Bert's Bird Blog
a birding miscellany
Jul 10, 2024
holidays in The Netherlands
Jun 19, 2024
BRW still present
Visited the Blyth's Reed Warbler again today. Saw it this time, but no pictures alas. It was still singing loud, but different from as last week. Hear below. At Kalandsviken a few House Martins, a lone Swift and Whinchat with food for it's young, as well as the usual suspects like Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit
Jun 14, 2024
Blyth's Reed Warbler at Kalandsvannet (where else)
Yesterday a fine singing male Blyth's Reed Warbler was found at Hamre at the Kalandsvannet. I visited this morning and could make some sound recordings despite the traffic...
May 30, 2024
another new one for Bergen: Red-backed Shrike
There was reported a fine male Red-backed Shrike at Tausamyrene, Gullfjellet in Bergen on Tuesday by Walter Lemme. I tried it this morning (had to hire a car, because Anne needs it for a week in Sweden😏). To my astonishment, I found a female before I saw the male (a pair!!). I was joined by Frode Falkenberg shortly after. Together we watched the birds for a while. Unfotunately the battery of my camera was dead before they came closer (the other one not with me…).
The birds seemed stable in the area and the area seems good for a breeding pair. Let's hope they stay and succeed in breeding and raising young! Anyhow, bird species nr 195 for my Bergen List😊
May 29, 2024
Common Rosefinch in Bergen
Twitched the Common Rosefinch at Kalandsviken yesterday. A new species for Bergen for a long time. It was a 2nd year male and was singing quite well every now and then.
May 17, 2024
Quick twitch on wednesday, beautiful White-backed Woodpecker on friday
Warm and nice weather, but also working. On Wednesday Eirik Adolfsen found a subalpine warbler on Herdlevær. It was skulky, but steady. I had only a couple of hours before work and drove from Bergen. At the spot the bird was still difficult, but after some 20 minutes it showed itself. It was a pale, female bird. I studied it for some ten minutes, before I had to go home again, not knowing which species it was, but later on the day pictures showed the tail pattern with a lot of white on T5 nailing the bird to be a Eastern Subalpine Warbler Curruca cantillans. Good work , Eirik!
On friday I made an easy walk at Kismul, resulting in the usual suspects as Garden Warbler and Icterine Warbler, but also a showy male White-backed Woodpecker. Not often this species is showing itself like this to me!
🎤White-backed Woodpecker call
May 6, 2024
Grasshopper Warbler on Herdla
Today after a busy work weekend, I made a trip to Herdla. It was nice spring weather with lots of singing birds. In the south west corner of the reserve I found a singing Grasshopper Warbler. Always nice to hear (and see) this species. I found out that it was only the second record for the island (one in September 2014). I made a sound recording and a record shot...
Further two Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits, a group of about hundred Golden Plovers, displaying Dunlin, noisy Long-tailed Ducks and a singing Lesser Whitethroat among others.
Apr 26, 2024
Black-tailed Godwit in Bergen
Duing the last week I was a few times out in Bergen. Still cold with northern winds. Two Mandarin Ducks returned at Midtun. At Flesland two or three singing Goldfinches and at Stend a nice Black-tailed Godwit and a noisy Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. A remarkable lack of redpolls by the way. I presume they will come later...
Mar 28, 2024
around Bergen
The day off and home alone. I took the opportunity to visit northern and eastern Bergen. I began at Sæterstølen, where to Green Woodpeckers called a lot. I didn't see them though. Here also a pair of Willow Tits (a little bit of pishing made them very curious) and a singing Hawfinch. Then I visited Garnes where a Black-headed Gull and three Velvet Scoters were present. Unneland was very quiet. At Kalandsvannet one of the two returned Red-throated Divers was present as well as a small group of Meadow Pipits. I hoped to see the Golden Eagles that usually are around Gullfjellet, so I drove the long road through Bontveitdalen without seeing them. Instead I found a Mistle Thrush at Hausdalen. I was with some other thrushes (Fieldfares and Red-winged) feeding on the fields. But it quickly disappeared in the trees, where I saw it shortly. After that I couldn't find it again. Nice anyhow. On the way home I drove along Nesttunvannet where to pairs of Teal were present...
Mar 24, 2024
a cold but beautiful day
Went for a short visit to Flesland gård. It was beautiful cloudless weather, but the northern wind made it feel quite cold. No silent birds today. All of them showed lust for life. There were 17 Greylag Geese on the fields and a few migrating birds. On the airstrips two Ringed Plovers were flying around. Further a good deal of migrating Blackbirds, Fieldfares, a Song Thrush, Meadow Pipit, heard only White Wagtail (or yarrellii) and a Goldfinch.
And a Dipper was at Fana kulturpark😊