Skogsøy 16 July 2012

Finally got out for a couple of hours.

Not the most promising of weather conditions for seawatching so I was surprised to see so much on the move. Typically for July not very many species involved:

Gannet havsule 330 north
Great Skua storjo 12 north
Whimbrel småspove 1 north
Puffin lunde 2 south
Guillemot lomvi 1 north
Razorbill alke 2 north
Common Gull fiskemåke 14 south (autumn migration...)

Breivik 07 June 2012

Light southerly winds and sunny.

Female Reed Bunting sivspurv

A few House Martin taksvale were the only indication of any movement.

Singing Sedge Warblers sivsanger and Reed Buntings sivspurv seen at the usual place - very much business as usual in other words.

Hernar 06 June 2012

Finally a change in the weather, light winds from various directions and feeling rather warmer.

 Singing Grasshopper Warbler gresshoppesanger

 Above and below Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

One of many Willow Warblers løvsanger seen today

Spent the day on the island of Hernar. Hightlights here were the singing Grasshopper Warbler gresshoppesanger that has been present for at least a couple of weeks.

The only other migrant of any note was a Garden Warbler hagesanger.

However, plenty of birds and plenty of activity. Redpolls brunsisik, Twite bergirisk and Willow Warblers løvsanger very plentiful.

Small numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom heading still heading north - eight seen during almost an hour of seawatching.

Tjeldstø 05 June 2012 - More young ones

Light northerly winds and sunny.

 Crow kråke skull - not sure what this died of but it seemed to have to extra holes in the back of its head

 Newly hatching (and still hatching!) Herring gull gråmåke chicks

 Lapwing vipe chick

Feamle Teal krikkand leading her young to safety

No migrants of note other than a Ringed Plover sandlo feeding beside Husvatnet - an unusual time and place for this species.

More and more species now have young. More Lapwiing vipe, Redshank rødstilk chicks seen today along with at least three Teal krikkand families. Herring Gulls gråmåke are still mainly sitting on eggs but at least one brood had started hatching with a young one in the nest and another on its way out of the egg.

A handful of Arctic Tern rødnebbterne pairs also sitting on eggs.

Solberg 04 June 2012 - 20 minutes

Still strong northerly winds, but cloudy instead of sunny.

Male Snow Bunting snøspurv - an apt sighting given the chilly northerly winds for the last week or so....

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

A quick dash to Solberg proved surprisingly productive with a cracking male Snow Bunting snøspurv as the highlight. This is probably the first June sighting of this species in Øygarden.

Other stuff included a Great Northern Diver islom heading north and a lone Ringed Plover sandlo on the shore.

Skogsøy 03 June 2012 - last of the poms?

Rather predictably the strong northerly winds continued....

 Above and below: almost all the Gannets havsule passing were immature

 Still small numbers of Oystercatcher tjeld and other waders heading north

 Above and below: Red-throated Divers smålom

A few hours spent seawatching at Skogsøy proved reasonably productive with a flock of three Pomarine Skua polarjo being the highlight. Possibly the lat birds of the spring...?

Other stuff included 30 Red-throated Diver smålom, 38 Oystercatcher tjeld, approximately 100 Arctic Tern rødnebbterne and small numbers of the usual auks, Gannets havsule and Fulmar havhest. Heading south were a total of 50 Common Scoter svartand.

Tjeldstø 02 June 2012 - more young

Sunny with cold northerlies yet again.

 Just a few of the Greylag grågås young present on Husvatnet today

 Newly fledged Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

 Anxious Redshank rødstilk parent

Adult White-tailed Eagle havørn being mobbed by Hooded Crow kråke

Even more young birds to be seen today with Redshank rødstilk chicks beside Husvatnet (probably hatched a few days ago) alongside young Lapwing vipe. Out in the reserve a well grown Meadow Pipit heipiplerke has probably left the nest a little early...

An adult White-tailed Eagle havørn made a few attempts to catch a gosling but the parent geese defended well and the goslings dived so in the end the eagle moved on. A little under 100 Greylags grågås put to flight by the eagle today.

A Sparrowhawk spurvehauk was a relatively rare breeding season sighting today.

Skogsøy 01 June 2012 - Chilly seawatch

Finally some birding time!

Sunny but very cold in the fresh northerly winds.

Wearing the same gear as in December with the exception of a warm hat- something that was sorely missed today.

 Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås

 Part of the Brent Goose ringgås flock

Heavily cropped record shot of the Sanderling sandløper

A fairly steady passage of birds throughout the four hours or so we sat there:

Arctic Tern rødnebbterne north ca 90
Kittiwake krykkje north 30
Pale-bellied Brent Goose ringgås north 30
Puffin lunde north 24
Gannet havsule north 20
Red-throated Diver smålom north 12
Razorbill alke north 9
Common Scoter svartand north 7, south 8
Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås north 7
Fulmar havhest north 5
Long-tailed Duck havelle north 2 (fairly late observation)
Common Guillemot lomvi north 4
Black guillemot teist north 2
Dunlin myrsnipe north 1
Sanderling sandløper north 1 (unusual spring sighting)
Arctic Skua tyvjo (dark phase) north 1

Elsewhere in Øygarden a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk was an encouraging sight.

Øygarden 30 May 2012 - cute theme

Sunny with northerlies

 Lapwing vipe chick near Kollsnes

 Above and below: female Teal krikkand with 13(!) young

Started the day with an abortive trip to Hernar. Ferry now on summer timetable so half day is no longer Wednesday - wish I'd had time to check! The trip to Hellesøy was not completely wasted though as the first Merlin dvergfalk I have seen in Øygarden this year flew over.

The day then took a further downturn with yet more work....but still managed a couple of very short walks which produced a flock of 30 pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås heading north past Skogsøy and a variety of newly hatched young birds.

Øygarden 29 May 2012 - Eagle Owl

Sunny with northerly winds again.

Yet again only a very short time spent at a few localities.

Eagle Owl hubro

Solberg was better for mammals than birds today. In addition to the usual Otter oter there were also several Orcas spekkhogger offshore - difficult to judge an exact number.  Otherwise just a pair of Common Tern makrellterne, several Arctic Tern rødnebbterne and the usual suspects.

Elswhere an Eagle Owl hubro was seen near fresh prey.

Øygarden 26 May 2012

Glorious weather but no time to get out and about birding.

Common Tern makrellterne at Tjeldstø

Despite not birding I caught up with many of the species that arrived whilst I was away including Common Tern makrellterne, Arctic Tern rødnebbterne, Cuckoo gjøk, Whitethroat tornsanger and Sedge Warbler sivsanger.

Lesser Whitethroat møller singing at Tjeldstø, a single White-billed Diver gulnebblom heading north at Herdlevær and most of the usual suspects for the time of year.

Herdlevær 07 May 2012 - Seawatching still rules...

Light southerly winds and sunny.

Yet another short trip out, grabbed an hour's seawatching which once again proved quite productive:

All heading north:
Gadwall snadderand: 2 (with Barnacle Geese)
Red-throated Diver smålom: 66 (passage must have been well into triple figures today)
White-billed Diver gulnebblom: 1
GN /WB Diver kjempelom: 1
Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås: 440
Tufted Duck toppand: 9
Velvet Scoter sjøorre: 11
Common Scoter svartand: 9
Whimbrel småspove: 9
Oystercatcher tjeld: 28

A Lesser Whitethroat møller was seen in one of the gardens - first in Øygarden this year.

Tjeldstø 06 May 2012

North westerly winds, mostly sunny but some wintery showers.

Not really out today but picked up a Greenshank gluttsnipe beside Husvatnet and in the evening a Carrion Crow svartkråke flew over the garden.

Otherwise plenty to see without anything out of the ordinary. At least two Greylag grågås pairs with newly hatched goslings and a female Mallard stokkand also seen with young

Herdlevær 05 May 2012 - More short seawatches

Strong northelies yet again after gales in the night. Regular heavy snow / hail showers

A forty minute seawatch between 1020 and 1110 hit a lucky break in the weather and really produced the goods - during this short seawatch two White-billed Diver gulnebblom, a flock of seven Pomarine Skua polarjo, several  Arctic Skua tyvjo and at least one Great Skua storjo were seen.

Over 400 Barnacles Geese hvitkinngås also passed (three flocks) along with decent numbers of Kittiwake krykkje, the usual seaduck and small numbers of Red-throated Diver smålom.

An equally short return visit later in the day produced another Pomarine Skua polarjo, another Great Skua storjo and a couple more Arctic Skua tyvjo.

In the evening a surprise bird in the garden was a Hawfinch kjernebiter - the second from the house and only the third I have seen in Øygarden.

Herdlevær 04 May 2012 - Short seawatch

Fresh northerly winds continue.

Managed to grab an hours seawatch at Herdlevær which produced two White-billed Diver gulnebblom, 19 Red-throated Diver smålom, several Razorbill alke, over 60 Barnacle Geese hvittkinngås, a Fulmar havhest and  two dark phase Arctic Skua tyvjo.

Øygarden 03 May 2012 - Golden Eagle

Northerly winds continue.

Obviously some movement stilll going on.

A very quick look at Solberg proved that the day should have been spent at Skogsøy - obviously good numbers of divers passing.

At Tjeldstø I finally connected with a couple of House Martin taksvale among increased numbers of Swallows låvesvale, a second year Golden Eagle kongeørn soared over and the Pinkfoot kortnebbgås remained with the Greylags grågås.

A pair of Ringed Plover sandlo were found breeding at the same location as they did last year. Good news there at least.

Øygarden 02 May 2012 - Missing stuff....

Fresh northerly winds but sunny.

The last few days have been good with more diver migrations past Skogsøy, another Crane trane, Golden Eagle kongeørn, the first Arctic Skuas tyvjo and Whimbrel småspove etc etc.

Above and below:  Lapland Longspur lappspurv at Breivik

 Pinkfoot kortnebbgås at Tjeldstø

Rook kornkråke at Skogsøy

Still really struggling to get out and about but managed a quick dash round a few localities today - good birds present at all stops!

At Solberg a second year Great Northern Diver islom headed north and a Peregrine vandrefalk flew past.

Husvatnet at Tjeldstø produced a lone Pinkfoot kortnebbgås.

A drive by at Herdlevær/Skogsøy connected with the Rook kornkråke that has been hanging around there since 29.04.

At Breivik a cracking male Lapland Longspur lappspurv gave excellent views.

Skogsøy 29 April 2012 - Loonatics

Light northerly winds and very sunny.

With more or less ideal conditions on what is statistically the best weekend to bird Skogsøy there was a predictably large turnout of birders today - a massive seven in total.

 Obligatory White-billed Diver gulnebblom record shot

Part of a Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås flock

Almost seven hours of seawatching produced plenty of birds.

All heading north:
Red-throated Diver smålom 124
Great Northern Diver islom 2
White-billed Diver gulnebblom 15
Slavonian Grebe horndykker 2 VERY unusual spring sighting of migrating birds!
Barncale Goose hvitkinngås 61 (52+9)
Wigeon brunnakke 6
Teal krikkand 9
Tufted Duck toppand 9
Long-tailed Duck havelle 37
Common Scoter svartand 69 (+ 19 south)
Velvet Scoter sjøorre 33
Black Guillemot teist 1
Puffin lunde 17

All this plus "plenty" of auks, small numbers of Kittiwakes krykkje, Gannets havsule, etc etc.

Herdlevær 28 April 2012

Fresh northwesterly with showers.

Rather little about other than several Wheatear steinskvett and the usual suspects. A half hour seawatch without a scope produced 20 Red-throated Diver smålom and a single White-billed Diver gulnebblom in addition to small numbers of Common Scoter svartand, Kittiwake krykkje etc

Tjeldstø 27 April 2012 - Pintail

Overcast with fresh NE wind and showers.

 Heavily cropped documentation shot of the male Pintail stjertand

Pintail stjertand pair

Still struggling to get out at all but a quick dash around the reserve once again produced results, although there was clearly less going on than yesterday. Highlight today was a pair of Pintail stjertand - this species is not even seen annually in Øygarden. Today's record falls right in the peak period for this Pintail occurrences in Øygarden.

A flock of 20 Linnet tornirisk was probably an indication of new arrivals.