Øygarden 29-30 December 2021 - Recon

Back home again and checking out some sites with a view to scouting ahead of the upcoming New Year Bird Race.

The Pinkfoot kortnebbgås remained at Breivik together with its two Greylag grågås friends on both 29 and 30.

At Herdlevær there were lots of Woodcock rugde tracks in the rapidly thawing snow/ice. At least three birds were seen but there were undoubtedly at least double this number present. Several Gannets havsule passed in the few minutes I sat down for a coffee. At least four White-tailed Eagle havørn were also present.

Flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost were a feature with small numbers of Starling stær and Redwing rødvingetrost with them. Brambling bjørkefink also very obvious with small flocks here and there.

Pinkfoot kortnebbgås with Greylag grågås

One of several White-tailed Eagles havørn at Herdlevær

Gannet havsule

Hamar 24 December 2021 - Christmas in the east

Christmas was celebrated in Hamar. I checked artsobs on 23rd and almost gave up all hope and had to work hard to build some motivation.

However, there is always a better chance to see something if you get out and about and I had an idea about where to go. This paid off very well with a couple of Pine Grosbeak konglebit and over 50 Waxwing sidensvans as the highlights. 

So Christmas was saved and all was well in the world.

My birding addictions are with other species / habitats than "grossers" but I can understand Rixy's obsession with these near mythical birds:) 

Øygarden 21-22 December 2021 - Getting Christmas done

 Home after an offshore trip that was rather longer than expected.

I probably set some kind of record for the shortest time used to sort out Christmas in the less than two days I was at home. Needless to say there was very little in the way of actually going out birding.

On 21 December I did a few drive-bys whilst posting cards etc. Highlight was the long-staying Yellow-legged Gull gulbeinmåke at Dåvøy. The Heron gråhegre roost there was up to 32 birds.

Roadside Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke at Dåvøy

Yellow-legged Gull gulbeinmåke

Otherwise it was just about the usual suspects with seven Whoopers sangsvane at Tjeldstø, a couple of Long-tailed Duck havelle at Toft, a Common Scoter svartand at Oen and of course White-tailed Eagles havørn everywhere.

Whoopers sangsvane

As I was leaving Øygarden on 22 December I picked up a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås together with two Greylags grågås at Breivik where there was also a small flock of Fieldfare gråtrost and nine Starling stær.

Pinkfoot kortnebbgås with Greylags grågås at Breivik

Back home the Otter showed well from the terrace both days.

Northumberland 16-20 October 2021 - Not birding Northumberland

 Back "home" doing family stuff.

It is too easy to forget what a fantastic place Northumberland is for birding. Although not birding per  se a few minutes here and there produced a lot more birds than I often see back in Øygarden.

A few examples:

A five minute scan of Budle Bay at high tide gave a flock of 50 Shoveler skjeand, 670 Shelduck gravand, 4 Little Egret silkehegre along with hundreds of geese and other wildfowl and a nice selection of waders.

Twenty minutes in a hide at Creswell produced two Little Egrets silkehege, a Spotted Redshank sotsnipe, two Scaup bergand, 150 Lapwing vipe, 40 Golden Plover heilo and a few hundred duck of various species. 

Med Gulls svartehavsmåke along the prom at Newbiggin, actually seen from a bar:)

My local patches at Stag Rocks and Newbiggin have produced a seemingly endless string of rarities throughout the autumn including Bonarparte's Gull kanadahettemåke and Great Shearwater storlire to name just two of them.

A nice selection of waders in Seahouses harbour. Dunlin myrsnipe, Redshank rødstilk and Turnstone steivender

Just a few of the many hundred Sheldcuck gravand in Budle Bay. Lindisfarne castle in the background

Even in Budle it is not often I have seen 50 Shoveler skjeand, here just some of them

Øygarden 24-28 November 2021 - Almost the week that wasn't

 Largely nice calm weather but work had me confined to my desk with the exception of 28 November.

Being at home meant it was mostly just the usual garden stuff - a few White-tailed Eagles havørn, singles of Sparrowhawk spurvehauk a few times, Otter and so on. In addition there were small movements of Brambling bjørkefink and Siskin grønnsisik (up to 50 of the former and 30 of the latter).

Otter in my "garden"

Always interesting to see the way the water moves when they dive:)

A Long-tailed Duck havelle on Husvatnet on 25 November was a relatively uncommon freshwater occurrence of this otherwise common species.

Long-tailed Duck havelle on Husvatnet

Five minutes at Alvheim on 26 November showed birds reacting to the freezing temperatures and light snow with a light movement of Greylags grågås and Redwing rødvingetrost.

On 28 November I didn't work and went to Skogsøy instead in the lovely weather. Flocks of various finches included Brambling bjørkefink, Siskin grønnsisik, Redpoll gråsisik and Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Generally quiet on the sea but a Red-throated Diver smålom and a Razorbill alke were seen before I even parked the car. At least two White-tailed Eagle havørn were seen on the walk out to the lookout point with one passing at point blank range and dropping a Lumpsucker rongkjeks in the sea and the next one flying in and picking it up. A 40 minute seawatch out at the lookout produced little on the move other than a few auks and five Kittiwake krykkje. However, a Peregrine vandrefalk flew from it's vantage point, heading straight out to sea a few kilometres whilst gaining height before stooping to catch a Little Auk alkekonge which it returned to land with. At that range I could just about see passing white dots even in the scope - the falcon seemed to spot the auk at immense range - truly remarkable.

More Greylags grågås headed south on my way home - no doubt escaping colder conditions futher north. 

Second year White-tailed Eagle havørn with lumpsucker rognkjeks

This fish was just as likely stolen from an Otter....

Common Crossbill grankorsnebb

Part of a flock of Greylags grågås fleeing the cold

A total of 10 Whoopers sangsvane sat on the ice on Rotevatnet - the highest count of the autumn thus far.

Late on 28 the northern lights put on quite a show from my terrace. As usual I had forgotten the settings to use on my camera, couldn't find my small lens, no tripod etc etc. One day I really will buy a landscape lens and do this stuff right:)