New Year

After night shift a stroll at the biological station at Espeland, which proved very quiet with five Red-breasted Mergansers, a few Wrens and Blackbirds. At Espeland at the feeding station a Tree Sparrow was present together with some 100 or so House Sparrows, a couple of Yellowhammers, two Wood Pigeons and a Ring-necked Dove. Didn't see Tree sparrow in 2014 in Bergen...

31st of december 2014

Alas, not much birding lately. So my yearlist for Bergen ended with 140 species. Next year no year listing planned, we'll see what 2015 brings...
Happy new year to all of you!

Two new for Bergen

This morning I had a walk at the Marine Biological Station in Bergen, resulting in a new one for Bergen: Little Auk, which was still present. Also four Common Scoters and a Black-headed Gull at the same place. At Kalandsvannet the Slavonian Grebe was still present, being new for Bergen community as well. So far this year in Bergen 140 species for the year, still missing Green Woodpecker and Nutcracker of the more common species. Total for Bergen now 163.

Parrot Crossbills at Herdla

Finally a day off alone, so I decided for Herdla. A nice stroll produced two White-fronted Geese, some 150 Greylags and 11 Pink-footed Geese. Also two Razorbills, a Red-necked Grebe, two Slavonian Grebes and a Jack Snipe. No sign of the Richard'd Pipit. A calling Great Northern Diver also present. Best part was at the fort, with some 25 Parrot Crossbills (at least I think so) and a Marsh Tit!

Two birds of the flock. crossbills with big bills

another bird with a huge bill

the Netherlands

Last week a family visit home in the Netherlands. Almost no birding, only twitched two birds. One a much debated, but probably very good White-crowned Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga near Schiphol on the first saturday. The other a Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius lahtora pallidirostris at Den Helder in the north of the country. The latter was a real lifer for me resulting in having 446 species on my Dutch list.

White-crowned Wheatear by Sybrand de Bruin

Steppe Grey Shrike, photo's by Jan van der Laan

Back in Norway I visited Herdla with Hickman and Robin. Rather quiet, but with some geese. Five bernicla Brent Geese, three Greater White-fronted Geese of the race albifrons and no less than sixteen Pink-footed Geese. Further one Red-necked Grebe and three Slavonian Grebes.

Red-breasted Flycatcher at Herdlevær

Early morning birding at Herdlevær in beautiful autumn weather. It resulted in finding a Red-breasted Flycatcher. At first it showed well for about half a minute, but it was elusive after a Peregrine Falcon had flown over. It was rather vocal, but not constantly calling. Typical dry rattle: "trrrrr",  recalling a soft Wren. This call is different from the call of Taiga Flycatcher, which is even more dry and harder. I didn't see the bird well enough to see any plumage differences with the latter.
Alas, no sound recording and no pics either, because it was too elusive after I identified it. Both Egil Franzen and Bjørnard Skjold, who were birding in the vicinity, didn't see the bird.
Did get a sound recording of a Yellow-browed Warbler which was present as well. Further a flyby Grey Wagtail, a group of 22 Pink-footed Geese, a Common Chiffchaff, several Blue Tits, a Blackcap, a Garden Warbler and a Yellowhammer...

Yellow-browed Warbler:

http://www.xeno-canto.org/197970

After the storm. Herdla

Spent a few hours at Herdla  with my daughter in beautiful weather after the gales of friday and saturday. Hoped for some good birds... No rarities, but it wasn't dull either.
Best bird was a flyby Rough-legged Buzzard, heading south. Another nice one was a Jack Snipe. Further a Little Stint, good numbers of Dunlin, the Northern Pintail still about, a Red-throated Loon and twelve Pink-footed Geese. Passerines: two Northern Wheatears, lots of Rock and Meadow Pipits and some ten Skylarks on the fields and some ten (!) Willow Tits around the ringing station.

flock of twelve Pink-footed Geese

Yellow-browed Warbler

After a night shift I had to take Hickman out before I could go to sleep. About 150 meters from my house I heard a Yellow-browed Warbler call high up in the trees. It called about ten times its characteristic tsju-weet. Hadn't anything on me, so didn't sound-recorded it. Bird nr 137 this year in Bergen (but not on my house list, alas)!

Grasshopper Warbler on Turøy

Tried Turøy for the first time this autumn and it was good with lots of birds. At learst four Pied Flycatchers, many Meadow Pipits on the ground, three Tree Pipits, three Chiffchaffs and Robins all over the island. A calling Grey-headed Woodpecker was quite early and a Kestrel is worth mentioning, but definitely the best bird was a Grasshopper Warbler skulking in the bushes at the old school. Always exciting to find a locustella in september...
Below some record shots of the bird.

Grasshopper Warbler

Migration and rabbits

A walk with Hickman at Flesland produced a good deal migrating birds this morning. Plenty of Meadow Pipits, Wood Pigeons and Yellowhammers about. Flyby Jay's at both Flesland and Rådalen.
But what does this rabbit at Flesland. Is it a domesticated one, that escaped? I don't know. It's a sweet creature, anyhow.