Øygarden 18 October 2016 - Another few new for the year

Light SE but mild and overcast much of the day.

Record shot of three Brent Geese ringgås resting on the sea.

Took a walk at Hjelme Vest where the best birds were three Brent Geese ringgås of the rather uncommon dark-bellied race bernicula. Other than a few flocks of Common Scoter svartand and at least nine Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt it was quiet on the sea.

Over the land flocks of Blue Tits blåmeis and Common Crossbill grankorsnebb were constantly flying over. A Treecreeper trekryper also put in an appearance here.

A drive-by at Sæle produced at least 10 Blackcap munk, a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett and a few Long-tailed Tit sjtertmeis - the first I've had in Øygarden this year.

Female Scaup bergand at Tjeldstø

Female Shoveler skjeand

A trip to the shops meant I had to stop at Husvatnet on the way - it was rather better than normal with the highlight being a single female Scaup bergand - another new for the year locally. At least one of the Shoveler skjeand was still around as were the Common Sctoer svartand and a small flock of Goldfinch stillits.

Back home and working in the garden a flock of 15 Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis landed briefly, a Common Scoter svartand landed on the sea in front of the house and a good 300 Fieldfare gråtrost flew south. And the usual couple of White-tailed Eagle havørn.

So all in all the giving up birding thing is not going very well at all.

Herdlevær 17 October 2016 - A change in the weather

Cloudy with light rain at times. Still SE winds,

A very late walk at Herdlevær produced a few bits and bobs though nothing remarkable.

One of at least eight Blackcap munk present today

Still lots of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb about

Getting on the late side for Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke

This abnormally pale Song Thrush måltrost raised the pulse rate for several seconds

Over the sea a Great Northern Diver islom headed south and a Black-throated Diver storlom landed on the sea. A Peregrine vandrefalk hunted over the waves too. There was some movement too with small numbers of Common Scoter svartand and several auks. A lateish Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke was among an obvious southward movement of gulls of various species.

Gannet havusle entangled in rope.

A Gannet havsule entangled in rubbish flew around me a few times - almost as if it was showing me. Unfortunately this is quite a common sight.

On the land the biggest change was at least 8 Blackcap munk and a very pale Song Thrush måltrost that got the pulse racing for a bit.

fabalis Bean Goose sædgås with Pinkfoot kortnebbgås

Best birds were at Breivik in the form of a fabalis Bean Goose sædgås together with a Pinkfoot kortnebbgås.

Øygarden 14 - 16 October 2016 - Still not trying

Light SE and sunny throughout.

Still trying to give up birding (well at least stop being frustrated about not getting out, which might not be quite the same thing).

Guillemot lomvi photographed from my terrace 16 October

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke still around in decent numbers

Some Raven ravn shots that would have been good if they were in focus and/or correctly exposed

Lots of Redpoll gråsisik moving through - not all are just flocks flying over....

Part of a Wigeon brunnakke flock at Tjeldstø

Yellow-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger at Herdlevær

Lots of thrushes, Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Common Redpoll gråsisik moving through. Brambling bjørkefink, Bullfinch dompap, Grey Wagtail vintererle (a really good year for this species!) and more also on the move. Most birds seen / heard from my terrace - not really getting outside anywhere else.

Wigeion brunnakke showing quite well with birds seen at a few localites. Four Common Scoter svartand turned up on Husvatnet - this species is not common on freshwater in Øygarden.

Other stuff included a Yellow.-browed Warbler gulbrynsanger and a Waxwing sidensvans during a very short stroll at Herdlevær on 14 October. 

Tjeldstø 13 October 2016 - Accidental Shovelers

Light SE and sunny.

I did really well with not birding today, driving my mum to the airport just after dawn in order to miss the majority of the bird activity, went shopping and then spent a couple of hours using a loud motorsaw AND wearing ear defenders just to make sure I couldn't hear anything of interest passing over the house.

I then spent the rest of the day working, running errands and being Dad.

Unfortunately as I swung into the side of the road at Tjeldstø to answer a telephone call I ran into some other birders who I know and they waved me over. ONLY to be polite I went over to see what they wanted. They had found a couple of Shoveler skjeand on Husvatnet. This did not help add any credibility to my claims of withdrawal from the world of birding, These were not the only ones who have also voiced their doubts about my giving up today.

I only went out on my terrace after dark and then saw something normal people like - the Northern Lights putting on quite a show. With migrating Redwings rødvingetrost as the sound backdrop, Damn!

Getting there though, getting there.....

Nautnes 12 October 2016 - Purely social

Calm and sunny.

I see I have some obstacles to overcome now that I have officially stopped birding. Almost the only people I know outside of work are birders. My Mum and my youngest daughter both like to go ringing and the dog still needs a walk. How can one not notice passing birds under such circumstances....? This was a purely social visit.

Collared Dove tyrkerdue at Herdlevær

So it was off to Herdlevær we went. I did not stop and watch the ringing but couldn't fail to notice a flock of four Collared Dove tyrkerdue that landed briefly on a telephone wire and not being entirely deaf it was hard to ignore both the Waxwing sidensvans and a flock of five Bullfinch dompap that headed north over out heads.

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke in evening shade. A splendid example of how auto ISO works....

Most of the largest flock of Wigeon brunnakke ever recorded in Øygarden

In the evening I had to get out with the dog again and had a flock of around 70 Wigeon brunnakke fly over. This would seem to be the biggest flock of Wigeon ever recorded in Øygarden. Not that I care anymore.

I also have a new camera to replace the one that gave up the ghost after a trip to Skogsøy last week - when I still went birding. I'm now unsure what to photograph so I tested some of the new features available (not very well either!)

Tjeldstø 11 October 2016 - Force of habit

Light SE and sunny again.

I spent even less effort out today, not going for a walk, not even stopping at Husvatnet as I pass during my daily errands as I usually do, Even this did not stop birds turning up and distracting me,

Hauk Owl haukugle

Even though I tried not to notice the Hawk Owl haukugle sitting in a tree beside the road I couldn't help it. I did not stop though and kept driving to keep my appointment. I did alert another birder though and hoped that this might scare the bird off.

Despite this the owl was still present when I passed again a couple of hours later. So I had to take some pictures - not because I bird anymore but because EVERYONE is posting pictures of these things and I'd be very strange not to.

I also did not manage to ignore a Grey Wagtail vintererle flying over the health centre at Rong, or the Crossbills grankorsnebb for that matter....

Just to keep life in my battered old reserve camera I snapped a few bits and bobs from the terrace too,,..

Blue tits blåmeis are conspicuously on the move with large flocks heading over

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke

Twite bergirisk - it seems to have been a decent year for this species. Much more widespread than they often are.

Nautnes 10 October 2016 - I know I gave up but it isn't easy.

Light SE and sunny (tempting to say "as usual"!)



I know I announced that I have officially stopped birding some days ago, but things aren't that simple from my house. I didn't go anywhere to do any birding anywhere BUT I did take a short walk down the road with the dog and a cup of coffee on the terrace.

Cat looking at Cormorant storskarv looking at Cat

Looks like the Cormorant is in the middle of a wood but is only two metres from the high water mark

Migrating Dipper fossekall on the shore in front of my house

The cup of coffee from the terrace produced the first Dipper fossekall of the autumn in Øygarden, a flock of four Goldfinch stillits (new for the house list - species #125), a migrating Bullfinch dompap, a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett and a small flock of Twite bergirisk to name but a few. But at no point was I doing any birding whatsoever. Honest.



Another thing from the terrace was an interesting cat / Cormorant face-off. Yesterday the Cormorant storskarv was resting on the shore in front of the house. Today it had moved up to the tree I cut down yesterday (doing my bit for the removal of removal of Sitka spruce!). A cat came by and sat on the same log. I didn't have time to see how it would end so I went outside to see what would happen, The Cormorant stayed put and the cat left at a run.

Common Sandpiper strandsnipe

Curlew storspove

Guillemot lomvi

The walk with the dog produced a late Common Sandpiper strandsnipe, a Curlew storspove and a Guillemot lomvi. Lots of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb and Redpoll gråsisik flying over,

Øygarden 09 October 2016 - Still given up.

Light SE and sunny.

Incredibly frustrating to not be able to get out and about in the fantastic conditions.

Starling stær feeding on the rapidly disappearing rowan berries

Plenty of Wren gjerdesmett moving through now

Lots of activity over the house around dawn with several species of finch, Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett and so on. A Great spotted woodpecker flaggspett over the garden in the afternoon was the first I've had in Øygarden this year! Amazing that the occurrence of this species can be so variable - some autumns they appear in large numbers, others barely at all. A couple of adult White-tailed Eagles havørn also put in an appearance.

A quick walk with the dog at Herdlevær produced a small flock of Goldfinch stillits and generally lots about at first light but most stuff seemed to clear out quickly.

Nautnes 08 October - It's official, I've given up

Light SE and sunny. Again!

Short-eared Owl jordugle at Nautnes

One of my ancient beat up DSLRs has come out of retirement.....

And today I didn't even try to get out. Life is really, really getting in the way of birding. I took a very short walk close to my house at Nautnes. Highlight was a Short-eared Owl jordugle seen at some distance from the house (new species for the house list) but came right overhead later on.

Other stuff included a couple of Grey Wagtail vinterle, a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, Twite bergirisk and the now usual Common Crossbill grankorsnebb, Brambling bjørkefink and so on.

Gadwall snadderand at Tjeldstø

A trip to the shops later in the afternoon produced a nice Gadwall snadderand on Husvatnet at Tjeldstø.

Today I used my chainsaw at lot more than my binoculars or camera. Hopefully the improved view will give some payback in more birds seen from the house.....

Herdlevær 07 October 2016 - Finally a Red-throated Pipit they can't argue with!

Calm and sunny AGAIN.

Indisputable Red-throated Pipit lappiplerke

Once again I received a telephone call just as I left the house. So I went to Herdlevær instead of where I had intended...FINALLY a Red-throated Pipit lappiplerke in the hand. This is very important in Øygarden (and Hordaland in general) as fly-over birds on call are NEVER accepted. I have had this species a number of times over the years but they are impossible to document when not on the ground. My latest record, almost a year ago to the day was recently rejected. Why exactly is this? Had I heard the same call in eastern or northern Norway it would be safe. I learnt the call at Falsterbo where birds are often just fly-overs. Nevermind - it is finally in the bag now.

Redpoll gråsisik.

Check out the bill on this thing. Mega.

Also a lot of Redpolls gråsisik of unknown origin about - quite a number of them with very large bills but not rostrata - I've had these things in my garden before and it would be great to know where they come from....

Didn't really get out today but had Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, a Bullfinch dompap and plenty more besides from the house during the course of the day.