Herdla

Birding opportunities few and far between lately, but today managed a visit to Herdla. Not the best time of year, but saw some nice birds though. A nice male Ruff (white shawl) at the vanndammene and a singing Blue-headed Wagtail being best. Further a group of some 50 Eurasian Curlews with three Bar-tailed Godwit between them...

2nd calendar year Wheatear

Earlier in the week I sound recorded an alarming Common Sandpiper (with one or two chicks nearby) at Unneland in Bergen. Listen below!

🎤 Common Sandpiper

Common Crane in Bergen

 New bird for my Bergen-list today. Had a flyby Common crane at Kismul, Kalandsvatnet this morning.  I took two pictures (blind) with my phone (camera in the car, off course😑). Anyhow, nr 192 for Bergen!

Otherwise nice weather and lots of singing birds all over the place...four Sedge Warblers,  three Pied Flycatchers and the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year (listen to the song below) worth mentioning. And, the first Swifts screaming above my house. That makes me happy!

not the best pictures, but it's there

🎤Spotted Flycatcher

Bergen, biological station

Nothing out of the ordinary during my usual short walk at the Biological Station with Hickman. Nice Common Whitethroat singing though😊. Later a Peregrine Falcon flew over my house.

🎤 Common Whitethroat

nice adult Common Gull

Green Woodpecker at home

 Had a short walk with the dog at Unneland. I thought I heard a Wryneck here, but the sound recording made me hesitate. I think it was a bit slow Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

At home I heard a Green Woodpecker back the house on the other side of the road. The recording is of low quality, but you can hear the bird at least...

🎤Green Woodpecker

The return of the Capercaillie

 This female Capercaillie is present again at Flaktveit, Bergen. Tame bird and a friend of the playing children the local school😊. Must be last year's bird...

Further very nice spring weather with a lot of new birds for the year, among others two Pink-footed Geese at Kalandsvannet and the first Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Northern Wheatear and Barn Swallow of the year!

Awful weather

Bad winter with almost continuous rain (and a bit of snow that rains away again...) Almost no birding, although I had a flyby Snow Bunting along the coast at Telavåg last Sunday. And on Saturday the Black Guillemot and Rook still present in Bergen...hoping for stable weather type and better birding opportunities soon!

Whooper Swan near Klokkarvatnet

the adult male Blackbird in my garden 

(there are also two females and a young male present)

nice weather, nice day

 Tried for the Great Egret again. Still present, but at a great distance. Got a record shot, no more. Otherwise some nice birds around in Fana: a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Marsh Tit at a feeder at the Hordamuseet and a noisy Hawfinch in the garden worth mentioning...

adult Iceland Gull

 Took a day off for some things at home. But I took also the opportunity to see an adult Iceland Gull, that stays at Nygårdsviken in Bergen. I never saw this plumage before, so happy with that. Another bird (3rd cy) was present at Solheimsviken.

Nice start of the bergen year!!

the new year

 During the holidays I worked both Christmas and the new year weekend as well as the days in between. As a result I couldn't attend the nyttårskryss, the traditional three-days birding race in Hordaland. But, just before picking up my family on Flesland airport I had a little window of birding around Flesland. Then someone reported a Great Northern Diver at the marinbiological station. Off course I tried for it, but instead of finding a diver I saw a young Black Guillemot, which is rare in Bergen as well. This bird was quickly seen by Terje Hansen, Jørn Opsal and a few others. Afterwards it became clear that this guillemot was reported as Great Northern Diver. Hm...

Just before I went to work a Great Egret was found at Kalandsvannet. A new bird for Bergen (for me). This morning it was still present and I saw it. Bird nr 191 for Bergen😊

Rook in Bergen

Saw a nice Rook at Langegården, Fjøsanger today (only my second for Bergen). Rook is one of my favorites. It has a distinguished personality, I think...Had a quick twitch of this young bird that flew a lot. Not the best pictures

first calendar year Rook