27th July

Another perfect day, pretty much flat calm with some cloud cover coming and going; managed 45 new birds in the nets, all local breeding birds but they did include the first Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting and Rock Pipit caught this autumn.   Needless to say the sea was quiet with 2 Red-throated Divers and a few small Greylag Goose flocks south the only birds of note, there was though a few birds passing through Vågsvollvåien during the morning including 5+ Greenshank, a Wood Sandpiper, 3 Teal, a Ruff, 12 Lapwings and 5+ Herons.

                The coast was pretty quiet with a Little Stint and 9 Teal in Sevika, 8 Green Sandpipers in Verevågen, a Wood Sandpiper on the pool at Vatnemarka and a Green Woodpecker in Lebeltet Nord.   A Bar-tailed Godwit was new on Vågsvollvåien late afternoon when an odd little party of 3 Green Woodpeckers came out to the lighthouse for a look around!  

Willow Tit and fledgling

Cormorant

Six-spot Burnet

18th April

A lovely, flat calm, sunny morning (still very cold though with a slight frost) and birds offshore included another good movement of 170 Red-throated Divers along with a Black-throated Diver and a few Curlews while the White-billed Diver reappeared on the sea – now looking very smart in its almost breeding plumage and the adult White-tailed Eagle was sat out on Skarvodden.   There was a bit of variety in the nets through the morning which included 3 Wheatears, a Chiffchaff and 3 Linnets.

                Unfortunately the strong, chilly NW wind sprang back up by lunchtime reducing what was seen around the area, there was however a little build-up of hirundines on the sheltered side of Lebeltet with 10 Swallows, 4 Sand Martins and 2 House Martins while also seen were 20 Wheatears, 7+ Lesser Redpolls and a Fieldfare in full song.

 

Wheatear

Linnet

Willow Tit

This [presumably] freshly emerged Adder joined the other one previously mentioned, I'd love to see the males fighting!

Look at the knob on that!

Roe Deer

 

NORWAY - 13th March

My first full day back at Lista for the spring was lovely and sunny but with a cold easterly breeze; it seemed pretty quiet with not many signs of spring, the highlight being a cracking, all white 2^nd winter Glaucous Gull which flew north along the coast – an overdue Norwegian tick!   Other birds seen in the first couple of hours included a Snow Bunting south, 3 Siskins and a White Wagtail also going south while offshore there was a Great-northern Diver on the sea and single Velvet Scoter and Red-throated Divers past.

                After setting up all the nets for the season a walk around the coast was also fairly quiet with single Red-necked Grebe and Little Auk of note along with a few ducks including 43 Goldeneye, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, a Red-breasted Merganser and two Common Scoter while displaying Ringed Plovers and singing Skylarks and Rock Pipits hinted that spring may not be too far away.

 

Robin in the early morning sunshine - probably one that we ringed last autumn and has overwintered

Ringed Plover

Willow Tit

He wouldn't keep still!  I'll get a better picture of him later!