Tjeldstø 03 March 2018 - Dead stuff

Overcast with very light snowfall. Slightly warmer today and temperatures may even have risen above freezing briefly. Very light winds again.

The situation for many species remains dire so today I did what I have done in similar circumstances in the past and visited a few wet and boggy areas to feed the birds with finely chopped hot dog sausages. I have no idea if this helps and suspect only Water Rail vannrikse may benefit or even realise that this is food.

Snipe enkeltbekkasin running for cover

Snipe enkeltbekkasin tracks (not from the same bird as above)

2cy Whooper sangsvane, now all on its own.

Desparate Woodcock rugde seen in flight a few places today whilst Snipe enkeltbekkasin seem to be just about hanging in there but are now being chased by corvids when they come out in the open to feed (something they pretty much have to do).

Even the sheep are struggling - this one had attracted the attentions of Ravens ravn and Hooded Crows kråke - carrion eaters are well catered for now with two very large meals a short distance from each other.

It is not just these species that are having a hard time of things - an adult Whooper sangsvane has succumbed at Tjeldstø - possibly one of the parents of the lone youngster present today. Sheep too seem to be struggling....

Finally a short video from yesterday of a Redwing rødvingetrost mining for food in long grass.

Øygarden 02 March 2018 - Who you gonna call?

Cracking weather for humans, less so for Water Rail vannrikse, Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Woodcock rugde - all species seen today but relegated to "also rans" by events later in the day.

I picked up quite a few of the usual species during shops, ice-skating and a walk at Hjelme Vest. I had just got out of the car to start some real birding when I received a call about an Eagle Owl hubro that was entangled in an electric fence.

One of the nice things about being known as the "birdman" out here is that I am called about all kinds of things related to birds (a Gannet wandering around a garden after a storm, a Merlin that has flown into a window etc etc). Today's call meant that I immediately returned to my car and sped off to assist.

Mobile phone shot immediately after disentanglement

Having freed the bird  (with plenty of assistance) I attempted to release it but it just crash landed in a very undignified manner. So it got the cardboard box treatment for a couple of hours during which it perked up considerably and also did an amazingly smelly poop. I have been crapped on by a huge variety of seabirds - ranging from Gannet, all of the auks, Wilson's Petrel and more and NONE have smelt anything like as bad as this Eagle Owl did.

Assessing damage and wing pattern (to find out more about age) 

Preparing for release

Just before crash landing....

Above four pictures: Roald Hatten

The bird seemed very healthy and not in the least malnourished - a fact confirmed by it's weight. This adult looking bird weighed in at over 2kg and thus probably a male (something also indicated by wing length). A ringer from Bergen headed out as soon as I told him what was going on and his arrival coincided with the bird really perking up. Despite an injury to to one wing, it had a good go at taking off so we felt we should give releasing it a second go. Although the bird flew much better than it did immediately after freeing it from the fence it did not manage to get far and was easily recaptured, it was therefore  sent off for a visit to the vets and further care.

The first Woodpigeon ringdue of the year put in an appearance in the garden during the afternoon.

Øygarden 01 March 2018 - Cracking weather unless you have a long probing bill

Freezing calm and sunny.

Fantastic weather for humans, less so for those creatures who like to find their food in the upper layer of the soil. Calm and sunny but frozen. It did not feel cold but it never got warm enough to thaw much even in the middle of the day.

Took a lazy walk at Skogsøy but the lagoons which were the target area today were pretty much frozen. Just a couple of Whoopers sangsvane along with the usual duck. Over the sea a solitary Gannet havsule, a single White-tailed Eagle havørn and not a lot else were to be seen.

Fieldfare gråtrost

Redwing rødvingetrost

Starling stær - probably a returning migrant and quite possibly the only time this year I will bother photographing this rather photogenic species.

A drive-by at Herdlevær gave perhaps the best photographic opportunities of the day with Starling stær, Redwing rødvingetrost and Fieldfare gråtrost feeding on a patch of ground that looked like it had a chance of thawing.

Snipe enkeltbekkasin are having a hard time of things now

Most of the Whooper sangsvane family

Whoopers sangsvane

Tjeldstø was rather better with a family of Whoopers sangsvane, at least two Woodcock rugde, a Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a fly-over Greylag grågås and many of the usual suspects.

Another Woodcock rugde turned up very close to my house at Nautnes. They will start dying very soon if the weather remains as cold as is forecast.....

Nautnes 26-28 Febraury 2018 - From the terrace

COLD.

Too much to do and not out at all.

Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett

Guillemot lomvi

Both of the above pictures were taken from the same place on my terrace....

Restricted to the house and work / family stuff there has been no time to get out and about.

Birding has been pretty much from the terrace the last few days.

A couple of Greylags grågås flew over on 26.02 whilst both Willow Tit granmeis and Great-spotted Woodpecker flaggspett remain regular visitors to the feeders in addition to the usual stuf - neither are normally regular in my rather exposed garden. White-tailed Eagle havørn daily and a Guillmot lomvi was seen 27-28.02,

In excess of 1kg of sunflower seeds per day being consumed by Greenfinches grønnfink and the usual tits in the garden.

Øygarden 23.02 - 25.02.2018 More arrivals

Calm and coldish weather the last few days.

A quick trip to Solberg on 23.02 produced a Lapwing vipe resting out on one of the islands, a Curlew storspove and a flock of around 50 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt as well as Long-tailed Ducks havelle, White-tailed Eagle havørn etc.

On 24.02 the usual stroll at Herdlevær was generally rather quiet but a Little Grebe dvergdykker put in a short appearance and I saw my first Oystercatcher tjeld of the year - though the first in Øygarden were seen several days ago. A flock of six Greylags grågås were at Breivik.

I popped in at several places on 25.02. First up was a check for the Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke but there was no sign of it and there were generally few gulls there. A Goshawk hønsehauk at Breivik may well have been trying for some of the thrushes that are still about, though it could well have had an eye on the seven Greylag grågås present today. A Water Rail vannriske at Tjeldstø was the best sighting of the day and a pair of Greylags grågås wandered about on the frozen surface of Husvatnet.

Dåvøy was quieter than usual on the sea but three Snipe enkeltbekkasin and five Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt were present.

Breivik 11 February 2018 - Back to winter again

Snowing.

I was out of the house for about 45 minutes all in today and thought I would check if any more geese had arrived after yesterday's Greylag grågås arrival. I found four albifrons Whitefronts tundragås at Breivik but that was it - probably the same birds I have seen in the area for the last week or so.

albifrons Whitefronts tundragås

A cooperative Snipe enkeltbakkasin was another of the sightings today

Tjeldstø 10 February 2018 - Short but sweet

Strong SE winds and overcast

Of late I have been using my spare time for fishing rather than birding, landing some decent Cod torsk to 4kg, Halibut kveite, Ling lange, Coalfish sei and Pollack lyr. Despite eating fish almost every day the freezer is full.

Today I took a very short walk at Tjeldstø where I had two more new species to the Øygarden year list- Best bird was a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin which was something of a surprise given the conditions. Although quite a regular species out here during the winter months they can be hard to find when conditions are good for them - and now it seems there is plenty of boggy ground to choose from. A small flock of Greylags grågås may have been early returning migrants as they were on the most popular breeding sites rather than the fields that tend to be used by visiting geese. Eight Whoopers sangsvane, small flocks of Redwing rødvingetrost and a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke were among the other stuff seen here.

An equally quick look at Solberg gave a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Gannet havsule , around 25 Long-tailed Duck havelle and another Greylag grågås..

Ono, Rong 06 February 2018 - Playing winter joker card

Overcast with light snow at times.

Today I chose Ono, near Rong for today's excursion. This locality can often be rather quiet but has a record of turning up some half-decent winter birds that can be hard to find elsewhere.

I walked out seeing very little indeed with just a couple of White-tailed Eagles havørn, a small flock of Long-tailed Duck havelle , an unidentified large falcon and a Gannet havsule for my troubles. I headed back to the car having played the joker and lost - or so I thought until I caught sight of a Little Grebe dvergdykker on the sea. The joker came good after all.

Dåvøy 05 February - Cold weather birds

Calm and cold again with southerly winds.

Herons gråhegre roosting at Dåvøy - picture taken whilst waiting for Mergansers to resurface.

Red-breasted Mergansers siland. 

I don't often bother taking pictures of this common species but they are really cool. The females remind me somehow of my misspent youth at the Mayfair Rock nightclub in Newcastle back in the '80s. Kind of reminds me of how the rock girls looked....

Random Otter shots

Redwing rødvingetrost FINALLY getting the idea that there could be food on the shoreline

One of a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin seen today. This one at least seemed to be finding some food. Bring on the thaw that hopefully is just around the corner. That way they can find food more easily and get away from the local cats who are now routinely patrolling such areas. I miss my dog.

Short video of Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin

It really should not be possible to spot this Water Rail vannrikse from a moving vehicle.

With a bit of patience and a little cropping this was the result.

Todays's very brief foray away from the home office was to Dåvøy. Here it was very much situation normal with a Slavonian Grebe horndykker on the sea, a small flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a White-tailed Eagle havørn or two, a few Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb and most of the usual suspects including a feeding Otter.

Other stuff today included a few Snipe enkeltbekkasin (thank you to the road work people for stopping me from driving to my house for 15 minutes) and a Water Rail vannriske. I really should not be allowed to drive a car as it cannot possibly be safe to spot stuff like this from a moving vehicle if one is paying any attention to the road.

Dead Great Northern Diver islom

A more saddening observation was also at Dåvøy. Whilst photographing the Red-breasted Mergansers siland I noticed a dead diver floating in the sea. I went down to investigate and it was, as expected, a Great Northern Diver islom. Likely cause of death: drowning in fishing gear. This is the the second Great Northern Diver that I know has died this way since the New Year and it is pure luck that I know even this much. With the apparent policy of building as many marinas and cabins to get yet more people out hobby fishing with nets as humanely possible in addition to those who do this as a way of life there is no way this problem is going to go away.....With the current spate of good weather the amount of gear currently deployed has increased....

Hjelme Vest 04 February 2018 - The usual suspects plus something a little more exotic

Another calm and sunny day - although I have been making the most of the good weather by staying inside and going through pictures from Bhutan...Birding is just too easy when the weather is so good.

At least 50 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt, a Great Northern Diver islom, a single Black Guillemot teist and at least four White-tailed Eagle havørn were seen here.

Instead of pictures of the birds I saw today I am posting some I saw back in November in Bhutan.

Himalayan Monal glansfasan

nepalensis form of Eurasian Wren gjerdesmett

Ibisbill ibisnebb

More pictures and details from Bhutan are now available here.

Øygarden 31.01 - 02.02.2018 - Bits and bobs

Fieldfare gråtrost

Redwing rødvingetrost

Part of the Fieldfare gråtrost flock feeding in the snow

Three of the four albifrons Whitefronts tundragås

Rain and snow on the last day of January combined with a heavy workload meant I limited things to a drive-by at Tjeldstø. Plenty of thrushes feeding in the fields and four albifrons Whitefront tundragås at Harkestad were pretty much the only sightings.

Crested Tit toppmeis - a common woodland bird that I don't tend to photograph very much

Tufted Duck toppand

Whitefront tundragås

I try not to take too many White-tailed Eagle havørn photographs but it would have been downright rude to ignore this poser

February started with very nice conditions indeed - calm and sunny with some frost. A quick trip out to Hjelme Vest produced pretty much the usual with a few Great Northern Divers islom, a couple of Kittiwake krykkje feeding, a few Black Guillemots teist and several White-tailed Eagles havørn among the sightings. Long-tailed Duck havelle now up to more than 40 birds - pathetic numbers compared to relatively few years ago.

An aythya duck at Husvatnet fooled me for a while and needed closer inspection - it turned out to be a Tufted Duck toppand. However, the effort was not wasted as some Whitefronts tundragås flew in right over my head.

Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb weightlifting

Razorbill alke

A quick walk at Skogsøy in stunning conditions on 2nd February gave little out of the ordinary - at least three White-tailed Eagle havørn, a Great Northern Diver islom and a massive eight Gannet havsule heading north. A Razorbill alke was feeding close in and some Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb put in an appearance.