Tjeldstø 30 January 2008

A rather pale Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

Whooper Swan sangsvane
Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt

In rapidly fading light I went out to try and find an interesting pipit that has been frequenting the area. It has been extremely hard to see and is very shy and does not use the shore at all, preferring some boggy areas and manure heaps. However, I failed to find it with certainty today - although it just might have been a rather pale Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke which looks rather different to the other wintering birds. At least one "normal" Rock Pipit was present in addition to the one pictured above.

Didn't really have time to check much else but also had a couple of Little Auk alkekonge, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flaggspett and a Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt.

Amazingly I received a fairly detailed report of a Hoopoe hærfugl seen at Tjeldstø in early December!!

Tjeldstø 23 January 2008

Female Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb

Its springtime!

Very much the same as of late, a WHite-tailed Eagle havørn, a Little Auk alkekonge, an overwintering Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and a small flock of Parrot Crossbills furukorsnebb.

A herd of 16 Whoopers sangsvane was the biggest thus far this winter and the first snowdrops of the year meant that is now springtime!

Øygarden 22 January 2008

Brambling bjørkefink
Tree Sparrow pilfink
2cy Whooper Swan sangsvane

Lovely weather but uncharacteristically quiet birdwise. At Hjelme Vest several White-tailed Eagles havørn, a Black Guillemot teist and yet again almost no Eider ærfugl at all. This may be due to the Server oilspill which happened just over a year ago.

In the garden 10 Tree Sparrow pilfink and a couple of Brambling bjørkefink.

Skogsøy 20 January 2008

Conditions far from pleasant with strong onshore winds and several heavy showers. Consequently birds were few and far between. The only things of note were a Gannet havsule, 10 Kittiwake krykkje and a few Little Auk alkekonge. A Curlew storpove fed in grassland near the "carpark".

At Breivik the flock of 36 Greylags grågås were still present and two Starling stær nearby were the first I've seen in Øygarden this year-

Hjelme Vest 18 January 2008

A Cormorant storskarv turned up whilst I was watching the otters
The Hooded Crow kråke actually managed to steal part of this fish! It pestered the otter constantly forcing it to move and expose the fish to the crow who used the opportunity to steal a beakful of fish.

A trip to Hjelme Vest was a wonderful experience, although nothing remarkable bird-wise. A Great Northern Diver islom, a Little Auk alkekonge and a Curlew storpsove were the best birds. Only 45 Long-tailed Duck havelle, a Velvet Scoter sjøorre and four Common Scoter svartand on the sea, along with at least four White-tailed Eagle havørn.

The highlight was a party of three otters fishing. A very bold crow seemed wary but not scared of the otters, in fact the otters tried to get away from the antagonistic bird. Things got worse when some gulls got in on the act, a Herring gull gråmåke also managed to steal a small fish from one of them and when a Great Black-backed Gull svartbak turned up I didn't see the otters again....

A small pod of pilot whales numbering three or four animals were seen in the same place.

Elsewhere I managed a surprise flock of five Bullfinch dompap - usually not easy to see this species in Øygarden.

Øygarden 17 January 2008

Terrible pictures of the Little Grebes dvergdykker at Rong

Checked up on a few sites today. The best sighting was two Little Grebes dvergdykker at Rong, at least one of these birds has been present since the New Year bird race and two were sighted there some days ago.

The Greylag grågås flock at Breivik remains in the same fields but only 23 counted today - although it is probable that a some of them were hidden from view.

Other stuff worth noting included a couple of Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin, 15+ Purple sandpipers fjæreplytt, a Red-throated Diver smålom and a Little Auk alkekonge at Tjeldstø. A flock of at least 45 Purple Sanpipers fjæreplytt was at Solberg.

Six Tree Sparrow pilfink in my garden is somewhat lower than in normal winters, hope they are not disappearing from Tjeldstø too.....

Tjeldstø 04 January 2008

A brief foray out of the house in the afternoon produced a flock of six Goldfinch stillits and a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin on one of the few unfrozen areas of marsh.

Øygarden 03 January 2008

Male Long-tailed Duck havelle

One of around 15 White-tailed Eagles havørn seen during the day

One of the Otters oter seen today

Long-tailed Ducks havelle

"Flock" of Curlew storspove at Lyngøy

Spent the day out in a boat checking gull flocks; unsurprisingly no new oiled birds were seen. The majority of the victims will of course be dead by now.

It was a fantastic experience with plenty to be seen including several each of Velvet Scoter sjøorre and Black Guillemot teist. Only a few Little Auk alkekonge and no other auks at all.

Highlight was a Glaucous Gull polarmåke at Tjeldstø, quite possibly the same bird seen on the other side of the fjord at Herdla a few days ago.

Tjeldstø 02 January

Red-throated Diver smålom

Decent Cod torsk - worth not getting good pictures of the diver?

Common Gull fiskemåke

Went fishing instead of birding and ended up in a real dilemma - take decent pictures of a Red-throated Diver smålom OR land a big fish. A diver swam past at reasonable range whilst I was struggling with a fair sized Cod but I was faced with the choice of running for the camera or losing the fish.

The diver looked very different at different angles, other photos show a much steeper forhead and a more prominent white flank patch (or none at all!) - shows how much variation there is with these sometimes difficult species

I went for the fish and had to settle for record shots of the diver at long range. A Common Gull fiskemåke, a Herring Gull gråmåke with a deformed bill and an unidentified small raptor were among other birds seen. No binoculars didn't help......

Øygarden 01 Jaunuary 2008

Whooper Swan sangsvane near Alvheim
Black Redstart svartrødstjert at Sture
Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Solberg

Kicked the year off very slowly, little more than a few "drive-bys", the Black Redstart svartrødstjert was still there but just a flighty and shy as previously.

A flock of 60 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Solberg was the biggest thus far this winter and there was a light passage of Little Auks alkekonge down Hjeltefjord (15 in about half an hour). The 34 Greylags grågås at Breivik are still there and have still not tempted anything "better" to join them....

Otherwise just the usual Tree Sparrow pilfink etc in the garden.

Tjeldstø 31 December - day 3

Barely out of the house so only added a few more species. A Brambling bjørkefink in the garden, a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin in the fields and bird of the day - the Black Redstart svartrødstjert still present at Sture (thanks MF!).

In all I managed 53 species in Øygarden during the last few days - and didn't see a number of the regular species. Realistically 5-10 more species should have been possible.

The local newspaper finally published something about the effects of the Statfjord oil spillage - see here

Øygarden 30 December 2007 - Day 2

Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb

Some of the approximately 10 White-tailed Eagles havørn seen today

Day two of the "big list" and another difficult day, strong winds, this time from the north, hampered progress most of the time. Plenty of highlights today - best bird for me was a Water Rail vannrikse seen scampering away through the undergrowth at Hjelme. This competed with a 2cy Iceland Gull grønnlandsmåke at Alvheim for best bird of the day.

Another potentially hard to get species was a Ruddy Turnstone steinvender at Tjeldstø. The other new species were more predictable - Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt flocks were seen at Solberg (20) and Tjeldstø (10+). Now on 50 species......without a number of glaring omissions. Sparrowhawk spurvhauk seen at both Tjeldstø and Solberg, several Little Auk alkekonge at "Hjelme Vest" and most of the usual suspects.

Two more species that got away included a "guillebill" alke/lomvi over Hjeltefjord and a probable Merlin dvergfalk at Solberg.

White-tailed Eagles havørn EVERYWHERE today, with at least 10 birds seen.

Red-necked Grebe Gråstrupedykker
Water Rail Vannrikse
Purple Sandpiper Fjæreplytt
Ruddy Turnstone Steinvender
Iceland Gull Grønlandsmåke
Black Guillemot Teist
Rock Pipit Skjærpiplerke
Fieldfare Gråtrost
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Pilfink
Common Crossbill Grankorsnebb

Skogsøy 29 December 2007

First day in the annual "New Years Listing" competition. Near gale force winds and lashing rain meant there were predictably few species to be seen. As usual, however, Skogsøy did not disappoint with a number of "good" species. Highlights were at least one, probably two Peregrines vandrefalk, a few Little Auk alkekonge, two Puffins lunde , two Kittiwake krykkje and an adult Gannet havsule.

Other sightings worth mentioning were a Curlew storspove and a Sparrowhawk spurvhauk at Herdleavær, 35 Greylags grågås at Breivik, White-tailed Eagle havørn and superb views of an Otter oter eating a small fish.

In addition to the species I saw a Little Grebe dvergdykker was reported from Rong

Full species list (40 in total) below, there are a number of obvious gaps which will hopefully be filled tomorrow....

Northern Gannet Havsule
Great Cormorant Storskarv
European Shag Toppskarv
Grey Heron Gråhegre
Whooper Swan Sangsvane
Greylag Goose Grågas
Mallard Stokkand
Common Eider Ærfugl
Long-tailed Duck Havelle
Common Scoter Svartand
Velvet Scoter Sjøorre
Common Goldeneye Kvinand
Red-breasted Merganser Siland
White-tailed Eagle Havørn
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Spurvehauk
Peregrine Vandrefalk
Eurasian Woodcock Rugde
Eurasian Curlew Storspove
Common Gull Fiskemåke
Herring Gull Gråmake
Great Black-backed Gull Svartbak
Black-legged Kittiwake Krykkje
Little Auk Alkekonge
Atlantic Puffin Lunde
Winter Wren Gjerdesmett
European Robin Rødstrupe
Blackbird Svartrost
Redwing Rødvingetrost
Goldcrest Fuglekonge
Willow Tit Granmeis
Crested Tit Toppmeis
Coal Tit Svartmeis
Blue Tit Blåmeis
Great Tit Kjøttmeis
Black-billed Magpie Skjære
Hooded crow Kråke
Common Raven Ravn
House Sparrow Gråspurv
Chaffinch Bokfink
European Greenfinch Grønnfink

Late December 2007....

Female Goldeneye kvinand, Solberg

Record shot of a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker at Solberg

Little or no time out and about of late but Woodcock rugde seen at Hjelme, a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker in front of my house on 27th and another one at Solberg on 28th. Sparrowhawks spurvhauk seen at Tjeldstø and Herdlevær and White-tailed Eagle havørn everywhere at the moment....

Still new victims from the Statfjord oil spill turning up with yet another oiled Herring Gull gråmåke at Solberg today, 28 December.

Tjeldstø 25 December 2007

Oiled Herring Gull gråmåke on Husvatnet, Tjeldstø

More oiled gulls still turning up, trying to wash themselves in fresh water.

Otherwise a few Little Auk alkekonge, White-tailed Eagle havørn and most of the usual suspects.

In the evening an Eagle Owl hubro sang briefly at a known locality....

A fantastic Great Northern Diver islom on the sea at Solberg yesterday

Skjold 23 December 2007

Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis

Willow Tit granmeis

All pictures shot at ISO 800.

Just running last minute Christmas errands. However, couldn't help stopping to photograph a flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis - not exactly an everyday sight in Øygarden. Other stuff seen nearby included several Willow Tit granmeis, Goldcrests fuglekonge and most of the usual woodland stuff.

Tjeldstø 21 December 2007

Blackbird svarttrost
Brambling bjørkefink

Not out and about today. A couple of oiled gulls, no doubt from the Statjord spill flew past the house.

Took a couple of photos in my garden at 800 ISO and slow shutter speeds on the shortest, and quite possibly the dullest day of 2007. At least the days are getting longer from here on!

Øygarden 20 December 2007

Red-throated Diver smålom

Gave looking for oiled birds a break today - with good results.

At Solberg best bird was an adult Peregrine vandrefalk - I was beginning to think there were none in Øygarden this winter. Other birds included a very unseasonal Lapwing vipe, a Curlew storspove, 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and three Velvet Sctoer sjøorre.

Near Nautnes a Red-throated Diver smålom fished in one of the shadiest places in Øygarden on an otherwise sunny day; this is quite an unusual find during the winter months. Whilst taking pictures of this bird both Redwing rødvingtrost and Great spotted Woodpecker flaggspett were seen.

Skogsøy 19 December 2007

Eider ærfugl panic - click for larger image
Cormorant storskarv
Eiders ærfugl in flight - ladies first!

Once again out looking for oiled seabirds and once again around 5% of passing gulls were oiled. Generally very quiet indeed, probably due to the light winds. Birds worthy of mention included a Red-throated Diver smålom and five Little Auks alkekonge heading south. One clean adult Gannet havsule flew north. It may be worth a note that ALL the oiled birds seen recently have been heading south.

Other than that I experimented with taking photographs on what must be about the dullest day of the year - barely any light at all so I was quite pleased with today's results.

Tjeldstø 18 December 2007

Whooper Swans sangsvane on Rotevatnet, Tjeldstø
Greylags grågås at Breivik
Female Scaup bergand, Rotevatnet

Only out for the briefest of strolls - and turned up the first Scaup bergand for Tjeldstø so far this year! Otherwise Willow Tit granmeis remain in the area after the autumn invasion and there are plenty of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb flocks about.

The Whooper Swans sangsvane now number eight - the highest thus far this winter.

Other stuff worth a mention is a report of a Water Rail vannriske from 11 December near Toftøy and the Greylag grågås flock remians at Breivik.