Herdla

 Today a round at Herdla, which was quite good. 'Lots of waders' with best bird Sanderling in pristine (first) winter plumage. It is a scarce bird on migration here with only a few each year during the summer months. In winter it is very rare!! It is in fact the first winter record for Herdla and the third for Vestland as a whole. 

Further a touch-and-go Lapwing, some ten Purple Sandpipers, a Ruddy Turnstone and five Eurasian Curlews. Out on the water a Red-necked Grebe, calling Long-tailed Ducks, two Common Scoters and 14 Velvet Scoters.

Nice day in quiet weather😊

Visit to Øygarden for winter species

 I had the Wednesday off, so I decided to visit northern Øygarden. Started at Hellesøy, where I met Roald Hatten and Terje Hansen. After we saw the Rook at Svellingen we spent a few hours at Sjåneset, Sele. Calm conditions made it very worthwhile. Most bird were very distant but with a scope and patience one can see good numbers. Best bird was an adult White-billed Loon. Further three or four Common Loons, Black Guillemots, Shags, some 50 beautiful Long-tailed Ducks, 25 or so Purple Sandpipers, Curlews, Oystercatchers, three White-tailed Eagles and a Peregrine. Special were also two flyby White-fronted Geese. 

On the way back I saw the two Little Grebes at Dåvøy and at Breivik I found a group of seven White-fronted Geese. Today there were reported more than usual of this goose-species in other parts of Hordaland, even a few in Bergen (see below). Finished the day at Lyreneset at Nygårdsviken in Bergen, where both the first-winter Iceland Gull and Black-headed Gull were present. 

 White-fronted Geese at Breivik

Iceland Gull at Lyreneset

adult White-billed Loon       photo by Roald Hatten

one of the five  WFG at Nesttunvannet

Winter

 Lots of snow the first days of January, which meant birding in the neighborhood. Bird variety is not high, but a group of about 20 Hawfinches and a Common Moorhen are worth mentioning.

birds gathering

first winter (second calendar-year) Common Moorhen

On Sunday a quick round at Biologen, which produced the usual with among others a Sparrowhawk, a few Goldeneyes, three Common Scoters and a tight group of about 80 Wood Pigeons 

Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris

hungry young Blackbird

The second weekend of January had still lots of snow with wildfowl gathering at open water such as Hamretjern. The Whooper Swans there were very vocal. Didn't have my recorder, though...

Canada Goose

Goldeneye

Teal

Whooper Swans