Øygarden 20 April - Egyptian Goose!!

The first Egyptian Goose niland for Øygarden (and Hordaland)

(Click on picture for larger image)

Flight shot - the bird had some feathers missing from its left wing....

By Øygarden standards this was a full on "twitch" with several birders driving out from Bergen...

I was otherwise engaged when a message came in about an Egyptian Goose niland at Kollsnes. Needless to say I was on my way to see this first for Hordaland in no time, despite it only being a category C species. With it was a Canada Goose kanadagås - a far from common species in Øygarden.

Canada Goose kanadagås - a local rarity in Øygarden, despite good numbers nearby.

Other stuff seen at Kollsnes included a flock of seven Golden Plover heilo - the first in Øygarden this year, a Wheatear steinskvett or two, Skylark sanglerke singing and plenty more.

A Kestrel tårnfalk - the first at Tjeldstø this year flew over my house in the afternoon whilst a Merlin dvergfalk was reported from further north at Tjeldstø earlier in the day.

Øygarden 19 April 2008

Peregrine vandrefalk at Tjeldstø
Dawn at Skogsøy parking lot...


Cormorant storskarv
Greylag grågås

A seawatching session at Skogsøy produced over 1000 birds on the move. However, nothing of special interst - just the usual for the time of year including 32 Red-throated Diver smålom, 160 Common Scoter svartand and 36 Puffin lunde.

At Tjeldstø a short evening stroll produced the first Redshank rødstilk and Wigeon brunnakke of the year and a nice Peregrine vandrefalk flew over.

Tjeldstø 17 April 2008 - The first Swallow

White wagtail linerle
Male Goldeneye kvinand and Tufted Duck toppand

Just a quick stroll in glorious weather produced most of the usual stuff including at least three White-tailed Eagle havørn. Suprise bird was the earliest Swallow låvsvale I have ever seen in Øygarden.

Tjeldstø 15 April 2008 - Shelduck

Northern Mockingbird sangspottefugl - unfortunately this picture was taken in Mobile, Alabama and NOT in Øygarden......

Returned home from a short (work) trip around the Gulf States in the USA late on 13th April.

No time out and about whatsoever since then but couldn't help noticing some of the new arrivals since I was last in Øygarden - including Northern Wheatear steinskvett and Linnet tornirisk.

A pair of Shelduck gravand fed along the shore in front of the house this evening - this is a not quite annual species at Tjeldstø.

Skogsøy 02 April 2008

First the daily White-tailed Eagle havørn picture....

Then some atmospheric (read hopelessly underexposed) shots.....

White-tailed Eagle havørn
Raven ravn
Shag toppskarv with fish
Cormorant storskarv with flatfish
....and a heavily cropped record shot of the Great Northern Diver islom

Mild and pleasant weather with little wind. However, low cloud and a hint of rain meant it was rather dull. Light passage of the usual suspects today including Greylags grågås, Common Gulls fiskemåke, Curlew storpove and a Red-throated Diver smålom.

A Great Northern Diver islom on the sea and the first Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke were the highlights.

Passerines included a Pied Wagtail svartryggerle, the first Hedge Accentor jernspurv of the year and fly over Snow Buntings snøspurv.

Two White-tailed Eagles havørn appeared to go after an otter.

Tjeldstø 01 April 2008 - Pied Wagtail

Male Pied Wagtail svartryggerle





One of the many Fieldfare gråtrost about

Despite the rather dull and wet conditions and the short time actually spent out of the house (barely even a "drive by")it was a reasonably productive day. More thrushes in today with up to 80 Fieldfare gråtrost in the fields along with smaller numbers of Redwing rødvingtrost. Chaffinch bokfink numbers also increased greatly overnight.

Best bird was a male Pied Wagtail svartryggerle feeding around one of the barns.

The briefest of checks at Solberg produced a flock of around 20 Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt and only four Long-tailed Duck havelle.

Tjeldstø 31 March 2008

Immature Whooper Swan sangsvane - the last remaining bird at Tjeldstø

Greylags grågås

Obligatory underexposed White-tailed Eagle havørn shot

Record shot of a male Pied Wagtail svartryggerle

An obvious arrival of Fieldfare gråtrost and Redwing rødvingtrost today at Tjeldstø with around 40 and 20 present respectively. Otherwise three alba wagtails comprised a male and a female Pied Wagtail svartryggerle and the first White Wagtail linerle of the year.

A flock of 35 Woodpigeon ringdue, several Meadow Pipits heipiplerke and a pair of Teal krikkand were also probably newly arriving birds. Two Brambling bjørkefink joined the growing flock of Chaffinches bokfink and a couple of Yellowhammer gulspurv in the garden - 2kg of sunflower seeds are being consumed daily now.....

Tjeldstø 29 March 2008 - thaw

Greylags grågås
Lapwing vipe

Southerly winds and rain during the night melted most of the snow and brought in a load of new arrivals. The fields were full of newly arrived Blackbirds svarttrost and small flocks of Redwing rødvingtrost and Fieldfare gråtrost. A large increase in the number of Lapwing vipe was also noted with at least 35 present.

Two or three Yellowhammer gulspurv around (first seen yesterday afternoon) - this species is just about annual during the spring migration at Tjeldstø.

Øygarden 27 March 2008 - Guiding

Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett
Red-necked Grebes gråstrupedykker

Spent the day guiding and even though it snowed for much of the afternoon we still managed some good observations. Highlights were a couple of Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker at Herdlevær together with Velvet Scoter sjøorre, Common Scoter svartand and all the usual species.

Other sightings included an Otter oter, several White-tailed Eagle havørn, Black Guillemot teist and Gannets havsule.

The best sighting from my point of view was a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett which appeared from nowhere out of the snow.

The day was rounded off with two Eagle Owls hubro seen and heard.

Øygarden 26 March 2008

Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke, Tjeldstø
The first small tortoiseshell of the year.

Eagle Owl hubro - next time I'll use a tripod!

Spent the day out of Øygarden but the 2K Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke flew over N. Straumsundet bridge on my way home.

Eagle Owls hubro active again in the calm and clear weather.

Skogsøy 25 March 2008

Coal Tit svartmeis - a common species in the woods at Skogsøy
Typical view of Wren gjerdesmett

Raven ravn - busy nest building today

The day started with snow falling and poor visibility but cleared up nicely after 08:00. This low cloud had obviously prevented migration up the coast - as soon as it cleared stuff started moving.



By far the best bird was the first White-billed Diver gulnebblom of the spring. Two Red-throated Diver smålom, Puffins lunde, and a light nothbound passage of Gannets havsule and Kittiwake krykkje were also noted.



At least six White-tailed Eagle havørn circled the area.



Elswhere in Øygarden a long suspected site gave one of the best Eagle Owl hubro experiences I've ever had with a bird singing in full view in the telescope for almost 20 minutes! Woodcock rugde roding in the same area.

Tjeldstø 24 March 2008 - Garden birds

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn

Female Blackbird svarttrost
Woodpigeon ringdue

Making the most of the fantastic weather with the family. However, this is not quite the same as not birding - an adult White-tailed Eagle havørn put in an appearance over the house as did a nice female Goshawk hønsehauk being chased by a horde of Hooded Crow kråke.

Other birds included a small flock of Snow Bunting snøspurv which went down near the house, a few Skylark sanglerke flying over, Meadow Pipit heipiplerke and several Redpoll - probably Lesser Redpoll brunsisik.

An Eagle Owl hubro sang for several minutes at one of the regular sites in the evening. A Woodcock rugde was also seen in the same area.

Øygarden 22 March 2008

Northern Gannet havsule at close range
Migrating Oystercatchers tjeld
Shelduck gravand
White-tailed Eagle havørn

A superb days birding in fantastic weather.

Kicked the day off at Skogsøy just before 06:00 with an Eagle Owl hubro.

A couple of hours seawatching was very productive with over 200 Atlantic Puffin lunde moving north - a huge total for recent years. Other stuff on the move included just under 400 Oystercatcher tjeld, a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom, a Shelduck gravand, two little auk alkekonge and small numbers of migrating Common Gulls fiskemåke.

A 2cy Iceland Gull grønlandsmåke and a 2cy Glaucous Gull polarmåke were also seen here.

A flock of 11 Snow Bunting snøspurv, a Pied Wagtail svartryggerle, the first Lesser Redpoll brunsisik of the year and a Meadow Pipit heipiplerke were the highlights at Tjeldstø.

At Svellingen the best birds were a Peregrine vandrefalk and a Great Northern Diver islom. A flock of 20 Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt were also seen here.

A minimum of 11 White-tailed Eagle havørn were seen during the day.

Øygarden 21 March 2008

Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker
Part of a flock of about 100 nNewly arrived Starlings stær
Lapwings vipe

Clearer weather today but a house full of visitors meant I didn't do that much. At Tjeldstø the first Ringed Plover sandlo and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke of the year flew over and at least one Pied Wagtail svartryggerle still around.

Obviously some movement going on at Herdlevær too with eight Lapwing vipe, a few Chaffinch bokfink, a pair of Teal krikkand and a Common Snipe enkeltbekkasin. Other birds of interest included at least three Velvet Scoter sjøorre, a Sparrowhawk spurvhauk and a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker.

Tjeldstø 20 March 2008

Female Red-breasted Merganser siland - looking either punk or "goth" sporting a spiky hair-do and heavy eyeshadow.
A pair of Great Black-backed Gulls svartbak - note the "his 'n' hers bills - male on the left.

Just a quick trip out in raging southerly gale and heavy snowfall. Predictably little to be seen - just the usual suspects. However, obtained nice views of an Otter oter.

Tjeldstø 19 March 2008

Snow Buntings snøspurv in snow shower

Record shot of Pied Wagtail svartryggerle
Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

Cold northerly winds and hail / snow showers put an effective stop on migration today but there were still a few birds about including a flock of five Snow Buntings snøspurv, a Pied Wagtail svartryggerle and at least four Rock pipits skjærpiplerke which showed an enormous amount of plumage variation.

Rock pipit skjærpiplerke in hail shower