Oct 31, 2011

Herdla and Herdlevær

Day off...31 oktober...birding.
Started on Herdla with two Richard's Pipits, a flyby Two-barred Crossbill (a good deal Common Crossbills) and a Little Auk. Got a message while on Herdla about a possible Isabelline Shrike on Herdlevær. It turned out to be a 1st winter Red-backed with a rather reddish tail. Anyhow, nice birding today!



1st winter Red-backed Shrike
Although it has quite a reddish tail, the obvious markings on the upper- and underparts as well as the square-ended tail rule out all other species but Red-backed. On Isabelline one would expect a lighter bird without any barring on the upperparts. On Brown a longer more rounded tail.

one of the two Richard's Pipits on Herdla

Oct 24, 2011

Richard's Pipits in Bergen

Listing is fun and one of the birding fundamentals. One of the lists I keep is a Bergen community-list. 

Yesterday Terje Hansen found two Richard's Pipits near Flesland, Bergen airport. They were also reported this morning, so I went off to try them. They were still present, frequently calling, but very shy. But the pics show at least the identity.




two together

Oct 23, 2011

northern Hordaland: Two-barred Crossbills

Lots of wind today, so Håvard Husebø and I chose not to bird the coast, but try Lindås and Austrheim instead. Found a group of five Two-barred Crossbills (two males and three females) together with four or five Common Crossbills at Leirvågen and a Common Buzzard (scarce in Hordaland). Back in Bergen we checked the large gulls, but no Ring-billed (or worse) yet...


female TBC
another one
male TBC
same individual


Oct 13, 2011

Hernar

Hernar is a very small isolated island with great potential. Crag Martin and Greenish Warbler have been seen, among others.
So, today, the 13th of october, mother of all days, I went to Hernar with lots of good birds on my mind. The weather was very beautiful: sunny with weak variable winds... may be too beautiful...most birds in the air!
But, I had a good deal of nice species: one flyby Richard's Pipit, two frequently calling Water Rails, flyby Lapland Bunting, Peregrine, four Common Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, five Wrens (I love them), two Reed Buntings, one Bullfinch and a small group of Common Crossbills. Lots of thrushes and Bramblings.
An hour or two seawatching produced two immature Black-legged Kittiwakes heading south, two Great Northern Divers, five Atlantic Puffins, small numbers of Northern Gannet and the usual ducks.
Next time I want bad weather with all the birds on the ground...

Eurasian Starling

my favourite cave-dweller



Oct 10, 2011

Phylloscopus, Anthus, Utsira!

We were a week on Utsira. The first week of october normally is the best period for autumn migration.  It was a fine week indeed, but no cosmic finds. Best bird was a Radde's Warbler, with a Western Bonelli' coming second. This Bonelli's was discovered in the field, then caught and after that rediscovered in the field (by me and another birder). Further highlight include three or four Olive-backed Pipits, one of which I found myself. The picture of this one is bad (hard wind), but I wonder if it had a ring on it (they ringed one the day before and the day after...).
The weather wasn't cooperative with gales and rain, but it was nice birding most of the time with minor finds some Common Rosefinch, Richard's Pipits, Yellow-browed Warblers, Great Grey Shrikes, Common Stonechat and plenty of common species like Common Redstart, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroate, Robin and so on.
On the way back succesfully twitched a Tawny Pipit at Taravika on Karmøy.

Radde's Warbler
Olive-backed Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
(ringed?) Olive-backed Pipit
Western Bonelli's Warbler
Western Bonelli's Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Yellow-browed Warbler
Common Kestrel
Common Stonechat
Common Wheatear
Common Chiffchaff
Grey Seal
Barnacles
Common Redstart
lazy twitcher