Skogsøy 19 July 2007 - Shearwaters

Great Black-backed Gull svartbak

At last! Finally some time spent actually out birding. Paid off nicely in the form of a single Manx Shearwater havlire. July is the peak time to see this rare visitor to these parts - see here for more details. Another good record was a Sooty Shearwater grålire - my earliest ever at Skogsøy. This species has been reported very early at other locations in Europe this year.

Other birds of interest included three Ruddy Turnstone steinvender and a Red-throated Diver smålom. Only a few Northern Fulmar havhest, 66 Gannet havsule and 14 Black-legged Kittiwake krykkje.

One interesting thing today were Gannets havsule REALLY struggling to swallow Garfish horngjel of up to 0.7m in length! The fish were only fractionally shorter than the length of a gannet's wing. These fish were the source of some amazing battles between Gannets and Great Black.backed Gulls svartbak. The Gannets won - but only just!

Willow Warbler løvsanger - absolutely everywhere at the moment

Skogsøy 15 July 2007

Despite strong onshore winds a short seawatch around lunchtime produced little of interest. A Great Skua storjo headed north and nine southbound summer plumaged Dunlin myrsnipe were the only birds of note.

Tjeldstø 14 July 2007

An early morning walk through the reserve produced some birds with the best being a male Merlin dvergfalk being chased by over 20 Barn Swallows låvsvale, a Ringed Plover sandlo and an Arctic Skua tyvjo riding on a piece of driftwood out in the fjord.

Tjeldstø 02 July 2007

Not birding at all. Again. However, as is often the case such days can produce interesting stuff. A male Ruff brushane, complete with "collar" beside Husvatnet was the best bird and a Merlin dvergfalk flew over during a trip to the shops.

Tjeldstø 30 June 2007

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne

Nothing special about, just a White-tailed Eagle havørn and most of the usual species.

Tjeldstø 13 June 2007

Oystercatcher tjeld
Redshank rødstilk

Common Tern makrellterne

Not out birding as such, and then only in the heat of the day. Correspondingly little to be seen, just the usual local breeders. Common Tern makrellterne has recently been added to the Red Data List for Norway due to concerns over declining populations. Thankfully it seems there are still some around in Øygarden.

The local White-tailed Eagle havørn have, as usual at this time of year, become unpredictable. However, an adult flew over causing panic and concern among the gulls.

Yesterday a sinensis Great Cormorant mellomskarv rested beside Husvatnet, Tjeldstø. This scarce visitor to Hordaland seems to be becoming more regular. A guide to identification of this race can be found here.

Øygarden 09 June 2007

Kick started the day at 03:00 with singing Spotted Crake myrrikse at Tjeldstø again.

Seawatching at Skogsøy, typically for the time of year, produced quality rather than quantity - with highlights including one each of Arctic tyvjo, Great storjo and Pomarine Skuas polarjo. In an Øygarden contex a flock of five Pinkfeet kortnebbgås were the best birds. Especially good in that I was guiding and trying to show off the area! Otherwise small numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom, Velvet Scoter sjøorre, Northern Fulmar havhest (VERY close in despite next to no wind) and the usual suspects

Greylags grågås continue to move south in small flocks 0f 15-20 birds - autmun migration already!

Two Collared Dove tyrkedue at Herdlevær were a typical late spring / early summer observation.

After Øygarden it was off to the Hardangervidda......WOW!

Tjeldstø 08 June 2007 - Spotted Crake

Having been housebound working on a report all week which I finally sent it off at 01:00; taking a cold beer out on my terrace the sound of the can opening coincided with the calling of a Spotted Crake myrikse! This too was a new species for Øygarden, the second this week. However, the nature reserve at Tjeldstø is a perfect place for the species so it wasn't totally unexpected.

It sang for at least an hour, easily audible from the cycle path by the main road (or my house!). Typically it threw its voice all over the place, sometimes sounding as if it was at my feet, at other times distant. I even began to wonder if there were two...

Other sightings during this time included roding Woodcock rugde and a few deer.

Tjeldstø 05 June 2007 - Hobby!

Hobby lerkefalk over Tjeldstø nature reserve

Having been stuck in the house with work the last few days I finally took a quick stroll through the reserve and was rewarded with a first for Øygarden - a Hobby lerkefalk! Wicked! Unfortunately the only pictures I managed were a few record shots.

Other birds of note have been few and far between but a Collared Dove tyrkedue flew over my garden yesterday and an Arctic Skua tyvjo did the same on Saturday afternoon.

Skogsøy 01 June 2007 - Brents on the move

A short spell at Skogsøy gave good results, despite almost windless conditions. Well over 300 Brent Geese ringgås headed north, with the first seen over land not long after 05:00. Most of these were in a single flock of at least 250 a little after 10:00.

Other birds on their way north included well over 30 Red-throated Diver smålom, four Arctic Skua tyvjo and 10 Velvet Scoter sjøorre. Around 130 Common Scoter svartand headed south.

At Tjeldstø at least one of the Curlew storspove pairs hatched three young....

Solberg 31 May 2007

Weasel on the prowl...

Not birding at all but White-tailed Eagle havørn, two Common Sandpiper strandsnipe and most of the usual seen. Highlight was a Weasel giving good views as it hunted through a pile of stones.

At Tjeldstø a Swift tårnseiler was the first of the year.

Øygarden 15 May 2007

White Wagtail linerle, Hjelme

No chance to get to Skogsøy today, which was a pity. Good numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom along with other migrants including Tufted Duck toppand and Oystercatcher tjeld were seen during a short seawatch from Svellingen.

Adult Greylag grågås leading chicks to safety

Greylag grågås families are now to be seen everywhere in Øygarden - hopefully the recent expansion in numbers will continue such that the local White-tailed Eagle havørn, Eagle Owl hubro and Peregrines vandrefalk will have plenty to eat despite the reduction in the number of seabirds.

Greylag goslings grågås such as these are a common sight at present

The cleanup after the "Server" oil spill is nearing completion, however, oil booms, absorbents and bags of oiled debris are still be seen in a few locations in Øygarden.

Oil booms still deployed at Sæle.

Herdelvær 14 May 2007

White wagtail linerle
Lapwing vipe nest

Eider ærfugl nest

Went to see if the Wryneck vendehals reported at Herdlevær yesterday was still around, needless to say there was no sign of it.

Stumbled over an Eider Duck ærfugl nest and a Northern Lapwing vipe nest as some small compensation.

Øygarden 13 May 2007

A big day at Skogsøy - which I managed to miss - almost 300 Red-throated Diver smålom, White-billed Diver gulnebblom, small numbers of both Pomarine Skua polarjo and Arctic Skua tyvjo along with single Great Skua storjo and a small flock of Barnacles kept observers busy until around 13:00. A Carrion Crow svartkråke and a Common Whitethroat tornsanger were reported from Herdlevær.

A similar selection of species were seen from Svellingen where three Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker were also seen.

At Tjeldstø I heard the first Cuckoo gjøk of the year, the Sedge Warblers sivsanger were still singing and a few Common Terns makrellterne also arrived.

Skogsøy 11 May 2007

Great Black-backed Gull svartbak

Northern Gannet havsule

Over 150 Red-throated Diver smålom, a Great Northern Diver islom and a White-billed Diver gulnebblom all headed north, as did three Arctic Skua tyvjo. Two small flocks of Barncale Geese hvitkingås gave hope of a "big day" but this failed to develop. Little else moving over the sea, just some small flocks of distant terns.

Once again a White-billed Diver sat on the sea around dawn but soon disappeared.

Bird of the day was a Rook kornkråke that seemed to come in off the sea around dawn.

Øygarden 10 May 2007

Not out much but saw a female Merlin dvergfalk hunting over Breivik where the Sedge Warbler sivsanger was still singing.

At Tjeldstø a Peregrine vandrefalk took what was probably a Teal krikkand. Two Sand Martins sandsvale and a House Martin taksvale joined the abundant Swallows låvsvale feeding in the reserve.

Two pairs of Wigeon brunakke and the long staying Barnacle Goose hvitkingås still on Husvatnet.

Øygarden 08 May 2007 - First Pom

Sedge Warbler sivsanger, Tjeldstø

Not a hope of using autofocus on this typical view of this species!

Willow Warbler løvsanger, Herdlevær

Somewhat predicatably started the day off seawatching at Skogsøy. Generally fairly quiet with the highlight being virtually the first bird of the day - and my all time favourite - a splendid summer plumaged Pomarine Skua polarjo. Also seven Arctic Skua tyvjo and at least one Great Skua storjo.

Just 24 Red-throated Diver smålom and two White-billed Diver gulnebblom today along with most of the usual species including Velvet Scoter sjøorre, Whimbrel småspove and several Fulmar havhest.

At Breivik the second new species for Øygarden this year was a singing Sedge Warbler sivsanger. At least two, probably three more present at Tjeldstø where I also found a Curlew storspove nest containing three eggs.

Øygarden 07 May 2007 - big day missed?

Few opportunities for birding today but a flock of five Barnacle Geese hvitkingås resting at Solberg indicated that things were happening. On returning home a flock of around 70 flew over the house - proving that Barnacles regularly pass over land and up the east side of Øygarden. This is not the first time migrating Barnacle Geese have been observed at Tjeldstø.

Tjeldstø 06 May 2007

An abrupt change in the weather to strong southerlies with rain. Best bird was a Yellow Wagtail gulerle out in the reserve, there was also a pair of Wigeon brunakke and a Black-headed Gull hettemåke beside Husvatnet.

At least two families of recently fledged Greylag geese grågås also on Husvatnet will no doubt have problems with becoming dinner for the ever present White-tailed Eagles havørn. A few Northern Gannets havsule headed down the fjord.

Skogsøy 04 May 2007 Yet more divers...

Otter with wrasse at Skogsøy

Flock of resting Red-throated Diver smålom

With a brisk NNW wind blowing I was hoping for some skuas, instead there were five White-billed Diver gulnebblom, 212 Red-throated Diver smålom, a Great Northern Diver islom and an unidentified WB/GN Diver kjempelom. Unusually one of the White-billed Diver landed on the sea for a short while, a couple of Red-throated Diver flocks also landed briefly, actively feeding before moving on.

Nine Velvet Scoter sjøorre and 18 Atlantic Puffin lunde were among the other birds that passed.

Probably the best observation, however, was an Otter that came swimming past with a fish in its mouth - not exactly an everyday sight.