Værøy day 6

My last day and easterly winds were going to bring more vagrants than I could cope with. Or at least that was the plan.

 It was eerily quiet as I walked through Sørland early in the morning. A single Goldcrest (fuglekonge) and that was it. No warblers, no overflying pipits or finches and no wind. This was not right!

Walking up through Marka there was no improvement and it was only as I got to what I call the “sub-plantation” – the area of short trees 400m east from the Plantation – that there was some sign of birds.

A calling Goldcrest and Dunnock (jernspurv) got my attention so I started pishing. What sounded like a funny Wren (gjerdesmett)responded and when I got to see the bird it was a Red-breasted Flycatcher (dvergfluesnapper) - finally something new! A Yellow-browed Warbler (gulbrynsanger) also came to investigate as well as a Chiffchaff and there were 7 other Goldcrests in the area. There had been some sort of arrival at least. The flycatcher showed well at times but would then disappear into some sallow bushes.

Red-breasted Flycatcher (dvergfluesnapper)

in flight

In exactly the same spot as yesterday I again had hornemanni Arctic Redpolls (polarsisik). The reason for their presence was a small birch tree full of catkins. The birds were incredibly tame and I came so close that I couldn’t focus the camera (2 metres!).  There were at least 3 birds but maybe as many as 10 as a group flew out as I arrived which on call I would say were the same specues. The three that remained allowed close scrutiny and I saw and photographed the feathered tarsus and managed a “fluffy snowball” picture. There was a lot of variation amongst them in terms of flank streaking with one bird having none at all but the others surprisingly bold streaking (like the bird I photographed yesterday). Also of note was their calls which differed significantly from Common Redpolls (gråsisik) in particular a sparrow like churp which they uttered frequently.

the fluffy snowball - Arctic Redpoll (polarsisik)o f the race hornemanni from Greenland

note the extensive white rump and pure white undertail coverts

here you can see the feathered tarsi - trousers

this bird has an indistinct red "poll" and streaked flanks

......whilst this bird has a more obvious red "poll" and virtually unstreaked flanks

Continuing to the Plantation there were many Redwings (rødvingetrost) and Brambling (bjørkefink) as well as a single Song Thrush (måltrost) which meant there was always a lot of noise. Goldcrests were new in here as well with at least 6 birds, alongside 3 Chiffchaff, a single Yellow-browed Warbler, Robin (rødstrupe), Dunnock, Wren and best of all another Red-breasted Flycatcher. This was quite a vocal bird and uttered the Wren like call plus another whistle like call but soon vanished. The most frustrating moment was when what was most certainly an Olive-backed Pipit (sibirpiplerke) called from the tree top above me repeatedly but I failed to see it and I then heard it fly off.

With it now approaching midday and my helicopter at 5pm I decided to give Nordland a try so I phoned for my “taxi”. The easterly wind was stronger here without the shelter of the mountains so I hope that there would be more birds here. One is allowed to hope...

I gave the areas three hours and really covered all suitable habitat. Result was two Lesser Whitethroats (møller) and a Blackcap (munk), 1 Y-b Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler (løvsanger), 12 Common Redpolls, 5 Goldcrest, 10 Meadow Pipits (heipiplerke) and offshore 2 Red-necked Grebes (gråstrupedykker). Some birds then but where was the rare

Some mammals today with an obliging Otter, 3 porpoises(nise), a Grey Seal (havert) bobbing in the sea and a Common Seal (steinkobbe) hauled out on a rock.

So the day never quite lived upto expectations but I should be happy with the flycatchers and outstanding views of the hornemanni and I shouldn’t get to blasé about Yellow-browed Warblers. It was just that I hoped for even more...

I nice treat was the helicopter ride home (with thankfully only 4 passenges this time) which included a sightseeing trip around the island giving me a Crowned Warbler eyes view which really showed how attractive Nordland must looking to an incoming bird.

the second Red-breasted Flycatcher - warmer on the underparts

obligatory shot of some wing bars

Rock Pipit (skjærpiplerke)

Lesser Whitethroat

Otter

Værøy day 5

Well my first day alone on the island started with a feeling that something was in the air. The strong northerly winds and rain overnight had given way t a still sunny morning. Meadow Pipits were in the air and after only 10 minutes I had a Sylvia warbler. It wasn’t too cooperative but eventually showed itself to be “just” a Whitethroat (tornsanger). I’ll need to check but I think this is a pretty good record here although I would have preferred something rarer. Whilst checking the intricacies of Sylvia warblers in the Collins Bird Guide (Svensson et al) I noticed that according to them immature Whitethroat and Subalpine Warblers are exactly the same. I’m sure I ‘m not the first to spot this but it looks like they have used the same picture for both species!

spot the difference

an unexpected Whitethroat (tornsanger)

 Continuing my usual route through Sørland, then Marka and finally the Plantation I had 6 Yellow-browed Warblers (gulbrynsanger), 9 Chiffchaffs (gransanger), 2 Willow Warblers (løvsanger) (including one affectionately named “psyco” by the other due to its completely abnormal call that it uttered continually and very tatty plumage), 4 Dunnocks (jernspurv), 7 Reed Buntings (sivspurv), 30 Ring Ouzels (ringtrost), a Merlin (dvergfalk), 1 Garden Warbler (hagesanger), 1 Robin (rødstrupe), 1 Pied Flycatcher (svarthvit fluesnapper), 3 Common Redpolls (gråsisik) and best of all 2 Hornemanni Arctic Redpolls (polarsisik). The later two were in a very productive area where I sat patiently after seeing a Y-b Warbler and with some pishing I also attracted in Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Pied Fly and the Redpolls.

In the field the Hornemanni were noticeably larger than the Common Redpolls and in flight the white rumps were very large. When relaxed they were also very fluffy although in the pictures they were either feeding or alert and therefore look sleeker.

Arctic Redpoll of race hornemanni (polarsisik)

The large white rump is visible

I also had good views of a hunting Golden Eagle (kongeørn) which was flying over the lower slopes of the hills and most easily picked out due to the shadow it cast on the hillside. It was not a full adult due to some pale patches at the base of the primaries but I would imagine that after its next moult it will have full adult plumage.

Sub adult Golden Eagle (kongeørn)

The Glaucous Gull (polarmåke) was present at the harbour mouth.

I got myself a lift to Nordland and added 2 Lesser Whitethroats (møller), 2 Black-throated Divers (storlom) and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits (lappspove) which were all new tour species for me. Also 2 Y-b Warblers taking me to 8 for the day and two pairs of White-tailed Eagles calling frequently and engaging in pair bonding behaviour.

So no big rarities although I couple of birds that I never got to see properly had “a feeling” about them ;-)

The easterly winds are forecast to start this evening and continue until lunch tomorrow. Let’s hope something good falls out of the sky.

Yellow-browed Warbler (gulbrynsanger)

Willow Warbler (løvsanger)

Chiffchaff (gransanger)

Lesser Whitethroat (møller)