Hernar 24 October 2011 - Migration!

Fresh south-easterly and SUNNY. Very warm for so late in the year.

A SUPERB day spent birding Hernar. There was non-stop action from dawn until we left at 16:45. Plenty of visible migration and lots of stuff on the island itself.

 Rook kornkråke

 Twite bergirsik - numbers have now dropped to only seven birds

 Above and below Little Auk alkekonge - good numbers passing with many at close range

 Goshawk hønsehauk

 Above and below Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

 Red-throated Diver smålom

 Female Blackcap munk

Part of a Waxwing sidensvans flock

Highlights included a Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb and a Rook kornkråke (both new species for the island), 10 Waxwing sidensvans, two Lapland Buntings lappspurv, a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, at least one Water Rail vannrikse, Short-eared Owl jordugle and Goldfinch stillits.

The supporting cast included a couple of Great Northern Diver islom, 700 or so Little Auk alkekonge, a couple of Goshawk hønsehauk, several Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, a Woodcock rugde, four rather late Swallows låvesvale, a Wheatear steinskvett, small numbers of Twite bergirsik and around 20 Red-throated Diver smålom.

Hundred of thrushes, 150 or so Woodpigeon ringdue, several flocks of Greylag grågås, Bramblings bjørkefink and a steady passage of Common Gull fiskemåke meant there was always something to see.

At least seven Blackcap munk and a couple of Chiff-chaff gransanger also present.

What a day!



Breivik 22 October 2011

Strong SSE wind and rain.

So-called waterproofs woefully ineffective again.

Best bird was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin, also a couple of Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a flock of Brambling bjørkefink and the usual suspects.

A breif look at Herdlevær produced a couple of Reed Bunting sivspurv and a Blackcap munk of interest

Herdlevær 21 October 2011

Very strong southerly winds, dull and wet. Again.

Highlights today were a tristis-like Chiff-chaff gransanger and a late Wheatear steinskvett.

 White-tailed Eagle havørn #1

 White-tailed Eagle havørn #2

 Above and below Cormorant storskarv

Common Gull fiskemåke

Other birds inlcuded the first Kittiwake krykkje for some time and the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn etc.

Photography only possible using obscene ISO values today.

Skogsøy 20 October 2011

North-westerly near gale and showers.

A late start to an hour or so seawatching. Unsurprisingly little passing, just small numbers of Gannets havsule and seaduck including a several Long-tailed Duck havelle.

 Gannet havsule diving

 Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn

 Sparrowhawk spurvehauk

As good as the weather got whilst I was out...

The walk out produced the best bird of the day - a lone Waxwing sidensvans - the first I have seen in Øygarden this year. Otherwise just White-tailed Eagle havørn, Sparrowhawk spurvehauk etc.

Back home the garden proved quite productive with a couple of Blackcap munk, a Brambling bjørkefink and a small flock of Tree Sparrow pilfink as the best sightings.

Herdlevær 17 October 2011

Just for a change gale force southerly winds....

Not quite up to yestarday's standards but far from a waste of time.

 Two Dunlin myrsnipe

 Common Scoter svartand

 Song Thrush måltrost

 Gannet havsule

 Above and below Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt

Best bird today was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin. Other waders were a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a couple of Dunlin myrsnipe and two Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt.

Not much in the way of migrant passerines other than some mixed thrush flocks, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a couple of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Three Long-tailed Duck havelle were the first of the autumn.

A brief look at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø, produced the same four Greylags grågås that have been present for a few days, a Goldeneye kvinand (the first I've seen this autumn) and several Wigeon brunnakke.

Herdlevær 16 October 2011 - Short-eared Owls and the one that might have got away

Strong southerly winds yet again.

First bird was a pipit seen and heard calling - sound "off" for Tree Pipit trepiplerke and very likely to have been an Olive-backed Pipit sibirpiplerke. Having checked the field guides and "Calls of Eastern Vagrants" the call was absolutely spot on - less hoarse and less drawn out than Tree Pipit - but who dares claim OBP on call.....? Unfortunately I did not manage to find it again.

 Above and below: Short-eared Owl jordugle

 Chiff-chaff gransanger

 Shag toppskarv

Part of a flock of Common Scoter svartand

Best of the rest were four Short-eared Owls jordugle sheltering from the wind - sightings of multiple owls are virtually unheard of in Øygarden so these put a nice Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger into second place.

Other migrants included the first Woodcock rugde of the autumn, two Wheatear steinskvett, a Dunlin myrsnipe, a couple of Blackcaps munk and a Chiff-chaff gransanger.

All in all an excellent few hours birding....

Tjeldstø 15 October 2011

Barely out.

Four Greylags grågås and two Lapwing vipe beside Husvatnet were the first here for some time. Otherwise just the usual selection of thrushes, Brambling bjørkefink etc.

A Little Grebe dvergdykker and two Common Scoter svartand were seen on Rotevatnet earlier in the day.

Herdlevær 09 October 2011 - Bad weather, good birds

A howling southerly gale and torrential rain meant conditions were difficult today.

My so-called waterproff Paramo gear failed miserably to keep me dry but the first Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin of the year was ample compensation for any discomfort. A male Ring Ousel ringtrost was another bonus bird whilst a Short-eared Owl jordugle was blown in off the sea and sat on the rocks for a short while before being blown away again.

Record shot of Short-eared Owl jordugle

 Redwings rødvingetrost feeding on rowan berries

Loads of thrushes about with hundreds of Redwings rødvingetrost and smaller numbers of Fieldfare gråtrost, Blackbird svarttrost and Song Thrush måltrost. Small flocks of Brambling bjørkefink also sheltering in the bushes.

Herdlevær 03 October 2011 -Yellow-broweds

An hour spent at Herdlevær produced two Yellow-broweds gulbrynsanger as the best birds.

 Above and below: record shots of one of the Yellow-broweds

Other migrants included Goldcrests fuglekonge, a couple of Blackcap munk and a Common Sandpiper strandsnipe.

Tjeldstø 02 October 2011 - sibes

Light NW wind, very pleasant conditions.

Barely out of the garden before a Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke flew over calling repeatedly. Always a good start to the day....A Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger also put in a very vocal appearance a little down the road.

 Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke

Tree Sparrows pilfink

 

Lots of birds, largely finches and thrushes on the ground were already moving on as I did the rounds. A couple of lateish Swallows låvesvale fed over the marshes and other sightings included a migrant Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett, a Blackcap munk, a Chiff-chaff gransanger and a flock of 16 Tree Sparrows pilfink.

At least 10 Snipe enkeltbekkasin about but only a few Golden Plover heilo.

Skogsøy 01 October 2011

Frash southerly, sunny but hazy over the sea.

 Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

 Arctic Tern rødnebbterne

 Oiled Gannet havsule

 Steady passage of Gannets havsule today - part of plock pictured here

Common Gulls fiskemåke were obviously migrating

A good migration day, most passerines passing inland of the lookout. A little over two hours seawatching around dawn proved that southbound migration was in full swing. At least four Kestrel tårnfalk, two Sparrowhawk spurvehauk, three Red-throated Diver smålom, an Arctic Tern rødnebbterne, the first Black-headed gull hettemåke for some time, a couple of Grey Plover tundralo, a Turnstone steinvender, a Tree Pipit trepiplerke and at least 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls sildemåke were the best sightings. A single Great Skua storjo headed north.

Other birds included over 170 Gannet havsule, 105 Cormorant storskarv, 80 Common Gull fiskemåke and a Wigeon brunnakke.

In the woods and overhead there were plenty of migrants with a Grey Wagtail vinterle the best of the bunch (first in Øygarden this year), many flocks of Chaffinch bokfink, plenty of Brambling bjørkefink and a few Reed Bunting sivspurv were among the passing flocks. Singles of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Ruff brushane were also noteworthy sightings on the way back to the car.

Barely a drive-by at Herdlevær produced the first Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett I've had this year.

Tjeldstø 30 September 2011

Light southerly and sunny.

 Adult male Wheatear steinskvett

Immature / female Wheatear steinskvett

An evening stroll around the reserve produced relatively little. A couple of Whetear steinskvett, two Twite bergirisk and a Kestrel tårnfalk were the best of what there was.

Herdlevær 29 September 2011 - Pinkfeet

Very strong southerlies, almost sunny.

Generally pretty quiet. Highlights were a flock of four Pinkfeet kortnebbgås flying south and a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk.

Waders were limited to a few Dunlin myrsnipe and a couple of Golden Plover heilo.

 Peregrine vandrefalk

 Above and below: Pinkfeet kortnebbgås

 Raven ravn

 Gannet havsule

 Cormorants storskarv

Common Gull fiskemåke

Migrant passerines included a Willow warbler løvsanger, a Wheatear steinskvett and a few flocks of Blue tit blåmeis.