Kurefjorden delivers

Today was my best day so far at Kurefjorden. No big rarities but a nice selection of scarce birds in good weather and with good company. Ducks, waders and raptors were all well represented with highlights being both Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits (svarthalespove and lappspove) which is the first time I have seen both Godwits together in Norway, the Garganey (knekkand) still present, Shoveler (skjeand) and Pintail (stjertand), at least two Peregrines (vandrefalk), Marsh Harrier (sivhauk) and Hobby (lerkefalk).

The supporting cast was also good with Buzzards (musvåk) and Osprey (fiskeørn) nearly continuously visible with a minimum of 5 of each in the area but likely more, a single Kestrel (tårnfalk), double figures of Ringed Plover (sandlo) and Dunlin (myrsnipe), Ruff (brushane) and Grey Plover (tundralo). At one point we had a "kettle" of raptors with 2 Peregrine, 2 Buzzards, Marsh Harrier and 3 Ospreys.

North of Kurefjorden, the turf fields at Roer had two Red-backed Shrike (tornskate), 50 odd Yellow Wagtails (gulerle) plus 23 out of place Ringed Plovers.

My photography skills rather let me down with my camera still set to forced over exposure (after yesterdays high flying raptors) without me realising until quite late in the day. I managed a record shot of the Black-tailed Godwits and a much more satisfactory picture of this grasshopper (I've no idea as to what type it is).

2 juvenile Black-tailed Godwits

a very large, very green grasshopper