Tjeldstø 31 March 2013 - More arrivals

Sunny at first, clouding over later. Southerly winds.

Golden Plover heilo

Starling stær

Whoopers sangsvane

A stroll around the reserve produced the first Golden Plover heilo in Hordaland this year. Small numbers of Teal krikkand were the first I have seen this year but have been in the area for more than a week. Another new bird in was a Curlew storspove which displayed over Husvatnet.

Several Whoopers sangsvane on Husvatnet and most of the usual suspects also seen.

In the afternoon family errands resulted in the first Yellowhammer gulspurv of the year near Sture

Tjeldstø 30 March 2013 - Jackdaw

The calm and sunny weather continues.

Recird shot of Jackdaw kaie (taken through sitting room window)

Barely out at all today and the only noteworthy sighting was a Jackdaw kaie seen from the sitting room window. This was the first I've seen in Øygarden this year - the first were seen at Nautnes about a week ago.

Skogsøy 29 March 2013 - Spring Migration

Calm and sunny yet again.

Considering the lengthy period of suitable migration weather today was pretty good - highlights were a Lapland Bunting lappspurv flying in off the sea, a few Shelduck gravand and the first migrating Puffins lunde of the year.

Cormorant storskarv

Common Scoter svartand and Eider ærfugl

Curlew storspove

Eider ærfugl

Oystercatcher tjeld

Shelduck gravand

Over 370 Oystercatcher tjeld headed north and the usual selection of early spring stuff were seen in smaller numbers.

Herdlevær 28 March 2013

Sunny with light northerly wind.

It was after lunch before I managed to get out and with lots of people out and about there was little to see.

Greylag grågås pair claiming their territory

Small numbers of most of the usual suspects including several Lapwings vipe were all that was to be seen. Greylags grågås already settling in nicely.

Hernar 27 March 2013 - First trip to Hernar

Almost predictably calm and sunny and with a very heavy overnight frost.

Blackbirds svarttrost in various pluamges

The first trip to Hernar of year. Not much in the way of migrants though a Song Thrush måltrost was the first I've had this year and there were quite a lot of Blackbirds svarttrost about - seeming to find food despite the hard frost.

Other half-decent sightings were a couple of Black Grouse orrfugl and a Woodcock rugde.

Some Greylag grågås and Cormorant storskarv passage overhead.

Breivik 25 March 2013 - Mistle Thrush again

Yet another gloriously sunny and calm day.

Still not getting out much but a quick stroll at Breivik produced a Mistle Thrush duetrost along with the usual Woodpigeons ringdue etc.

White-tailed Eagle havørn

Whoopers sangsvane with Greylags grågås

Plenty of eagles soaring about various places and a family of Whoopers sangsvane joined the geese on the part of Husvatnet that has thawed.

Tjeldstø 24 March 2013

Cold and sunny

Small numbers of the usual early spring arrivals but migration obviously later than usual. Greylag grågås numbers up to 60 and White-tailed Eagles havørn typically very obvious.

A Woodcock rugde was seen roding in the evening.

Tjeldstø 18 March 2013

Strong easterly and feeling very cold.

Just time for the quickest of walks at Tjeldstø.

Best bird was a hunting Peregrine vandrefalk which caused some mayhem among the gulls.

Peregrine vandrefalk

 Starlings stær

Otherwise just more of the same and a further increase in numbers of Starling stær and Blackbird svarttrost.

Skogsøy and Tjeldstø 17 March 2013 - More spring

South easterly winds, decent weather.

The thaw continues as does the arrival of more migrants.

Made the classic mistake of sleeping in and thereby ruined what may have been a half-decent day at Skogsøy. Sat for a couple of hours 09:00-11:00 and caught the tail end of the day's migration.

Cormorant storskarv

Shag toppskarv

Highlights were a Red-throated Diver smålom heading north and the a first Black-headed Gulls hettemåke of the year. A couple of Woodcock rugde were almost certainly new in and small numbers of Oystercatcher tjeld were on the move.

Heavily cropped record shot of Mistle Thrush duetrost

At Tjeldstø the Mistle Thrush duetrost showed again, 10 Woodpigeon ringdue were newly arrived and a Siskin grønnsisik turned up in the garden

Some larger flocks of Starling stær were seen various places inlcuded 60 at Breivik and 40 at Tjeldstø.

Another good sighting was a Golden Eagle kongeørn seen flying over Knappen, Toftøy.

Breivik and Tjeldstø 16 March 2013 - Spring!

Relatively mild after overnight snow.

Part of the Lapwing vipe flock at Breivik

Some real signs of spring today with 22 Lapwing vipe at Breivik, along with 25 Greylags grågås and small flocks of Starling stær.

 Typically very flighty this Mistle Thrush duetrost did its best to avoid being photographed

A tip-off about a Mistle Thrush duetrost at Skjold proved fruitless but I found either it or another bird at Tjeldstø - it flew over just as I had given up and was about to head home. Other stuff seen during the search included several more Lapwing vipe, a Woodcock rugde (new in?), a few flocks of Starling stær, Fieldfares gråtrost and a fly over Siskin grønnsisik.

Things are on the move at last.....

White-tailed Eagles havørn on the ice at Tjeldstø

Whoopers sangsvane at Kollsnes

Herdlevær 15 March 2013

South-easterly winds and cool with it. Everything still pretty much frozen.

Part of a flock of more than 20 Greylags grågås at Breivik

More Greylags grågås at Breivik, Tjeldstø, Herdlevær etc obviously starting to arrive in some numbers.

At Herdlevær just a few Oystercatcher tjeld and very little else indeed.

Øygarden 14 March 2013

Barely out of the house at all.

Solberg produced my first Oystercatcher tjeld of the year with one resting on one of the islands and a flock of 25 heading north. Otherwise quiet here with just five Velvet Scoter sjøorre of note.

The surviving Whoopers sangsvane of the winter fed on an ice-free portion of Rotevatnet, Tjeldstø and a further six adults were at Kollsnes.

Whoopers sangsvane at Kollsnes

Small flocks of Greylags grågås seen various places.

Tjeldstø 18 February 2013 - more signs of spring?

Calm, foggy and wet.

A quick walk at Dåvøy produced a single Snipe enkeltbekkasin and virtually nothing else.

Back at Tjeldstø a flock of four Starling stær had joined yesterday's flock of Fieldfare gråtrost and as I returned home the first Greylag grågås of the year flew over calling - a real sound of spring.

Herdlevær 17 February 2013

Strong southerlies with rain.

The change in the weather seems to have prompted some movement - small numbers of Starling stær seen at a few localities - perhaps early migrants. Little of interest seen at Herdlevær today though I did find a dead Whooper sangsvane - obviously eaten by the local eagles and Ravens ravn.

Fieldfare gråstrost at Tjeldstø

A flock of 12 Fieldfare gråtrost fed in fields at Tjeldstø.

Hjelme Vest 12 February 2014 - more SEAPOP and an Øygarden "mega"

Calm, sunny and cold again.

Counting seabirds at a couple of the localities used for population monitoring again.

Hjelme Vest produced a massive five Curlew storspove - something that may indicate some kind of early spring movement. A Woodpigeon ringdue also flew in off the sea here. Otherwise it was situation normal - a Great Northern Diver islom, Black Guillemots teist and a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre in addition to the more numerous species. Two flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt complimented yesterday's good showing.

Solberg was very quiet with little on the sea - at least four Otters seen here though. A small flock of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt fed here too.

Øygarden 11 February 2103, SEAPOP and the first Puffin of the year

Calm, sunny and freezing.

The annual SEAPOP count of overwintering seabirds was held today - covering the same route as previous years. As usual this was a great day out in a small boat and there was plenty to see.

Highlights were the first Puffins lunde of the year, a couple of Curlew storspove, a flock of eight Turnstone steinvender, several flocks of Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt and plenty of the usual suspects.

Good numbers of Black Guillemot teist seen today

 Eiders ærfugl

Guillemot lomvi

Puffin lunde

Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt

This must be the Purple sand with the shortest bill I have ever seen.....

Turnstones steinvender

Above and below: two different White-tailed Eagles havørn with fish

Most frustratingly a scoter with white on the back of the head / neck flew up and disappeared. Would have been good to nail that one.....

Dåvøy 05 February 2013

Reasonably calm and verging on sunny.

A quick check at Dåvøy was all there was time for today but this turned up a Snipe enkeltbekkasin, the wintering Slav Grebe horndykker and a Peregrine vandrefalk as best birds.

Solberg 04 February 2013 - Glaucous

Wet and windy most of the day.

The last few days have had a definite Glaucous Gull polarmåke feel to them and sure enough today a second year bird showed briefly among other gulls at Solberg. Otherwise rather quiet - seems like the seaduck may have moved to more sheltered areas.

A Goshawk hønsehauk buzzed the Hoodies kråke at Tjeldstø where two Whoopers sangsvane fed in a small area of open fresh water. Looks like it will be freezing again before the lakes have even thawed.....

Skogsøy 02 February 2013

Northerly gale but mostly sunny. Extremely treacherous underfoot.

Herring Gull gråmåke

Gannets havsule

Sat out at Skogsøy for almost two hours without seeing anything very special. However, there was some definite movement with over 30 Gannets havsule, 30 Kittiwake krykkje, 13 Razorbill alke, a Little Auk alkekonge and a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre heading north. At least one Guillemot lomvi flew south but several of the other southbound auks may well also have been this species.

Great-crested Grebe toppdykker

At Herdlevær the Great-crested Grebe toppdykker showed itself well again - and predictably attracted the attention of the county's fantatic year listers. A Whooper Swan sangsvane was an unusual bird to see on the sea here....

Herdlevær 31 January 2013 - Bad weather movement

Glorious weather, sunny with a light northerly breeze

Really frustrating to be stuck inside yet again as I knew there would be a response to the strong winds of the last few days.

Sure enough half an hour at Herdlevær in the middle of the day produced over 40 Kittiwakes krykkje heading north and at least 50 Gannets havsule on the move.

Best bird was a Curlew storspove but no sign of the grebe.

Four Starling stær in the garden was another indication that birds are on the move.