The unexpected....

With fresh southerly winds and some precipitation in the air my first May Østfold trip of the year was going to be a big success. Four species of skua, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Dotterel and something even rarer (probably a raptor) were almost guaranteed. And you can’t blame my total lack of success on lack of effort. I sea gazed at Brentetangen from 05:24-07:34 and then from 09:55-12:05 and birded Kurefjorden in between. I guess it is the unexpected that makes birding so much fun but when there is so much unexpectedly little to see then you start questioning your sanity.

A singing Thrush Nightingale on the drive down was a good start to the day and a migrating flock of Red-throated Divers on my first sweep with the bins had me thinking there would be a lot of movement but it wasn’t to be. My totals were 78 R-t Diver, 2 B-t Diver, 118 Common Scoter, 19 Velvet Scoter, 16 Tufted Duck, 2 Gannets, 2 L-t Duck, a Guillemot and rarest of all 4 Black Guillemots.

Kurefjorden had some waders but nothing unusual and the only raptor I had all day was a Kestrel.

no pictures of birds today just a picture of the sea....