Saw a nice Rook at Langegården, Fjøsanger today (only my second for Bergen). Rook is one of my favorites. It has a distinguished personality, I think...Had a quick twitch of this young bird that flew a lot. Not the best pictures
Very bad weather today, but on the way back after corona-testing downtown I heard a Bohemian Waxwing and this afternoon a Glaucous Gull was at Tveitevannet. Born this year, so a new bird...
Yesterday I visited the Hoopoe on Nautnes, Øygarden. Scarce bird in these surroundings and only my second for the province. Many visitors for this bird the last few days...quite understandable. Hoopoe is after all a feel-good-bird😊
Sadly, the Ring-necked Duck at the Tjeldstø reserve seemed to be gone and I neither saw the Yellow-legged Gull on Dåvøy...
I was interested in the Taiga Bean Geese on Herdla, so I went there before work on monday. I saw the two birds at a distance together with two Pink-footed Geese in a group of Greylags. Further I got very much a winter feeling with birds like Red-necked Grebe, three Slavonian Grebes, the usual Velvet Scoters, Common Scoters and a Long-tailed Duck and otherwise the songbirds gone...
On the way back I saw together with Egil and Laila Frantzen and Ottar Osaland a fine Little Egret, which flew from the reserve to Lamøy and sat most of the time far away, too far for decent pictures. Below a record shot through my scope...
Stock Dove is rare in Hordaland. Today I could twitch my first one for Hordaland on Herdla. A tame bird was showing well on the main road through the reserve.
Other birds were a flyby Peregrine, a Snow Bunting, two Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver and a Horned Grebe. I couldn't find the Richard's Pipit which was present the last few days...
Today I could do the Common Pochard on Skranevatnet in Bergen, only my third for the municipality...
A small window of dry and quiet weather between heavy rainfall produced lots of (flying) birds on Turøy this morning. Hundreds of Redwings, Blackbirds and Fieldfares. Also a calling Yellow-browed Warbler, ten Common Chiffchaffs and some Bramblings. Otherwise a female Grey-headed Woodpecker, a Common Reed Bunting and a Lappland Bunting, both migrating (below a rather bad documentation of the latter...).
A quick visit to Flesland and the biological station produced a Jack Snipe and a Grey Wagtail...
My daughter and I travelled to Groningen in the Netherlands last week for a family visit. Due to Covid-19 restrictions it was two years since our last visit. I could get out a few times to do some birding with my brother and friend Lazar Brinkhuizen.
It was not very good, but entertaining birdwise...below an impression.
Today at Espeland I heard two Yellow-browed Warblers while walking with Hickman. Not unexpected, I would say. Below not the best sound recording, but you can hear both birds and watch the sonogram. Further a flyby Goshawk there and a quick stop at Flesland gård produced a Black-headed Gull!
At last out again to Herdlevær and Turøy. Lots of birds, but nothing out of the ordinary. A Merlin and a Grey Wagtail were nice, but further only the usual suspects with lots of Bramblings, thrushes and the like. A pipit on Turøy that behaved suspect turned out to be a Tree Pipit, nicely skulking and tail pumping as it should. Two House Sparrows were new for Turøy for me, they are rare there...
Had a walk on Turøy before work. Not many birds, but always nice to be on Turøy and always something possible. The weather was fine, but the only birds worth mentioning were a flyby Grey Wagtail, three Chiffchaffs (collybita), three migrating Dunnocks and a migrating Tree Pipit. This last one I recorded well (use headphones)
Tuesday free, so I decided to go to Herdlevær. On the 16th of September autumn migration should be in full swing and so it was today. A continuous, gentle rain produced rather a lot of birds "on the ground". Best bird was a Western Yellow Wagtail (I think a first-winter flava) together with a group of Meadow Pipits. Further lots of Fieldfares, a few Redwings, Song Thrushes, 4 Goldfinches, Linnets and Twites. A Blackcap, one Willow Warbler and three Chiffchaffs on the Phylloscopus- front and a flyby Merlin was quite a long time ago for me. Waders included a few Golden Plovers, a Grey Plover and a Common Sand Plover, all flyby's.
Around 12:00 today Eirik Adolfsen reported a probable Honeybuzzard over Fyllingsdalen, flying south to Bergensdalen. That is where I live and I was at home. Of course I went up to the balcony and, believe it or not, there it was flying over my head, 10 minutes after the report. All went very quick, but it was a Honeybuzzard indeed, and a dark-colored one!!!
At first I could see it around 10 seconds in my bins gliding to the south and turning once, spreading its tail. Then I tried to photograph it, but it flew too quick. After that I found it back, I could see the bird gliding and flying for about one minute through my telescope, but against strong sunlight. All in all I could see enough details (characteristic silhouette, quite long tail, head and wings and an extra band on the tail when still in good light, as well as the flight silhouette with downcurved wings and flying like a kite) to make a positive ID. Now I have to convince the local committee also. But what an experience!
Made a description after the event. The detail drawing of the tail shows more contrast than the bird actually had, but the idea is to show the bird had a band on the tail and not many small stripes as Buzzard would show). Sorry for the bad quality..
In the morning I made a walk with Hickman at the biological station. Quiet there, but a migrating Greenshank was nice.
Quiet walk on Herdla today before work, nice weather and some waders. Best being juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. Further four Little Stints, some Dunlins, a lot of Common Ringed Plovers, 15 Ruff and flyby Common Greenshanks...
Working, my mother visiting us and not much to see...That means no birding.
In the garden still some nuts in the feeders attracting Blue Tits, Great Tits and Nuthatches.
In July we were on Rømø, Denmark. Rømø is the southernmost wadden-isle of the country. No serious birding, but the island holds some nice breeding species, such as Little Tern and Kentish Plover. Both species are protected. Saw a total of 108 species during the holiday. One wetland produced good numbers of waders (beautiful Spotted Redshanks amongst others), a lot more than I am used to these days. Distant views though...😑
📡 Lesser Whitethroat (song)
📡 Lesser Whitethroat (call)
I had to make a sound recording of the Marsh Warbler that was on Austrheim. Listen below!
I couldn't find the other Marsh Warbler that was reported earlier in the week at Leirvåg. Otherwise during this night session the usual suspects with some Sedge Warblers, Woodcocks and three or four Tawny Owls...
After the breeding season ducks need time to moult. Almost every year one or two nice species turn up in this period. This year a nice, but shy drake Gadwall is at Tveitevannet. Yesterday I saw it only in flight, but today it showed quite nice. The Mallard below is less shy...also a calling Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, probably the same as reported early may nearby...
This morning I went to Herdla early morning for the Blyth's Reed Warbler at the golf course. Still singing and still showing itself rather good...Listen below some variations of the song: slow, fast and mimicry. Sound recorded a singing Twite as well.
On the reserve quiet with only the Blue-headed Wagtail worth mentioning. Otherwise a few Dunlins and lots of young birds...
📡 Twite
For the fourth time this year I had a seawatch at Geitingneset at Herdlevær. I'd very much like to see Manx Shearwater here, but so far I don't succeed. Anyhow today not many birds, but there were two Great Skua's and a very nice Pomarine Skua today which were slowly migrating. I guess the Pomarine was a female because of the broad breastband...Otherwise some Gannets and a flyby Common Eider as well as the usual Shags...
I had to make a try for the Blyth's Reed Warbler at the golf course on Herdla after seeing the stunning photo's. It would be a opportunity for some sound recordings as well. I did not have the views and songs the others had earlier on the day. Probably I was too early in the night, but I had to work the following day and was already tired after a busy working weekend. Anyhow, it was singing only three or four short phrases. I managed to make a recording with some song and you can hear the call at the end of the recording. I also saw it two or three times very shortly...
Otherwise a flyby Yellow Wagtail, probably one of the flava's reported before on the nature reserve
At Flesland Gård this morning a calling Wryneck. Probably the same bird as on Sletten ridesenter. Listen below.
Otherwise quiet with a pair of Twite still hanging around, as well as Spotted Flycatcher and the usual suspects.
📡 Wryneck
Today early morning a trip to Herdla. Anything possible in may. Best bird was a singing Common Quail on the fields near the observation tower. I managed to make a sound recording, listen below. Otherwise some waders with four adult Black-tailed Godwits, always at a distance. I couldn't determine if it were islandica or nominates. Three Whimbrels on the fields and a flyby Wood Sandpiper made the walk nice.
At another spot on the island a pair of Wrynecks, that behaved as if they are planning to breed: lots of noise and a bit of drumming or hacking...listen below. A fine singing Spotted Flycatcher as well
Today rather warm and cloudy, lots of new birds about. I had four singing Pied Flycatchers at Kismul and (another) one singing near my garden. The Sedge Warblers coming in with two at Kalandsvatnet as well five House Martins there. This was all early morning. In the afternoon I twitched Wood Warbler near Flesland, which was singing quite well. Listen by clicking the link below!
I was awake very early, so I made a quick trip to Flesland. On the airstrip a distant Carrion Crow was present with a Hooded Crow. It flew off, but may still be there somewhere...The Pink-footed Goose was still there with a group of Greylags. Otherwise the usual suspects with singing Linnet and Lesser Redpoll as well as two Northern Wheatears. On the way back tried for the Glaucous Gull at the Tveitevannet which I digiscoped. I have to practice a bit , but it's fun!
At the Arboretum at Milde Anne and me had a short walk to look at the rhododendrons in bloom. While doing so I saw and heard a singing Hawfinch at Mildevatnet. Suppose it's breeding there. Further an early Icterine Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat and a singing Tree Pipit. Seem the weather change with southerly winds bring the birds!
At home I keep tried some digiscoping from the balcony and watched this Ring-necked Dove near it's nesting tree
This one is building it's nest again this year. Nice to have them!
