Værøy Day 4 2014

Being number three in the queue for number twos this morning got the day off to pungent start and early morning rain and few birds had me thinking that the tone for the day had been set. However the sun came out and suddenly there was life. Yellow-browed Warbler (gulbrynsanger) and Barred Warbler (hauksanger) both allowed themselves to be photographed better than before and the smell of roses began to scent the air!

Heading in the van towards the south of the island there was a bit of banter about where we would all start searching as we all need to have our own area so that we all have a chance of finding our own birds. I chose to start out by the helicopter pad and make my way north thus also ensuring a good work out. Birds were few and far between although the knowledge that others had found Red-breasted Fly (dvergfluesnapper) and OBP (sibirpiplerke) kept me alert.

I walked over some fields to check out the muddy edges of the tidal lagoon and stumbled upon a single wader. Initially seeing it from behind I thought perhaps breeding plumaged Purple Sand (fjæreplytt) before quickly realising Pec Sand (alaskasnipe) and another selfie Norwegian tick. The bird promptly flew off high calling but remarkably was found not too long after a kilometre to the north and everyone got to enjoy it and burn off a few hundred gigabytes.

The Citrine Wag (sitronerle) was still in its favoured garden by the shop and life felt good. I glimpsed the R-b Fly but as is my fate failed to see either of the two OBPs that were found today. A 5 second view of a Common Rosefinch (rosenfink) was some compensation.

With winds now veering to the east we have very high expectations for tomorrow.

The Pectoral Sandpiper (alaskasnipe) when I found it

when refound

Twitching Værøy style. The bird is below the rust barrel just above the grass

a happy Oslobirder

creeping along doing its Long-toed Stint impression

neck extended trying to look like a Ruff

Barred Warbler (hauksanger)

Citrine Wagtail for its third day

it's not often I take a picture of a Carrion Crow

can you spot the Red-breasted Flycatcher?

it's not often that I find a photogenic Rock Pipit (skjærpiplerke) but this one was exceptionally trusting

 

Two Sanderlings (sandløper) from yesterday evening

there are many Twite (bergirisk) on the island. These were part of a flock of 150+

the view looking north from Værøy. The mountains on Lofoten got an overnight dusting of snow that disappeared during the day

Yellow-browed Warbler (gulbrynsanger)