Went to Øygarden on my free Wednesday again, you never know. It was windy and quiet with birds. But a very nice female Snow Bunting saved the day. It was present on Hellesøy at the same spot the Wood Larks were (they were gone). Otherwise quiet, as said. On the way to Øygarden I saw a big diver flying over the car, but I couldn't stop. It was probably a Great Northern, which would be new for my Bergen list...
This weekend I had things to do at home. But on Sunday morning I decided to check the Eastern Yellow Wagtail that was reported on Herdlevær on Saturday. That bird was gone, I suppose.
I met Bjørnard Skjold on Herdlevær. Talking about the wagtail he said that the Wood Larks he found last Sunday on Hellesøy were still present. I wanted to see those birds of course. Together we saw the shy birds at the same spot as last Sunday and Monday and managed to get some record shots. Good bird for Øygarden!
Both yesterday and today I had free, so I decided to go to Herdlevær. The Red-breasted Flycatcher is still holding strong, albeit difficult. It is mostly staying at the same spot as last years Dark-sidid Flycatcher. I didn't bother about the flycatcher, because it was so difficult. Together with Terje Hansen, I found a Siberian Chiffchaff at the northern part of the island. I managed to record one call...That bird was still present today in the ‘bombehagen’. In the gardens on the western part the Yellow-browed Warbler was still present today (my sixteenth of this autumn)... Otherwise the usual suspect with Common Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps , thrushes and finches and so on.
On Tuesday Julian Bell had found a Richard's Pipit on Breivik. That bird proved to be present yesterday. It was on the fields near Kolsnes, but proved to be shy. Managed to record that one too.
Today no wind! But raining steady. I just had to check Herdlevær. First bird I heard getting out of the car was my fifteenth Yellow-browed Warbler of the season. It showed quite well, but it was too wet to take my camera out of the bag, at least for a YBW. A little later I met Olav Moberg and Stein Rune Rise at the sjeldenhagen. I told them about the YBW and they went to check.
After about three quarters of an hour I had done the gardens at the turning point of the road and was on my way back. I saw small light-colored bird disappear in one of the trees. After some ten minutes I saw it briefly, but I immediately identified it as a Red-breasted Flycatcher. But it was raining hard and I couldn't find it back. I called Stein Rune and Olav, who were at Sele. But they decided to come back. I also put it on Band. After doing so I saw it shortly again in the same tree. It was not showing well, though. I waited for Stein Rune and Olav and together we went through the fence to try to take pictures. In that we succeeded. As often, the others had better pictures than me...but I got my own😊
Red-breasted Flycatcher is easy to recognize with its drab plumage in this age, the black-and-wite tail and the nice eye-ring. But what about that other bird from the far east? Of course I had thought about the bird being a Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla, the much rarer of the two. Differences are subtle. That bird would show an all black bill, a much whiter throat and the upper tail coverts would be very black (blacker than the tail). I couldn't see the rump and uppertailcoverts of this bird, but on one of the photo's taken today one can see that the uppertailcoverts are brownish. Besides that this bird bird called a few times, not the characteristic rattle, reminiscent of Wren, but a plaintive "wee-ip". Taiga would give a drier rattle and "tic" calls! I think today's bird is a first winter because of the cream-coloured wing bars and tertial edgings.
The bird stayed for several days, much to the joy of many visitors. On the 16th Stein Rune Risa recorded the bird. On the recording two different types of call can be heard! Thans, Stein Rune, for letting me use the recording!
This week I visited Øygarden three times, once Herdlevær with Terje Hansen and twice with Eirik Adolfsen. Very nice birding, although the weather was not always that good. Rain on Wednesday and lots of winds on Thursday. But lots of birds about, but no really good birds. On Wednesday we had five Yellow-browed Warblers (4 on Herdlevær and one at Sele). This autumn I have had a total of 14 birds! Further a lot of finches, thrushes (mostly Blackbirds) and Blackcaps on the way. Noteworthy were a Ring Ouzel at Herdlevær, a late Garden Warbler there as well, a Lesser Spotted and Grey Woodpecker at Sele and a Hawfinch. A short scan over the sea at Sale produced two Great Northern Divers and four Black Guillemots. On wedenes day we had two Otters at Herdlevær, producing a lot of noise...
Took a morning on Turøy. On Saturday it had been raining, so I hoped for new birds. In the Netherlands a Dark-sided Flycatcher (!!!) and a Brown Shrike had been found...But today was also quiet as usual on Turøy. However, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap (all heard only) made the visit worth while. Otherwise, two White-tailed Eagles and a Water Rail present.
On the way back I tried the Thrush Nightingale, reported by Alf Alden, without luck. When I later on the evening heard the recording, it proved to be a Siberian Chiffchaff.
3rd of October. Hernar! Picked up Eirik Adolfsen early to check Hernar today. At the ferry five more people had gathered with the same thoughts. Together with Julian Bell, Terje Hansen, Jørn Opsal and Egil and Laila Frantzen we checked the island from 08:00 to 12:30.
As last week, today it was quiet as well. However, two Yellow-browed Warblers and one or two Siberian Chiffchaffs made the visit worth while. Otherwise the first Great Spotted Woodpecker for the autumn, lots of Robins, one Chiffchaff and a few Blackcaps...
Easterly winds and warm. Expectations were not high, the weather being too beautiful, but it wasn't that bad. Best was Hjelme with two Yellow-browed Warblers and a first year male Ring Ouzel. Further quite a few Blackcaps. Most birds in the air, though. Two Grey Wagtails, three Reed Buntings at Herdlevær and at Hjelme a Snow Bunting and a Yellowhammer! Enjoyable birding, but it could be better...
