Øygarden 08 March 2008 - Eagle Owl

Strong winds and driving rain meant that it was far from tempting to get out and about. However, not getting out is not an option, and it was far from disappointing.

Superb views (weather taken into consideration) of Eagle Owl hubro, White-tailed Eagle havørn and Woodcock rugde meant although the number of species seen today was small there were no complaints about the quality....

Found some old trees with plenty of woodpecker holes - worth checking out when the weather improves.

Øygarden 07 March 2008

Male Goldeneye kvinand at Tjeldstø today

Lapwing vipe

At Tjeldstø a newly arrived Lapwing vipe and a Snipe enkeltbekkasin were the best birds. Most of the usual stuff including nine Whoopers sangsvane and a White-tailed Eagle havørn also seen.

A very breif stop at Hellesøy produced the first Woodpigeon ringdue in Øygarden this year.

Hjelme Vest was quite productive with the best observations being a Great Northern Diver islom on the sea, a Turstone steinvender and 30 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt. Two Siskin grønnsisik were the first I have seen in Øygarden since December.

Skogsøy 07 March 2008 - finally some migration

Gannet havsule
Velvet Scoter sjøorre
Migrating Oystercatcher tjeld
Kittiwake krykkje

A couple of hours seawatching at Skogsøy proved to be quite productive with 55 Oystercatcher tjeld, 54 Gannet havsule and 45 Kittiwake krykkje heading north. A few Guillemots lomvi and a razorbill alke, both species that have been extremely scarce during the winter also flew past.

Other birds of interest included a female Sparrowhawk spurvhauk, three Curlew storspove (which may well have been new arrivals) and a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre.

Alvheim 05 March 2008

Female Merganser siland at Dåvøy today

Foul weather with strong winds and driving snow meant there was no point trying to look at anything over the sea so I took a stroll in the woods instead - visiting an area near Alvheim for the first time. At least four Woodcock rugde seen in the woods, one of which landed practically at my feet.

Much more unexpected was a singing Black-bellied Dipper fossekall - a "good" Øygarden bird where the species is not recorded annually. This bird was picked up on song, this combined with the very mild winter may just point to a breeding bird....

Hjelme Vest 04 March 2008

Common Scoter svartand
Herring Gull gråmåke
Lyngøy
Winter seas
Goldeneye kvinand

Winter returned with a bang today. A north westerly gale and snow showers meant that conditions were far from easy. A trip to "Hjelme Vest" produced an adult Glaucous Gull polarmåke heading north and little on the sea other than eight Common Scoter svartand and a Black Guillemot teist. A few Gannets havsule did battle with the elements offshore

An Oystercatcher tjeld and 10 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt also present.

Alvheim 03 March 2008

White-tailed Eagle havørn

Great Black-backed Gull svartbak stealing a herring
Whooper Swan sangsvane

No sign of the "good" gulls today - had hoped to have some photo opportunities in the fantastic light today. However, there was still plenty of action at the herring holding-pens.

Three Oystercatcher tjeld were the first I've seen in Øygarden this year as was a single northbound Skylark sanglerke.

A Curlew storspove and 20 Purple Sandpiper fjærelplytt were at Solberg which was otherwise rather quiet.

Plenty of eagles about today too - courtship flights / territorial disputes a common sight the last week or so.Oystercatcher tjeld at Alvheim today

Skogsøy 26 February 2007

Wet, windy and foggy. The only movement over the sea were several Gannets havsule and a single Kittiwake krykkje.

Best bird was a Woodcock rugde flushed in the woods.

Alvheim 25 February 2008

2cy Glaucous Gull polarmåke (above and below)


2cy Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke (ISO 800)
Immature White-tailed Eagle havørn

A superb day, despite several heavy showers. A concentration of gulls around a herring holding pen provided most of the interest with a second year Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke and a second year Glaucous Gull polarmåke present. A few dead gulls in the area proved that the three immature White-tailed Eagles havørn have also been making the most of this gull flock.

Another bird of note was a female Black Grouse orrfugl.

Tjeldstø 24 February 2008

Not out birding at all but a flock of 18 Starling stær on the telephone wires outside my house were new arrivals.

Alvheim 23 February 2008 - Seal

Little about birdwise other than a few distant White-tailed Eagles havørn. A Grey Seal, not an everyday sight in Øygarden, struggling with a Cod attracted the attentions of the local gulls.

A couple of Starling stær at Tjeldstø were new arrivals - landing on my roof and immediately bursting into song. A lone Greylag grågås on Husvatnet was another sign of spring.

Øygarden 22 February 2008

Red breasted Merganser siland fishing at Tjeldstø

Willow Tit granmeis at Hjelme

Bird of the day was a Merlin dvergfalk seen flying over the road at Nautnes. Otherwise good numbers of seaduck at Solberg having been forced inshore due to the mountainous seas. A few Velvet Scoter sjøorre were among the Eiders ærfugl and Long-tailed Ducks havelle here.

A Sparrowhawk spurvhauk at Tjeldstø was the first there for some time. A few flocks of Crossbill sp korsnebb still in the area too.

Some Willow Tits granmeis from last autumn's invasion still remain - a small flock fed beside the road at Hjelme.

Tjeldstø 20 February 2008 - Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke (2cy) at Tjeldstø

Fishing rather than birding today but the best catch was without doubt a 2cy Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke - this bird has been seen in the same place earlier in the month and may even be the bird first seen at the end of December. It looks as if this could be a repeat performance of last winter when a 2cy bird overwintered until April....

Click above picture for larger image

Hjelme Vest 19 February 2008

A very brief visit produced a Great Northern Diver islom on the sea, a Black guillemot teist , 10+ Purple Sandipiper fjæreplytt.and at least two White-tailed Eagle havørn. An adult Gannet havsule also passed by very close.

Tjeldstø 18 February 2008

Record shot of a female Bullfinch dompap taken one-handed through the sitting room window whilst talking on the phone

Best birds in a Tjeldstø / Øygarden context on this dull, wet but calm and mild day were a couple of Bullfinch dompap in my garden. A flock of 30+ Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and a couple of Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke also seen at Tjeldstø.

A brief look at Solberg produced little other than five Velvet Scoter sjøorre on the sea together with the usual seaduck. Obvious northbound movement of large gulls with flocks passing more or less continuously.

Skogsøy 16 February 2008

Common Scoters svartand at Skogsøy today
Lapwing vipe at Dåvøy

An uncharacteristically quiet day at Skogsøy with little of interest, just a Little Auk alkekonge and a White-tailed Eagle havørn or two.

At Dåvøy the first Lapwing vipe of the spring flew in from the west.....

Tjeldstø 14 February 2008

Two Goldfinch stillits at Tjeldstø

Mink at Dåvøy

Highlights on a bright but rather cold and windy day were three-four Goldfinch stillits at Tjeldstø where there were also at least six Starling stær.

No sign of the male Scaup bergand that has been reported recently at Dåvøy. Plenty of Merganser siland and Goldeneye kvinand there - some of them had a mild panic attack when a mink swam past them.

The flock of 36 Greylag grågås remains at Breivik.

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!