home by catching and making short work of a mink....well done!

Tjeldstø 25 March 2010 - Mistle Thrush

Whooper swans sangsvane finally getting access to fresh water feeding for the first time this winter....

Record shots of Mistle Thrush duetrost at Tjeldstø

Obviously more stuff arrived during the night, south easterly winds and rain no doubt to blame...

Best bird was a Mistle Thrush duetrost but also the first two White Wagtail linerle of the year.

A Black-headed Gull hettemåke and sveral Common Gull fiskemåke joined the usual Herring Gulls gråmåke on Husvatnet.

A few Ringed Plover sandlo rested on one the islands at Solberg.

Tjeldstø 24 March 2010

Greylag grågås pair out in the reserve
Female Chaffinch bokfink

Nothing new in today though the Goshawk hønsehauk was still about

Tjeldstø 23 March 2010

Once again not really out much but managed a quick dash around the reserve. (Spent all morning updating website - especially my interesting recent trip to the Black Sea).

The only new bird today was a Meadow Pipit heipiplerke. Seems like more Greylags grågås are in, a Goshawk hønsehauk had a go at them and three White-tailed Eagles havørn seemed pretty interested too.

Now five Teal krikkand, six Skylark sanglerke and plenty of Lapwing vipe about. Both Husvatnet and Rotevatnet thawing rapidly.....

Tjeldstø 22 March 2010

Too busy with household stuff to get out and about today. A Redpoll brunsisik in the garden and a flock of 11 Skylark sanglerke feeding in one of the fields during a 10 minute walk with the dog was all I managed.

Øygarden 21 March 2010

Almost a record shot of the extremely shy Stock Dove skogdue at Sture

Woodpigeons ringdue, Tjeldstø

Lapwings vipe on the ice at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

An excellent day out. Rather foggy to start with but no wind and no rain and an obvious arrival of migrants meant that expectations were kept high.

Plenty of new stuff in today with the highlight being a Stock Dove skogdue at Sture.

Tjeldstø produced at least six Woodpigeon ringdue, three Teal krikkand, 26 Lapwing vipe, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and plenty more including a Goshawk hønsehauk.

Blackbird svarttrost were seen in large numbers both a Tjeldstø and Sture where there were also a couple of Song Thrush måltrost - another new for Øygarden this year.

150 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt at Hjelme Vest which was otherwise quiet and another 50 or so seen at Tjeldstø.

A heavily oiled Gannet havsule sat out on the rocks at Hjelme Vest - a sign that something has happened offshore?

Tjeldstø 19 March 2010

Very wet and with strong southerly winds. Most of the snow now melted but the lakes are still covered in ice. At least 20 Lapwing vipe, 200 Starling stær, several Oystercatcher tjeld, a Curlew storpove and 12 Greylags grågås were all signs that at least the birds seem to think spring is on the way....

A Ringed Plover sandlo flew over - the first in Øygarden this year.

Skogsøy 27 February 2010

Somewhat extreme conditions today. Slogged through knee deep snow (deeper in drifts) in a northerly gale to see if there was anything going on. Sure enough, the first movement of any note this year was ongoing - over 200 Gannets havsule heading north in an hours and a half.

Pitifully little else, just a few Kittiwake krykkje and a light passage of large gulls also heading north.

Out of the wind in the woods it felt a lot more spring-like with Coal tit svartmeis and Crested Tits toppmeis singing.

A Carrion Crow svartkråke fed among the sheep just over the road from the parking area.

Tjeldstø 26 February 2010

Not really out and about today other than a quick trip down to Solberg where it was pretty much situation as usual - a flock of 40 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and four White-tailed Eagles havørn.

At Tjeldstø the first Greylag grågås of the year flew over the garden; with everything buried under so much snow it will struggle to find much to eat.

I heard back some scant details regarding the colour-ringed Purple Sandpiper that we sighted on 18 Febrary - it was ringed on the west coast of Sweden is all I have heard thus far. Still waiting for more details....

Herdlevær 25 February 2010 - Grebes Galore!

Quite a decent couple of hours at Herdlevær with the highlight being at least three Red-necked Grebes gråstrupedykker, a Slavonian Grebe horndykker and another grebe I was not quite sure about but looked rather like Great Crested Grebe toppdykker. An attempt to get closer to these rather distant birds at Dåvøy was only partially successful - cracking views of two of the Red-necked Grebes here. Not often we experience so many grebes in one place.

Other stuff included two Goshawks hønsehauk, a Mealy Redpoll gråsisik, four Starling stær and five Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

Hjelme Vest 19 February

Otter
There IS a Dipper fossekall in this picture - honest!

Fantastic but cold weather continues unabated.

A trip to Hjelme Vest produced a long awaited Dipper fossekall on the way out. On the islands there were a couple of Oystercatcher tjeld - probably the overwintering birds, a Turnstone steinvender and a Curlew storspove.

A Velvet Scoter sjøorre was among the usual seaduck present. Only one Black guillemot teist and no divers....

As usual an otter turned up - seeing them daily pretty much wherever I go at the moment.

Øygarden 18 February 2010 - Seabird Monitoring

The only Little Auk alkekonge of the day
Great Black-backed Gull svartbak sees off White-tailed Eagle havørn

Colour ringed Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt

The boat we were on all day....

Heron gråhegre

Cormorant storskarv stretching its wings

As part of SEAPOP, a monitoring program for seabirds, we were out in a boat counting seabirds all day - just like we did last year.

Technically the best bird was the first Lapwing vipe of the year but the real highlight were some wonderful views of a large flock of around 190 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt - one of which was colour ringed.

Otherwise it was business as usual with good numbers of White-tailed Eagle havørn, a couple of Curlew storspove etc. Still very few auks about - and just one Little Auk alkekonge.

There were some big gull flocks, no doubt brought in by the herring - so hopes are rising for a rarer one among them in the near future....

Ormhilleren 14 Febraury 2010

A brief trip out before family commitments took over produced a couple of year firsts for Øygarden. A tip-off about a flock of 16 probable Turnstone steinvender turned out to be be 100% correct - a huge number for the time of year in these parts.

Whilst scanning around a distant Kestrel tårnfalk also turned up.

Øygarden 13 February 2010

A Fieldfare gråtrost in the garden was an unusual sight - normally they stay well away from the feeders. A Sparrowhawk spurvehauk also paid a visit.

At Herdlevær at least one Little Grebe dvergdykker, a male Wigeon brunnakke (probably the one from Dåvøy), a Fieldfare gråtrost, a Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a flock of six Starling stær were the only sightings of any interest. The latter may well have been newly arrived migrants.

Øygarden 12 February 2010

Øygarden enthusiast Jon Djupvik gets that "White-billed diver stare"

Sunset, sunset....birds too far off to take pictures of

Badly lit record shot of three Little Grebe dvergdykker at Herdlevær

Three Little Grebe dvergdykker still present at Herdlevær - just a drive-by to check on the grebes so there was nothing else to report.

A late afternoon trip to Hjelme Vest produced singles of White-billed Diver gulnebblom and Great Northern Diver islom along with most of the usual suspects including several Black Guillemot teist and around 50 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt.

No Eagle Owls hubro singing tonight.....