Oct 29, 2022

Good American at Sele: Common Yellowthroat!!

 Yesterday I missed the Common Yellowthroat, I was only few seconds too late. The bird was found by Eirik Adolfsen in the beautiful (rarity) garden in Sele on Øygarden. On Friday it was only seen by three lucky birders (including Eirik). Today (on Saturday) we were with some 40 birders and had to wait until 11:15 before the bird was found back. It had presumably been in the garden all the time. It was very skulky. I saw it two times in my binoculars very briefly, but recognizable with its yellow throat.

Further there a Siberian Chiffchaff, three Common Chiffchaffs, a few Goldfinches, at least three Blackcaps and some crossbills flying by...

1cy male Common Yellowthroat. Photo by Erik Adolfsen with permission

two hours after discovery with Eirik Adolfsen looking at the camera

waiting on Saturday morning

🎤 Siberian Chiffchaff

Oct 27, 2022

hybrids at Tveitevannet

 Took a stroll with Hickman at Tveitevannet. Always some 50 or more large gulls during winter there. The Iceland gull wasn't there, but the possible Nelson's Gull (hybrid between Herring and Glaucous Gull) was still present as well as a hybrid Wood Duck/Mallard.

Otherwise my first Hawfinch of the autumn at Christie Park, a nice flock with Blue Tits, Long-tailed Tits and a Common Chiffchaff on the other side of Tveitevannet. Also flyby group of some type of crossbills I couldn't put a name on...

Nelson's Gull?

hybrid Wood Duck/Mallard

1cy Herring Gull

2cy Herring gull, beginning to moult to 2nd winter







Oct 26, 2022

Crossbills

 Today a late autumn visit to Herdlevær. Typical late autumn with few birds. 10 Goldfinches and groups of crossbills made the day. I had two times Parrot Crossbills, one group of Common Crossbills and a group of ca 25 birds I don't know for sure and better be left unidentified...

🎤 Parrot Crossbill

🎤 European Goldfinch

🎤 European Crested Tit

Oct 22, 2022

glaucoides

 Always some white-winged gulls in Bergen in the dark side of the year. This Iceland Gull is staying at the Tveitevannet. When I was there today, it was the only gull present. Nice fresh plumage as northern breeders usually have in this time of the year...

First calendar year Iceland Gull


Oct 21, 2022

quiet Herdla

 Had a round at Herdla in quiet autumn weather. It was very quiet. The group of Barnacles was still present. Otherwise four Slavonian Grebes and a few scoters. At Herdla fort at least five Parrot Crossbills...

female Parrot Crossbill

Golden Plover

Barnacle Geese


Hernar

 At last I could visit Hernar again after a few years.. and I was not alone, Both Terje Hansen, Jørn Opsal and Frode Falkenberg joined. Together we had a few hours on the island. Many birds, but we struggled finding a good bird. However, a Lesser Whitethroat showed itself a few times. It had signs of on of the eastern taxa, showing quite pale sandy colours on the back and neck. Besides it had rather a lot of white in the outermost tail feather, an important feature in 1st cy birds (it had pointed tail feathers) and rather short wings. Sadly it didn't call. Lesser Whitethroat taxa are extremely difficult to identify, so I think we let this bird unidentified...

Further four Waxwings, a flyby Snow Bunting, a few Water Rails, Parrot Crossbills, Goldfinches and load of Wrens and Robins. A group of seven Western Jackdaws is also worth mentioning.



first cy Lesser Whitethroat. one of the Siberian taxa?


Oct 18, 2022

tristis and more YBW

 Yesterday a calling Yellow-browed Warbler in my garden and today one on Turøy. But better was a Siberian Chiffchaff on the island, which was calling good (almost echoing against the stonewall at Måsvatnet). Saw the bird briefly, looking good for tristis. Khaki colours on the upper part, no green visible on the head and upper parts, pallid eyebrow and a thin wing bar along the greater coverts. The feet and bill gave also a very dark impression. But as said, I saw it briefly and it didn't show again, surely afraid of a hunting Sparrowhawk...call is diagnostic, I would say!

Further flyby Goldfinches, Common Crossbills, Grey-headed Woodpecker and a few Bullfinches...At least one bird in the group of crossbills sounded like a Parrot Crossbill in my ears...

🎤 Siberian Chiffchaff

🎤 Siberian Chiffchaff

🎤 Parrot Crossbill

female Grey-headed Woodpecker


Oct 17, 2022

a week in the Netherlands

 I spent a week on the wadden island of Schiermonnikoog with my family. Lots of birding. Best bird was found by my brother Sybrand at the Eemshaven (not on the island...). A fantastic Arctic Warbler. I saw it on the last day og our holliday. It was easily found, because it called in the early morning. It showed itself quite good every now and then...

Further on the island lots of birds: Grey Wagtails, Firecrests and one or three Yellow-browed Warblers among my favorites. Saw some Shore Larks on the beach and two Caspian Gulls being nice also. Best birds on the island however were a (distant) Black-winged Kite and a Blyth's Reed Warbler...



nice Arctic Warbler

🎤 Arctic Warbler


Great Egret

Black-headed Gull

Sanderling

Northern Shoveler

🎤 Barnacle Goose

🎤  Western Jackdaw

🎤 Long-tailed Tit

🎤 Dunnock

🎤 Grey Wagtail

Oct 4, 2022

Pipits in the storm

 There are Red-throated-  and Richard's Pipits on Herdla. Since I couldn't join yesterday I tried today. I was all alone and it were bad weather conditions with hard wind and rain. Romantic!

I saw Red-throated Pipit (could well be two birds), two Richard's Pipits, Dark-bellied Brant, Pink-footed Goose, Gadwall and six Jack Snipes. But as said, the conditions were very bad, so I couldn't manage pics, but I sound recorded (one of) the Red-throated Pipit(s). Sorry for the bad quality (use headphones!)...

🎤 Red-throated Pipit

🎤 Red-throated Pipit

Oct 2, 2022

Dip TBGW on Fedje

On Saturday a Two-barred Greenish Warbler was reported from Fedje. That one I had to try, but I couldn't go before today. It was gone together with the seven or so Yellow-browed Warblers also present.

A Little Bunting, which was present today as well as yesterday showed nice, albeit at a distance...


On Utsira they had A Grey-cheeked Thrush and a Red-eyed Vireo and further south in Norway a Swainson's Thrust was caught. Wrong island today...?


Oct 1, 2022

windfull day , almost no birds

 30.09. In the field. Disappointing with almost no birds. Only another Yellow-browed Warbler on Turøy, which I sound recorded...

🎤 Yellow-browed Warbler