Monday, 28 September 2015

28th September


Another great, sunny day with the merest waft of a breeze shifting round to the NE; there were fewer passerines heading over the lighthouse through the morning but 800+ Siskins were circling round over Lebeltet making an impressive sight and other bits included another Black Woodpecker, 3 Shoveler which landed on the sea, a Lapland Bunting, a calling Spotted Redshank (the only one since the first week of September) and a big influx of 165+ Woodpigeons.   Seventy-five new birds were caught through the morning including 2 Blackcaps, a little influx of 11 Goldcrests at dawn and 50 Blue Tits out of several flocks which passed overhead.

                The most exciting part of the day was a few hours from lunchtime when some great and varied raptor passage commenced with the highlights being an adult Golden Eagle over towards the hills in the same view as a 1st winter White-tailed Eagle and at least 9 Goshawks (including four together at one stage) along with 30+ Sparrowhawks, 10+ Kestrels, at least 3 Hen Harriers (including one north at sea), 10 Buzzards, a Merlin and probably three Peregrines mooching around but not really moving anywhere.

                The afternoon was spent across the fields and plantations and for what it lacked in numbers really made up for it with quality with the numerous highlights including awesome views of a THREE-TOED WOODPECKER in Lebeltet (another new bird for me!), brief views of a Kingfisher along the stream in Gunnarsmyra flashing past and perched on a post (actually the rarest thing for a while with only four previous records in the area!), a group of 3 Richard’s Pipits at Vågsvoll and a calling Yellow-browed Warbler at Vatnemarka.

                Other bits and pieces through the afternoon included a few more Sparrowhawks, another Hen Harrier floating around, a Tree Pipit, 40+ Skylarks in the fields, 9 Crossbills with 2 Ruff, 20 Wigeon and a Goldeneye on Vågsvollvåien and a cool looking leucistic Common Gull flying around - basically all white with a few light coffee coloured markings in the tail and primaries.
 




Three-toed Woodpecker - My 252nd Norwegian species (not that I'm keeping count or anything!)

Sparrowhawk

Another Black Woodpecker came out to the lighthouse this morning
 

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