White-winged Tern on Herdla

 No time to be lazy after work. Dag Gjerde found a White-winged Tern at Herdla in the late afternoon today. So I drove with Robin to the reserve to twitch it successfully. Most of the time it was resting, but we also saw it fly a few times. New species for me in Norway (and Hordaland)!

Back home and back in business

 After a few weeks of holidays and work (and bad weather), I chose to go to Herdla today. And it was the right choice. When I came, Ann-Kristin Østgård had just found a Sanderling, which is always a difficult bird to get in Hordaland. Otherwise, five fine Black-tailed Godwits were flying around and up til ten Bar-tailed Godwits were present. Rather quality than numbers today!

Further, good numbers of Sand Martin and White Wagtail, with both Blue-headed Wagtail and Pied Wagtail still present!

the five Black-tailed Godwits

juvenile Sand Martin

Second week of the holidays: Butterflies, Dragonfies and some birds

 During my holiday, I went with my friend Eric Koops to Limburg in the southeast of the Netherlands to see butterflies and dragonflies. It was a success with lots of rare ones. I managed to see 6 new butterflies and 5 new dragonflies! Just see the pictures below😊

me photographing Marbled White

Eric photographing Mazarine Blue

Marbled Fritillary Brenthis daphne

Marbled White Melanargia galathea

Large Checkered Skipper Heteropterus morpheus

Small Skipper Thymelicus syvestris

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

Purple Emperor Apatura iris

Mazarine Blue Cyaniris semiargus

Short-tailed Blue Cupido argiades

Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages

Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens (upper male, lower female)

Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo

Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum caerulescens

Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum (upper female, lower male)

Green Snaketail Ophiogomphus cecilia

Small Pincertail Onychogomphus forcipatus

Dainty Bluet Coenagrion scitilum

Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva

Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope

And some on the island of Schiermonnikoog

Niobe Fritillary Fabriciana niobe

Purple Hairstreak Favonius quercus

Speckled Brown Pararge aegeria

Grayling Hipparchia semele

Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola

Common Bluetail ischnura elegans

Common Bluet Enallagma cyathigerum

Stock Dove

one of the young Barn Owls (photo with mobile phone)

young Crow

Litte Grebe with pullus on the Berkenplas at Schiermoonikoog

young Chaffinch in our garden

Blackcap at the drinking station in our garden

And it wouldn't be complete without a few sounds😊

🎤 Western Barn Ow begging juvenile

🎤 Icterine Warbler call

🎤 Spotted Flycatcher call