Waders

One has to be careful what one wishes for. The weekends rains have caused the water level in Svellet to rise 65cm since the lowest level was reached on Saturday. Today it was looking very attractive for waders and the first tringa had arrived but let us hope the rising waters abate soon.

It is still too early for Wood Sands but Greenshank numbered 60 and they were accompanied by 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Common Redshank. Curlews have fallen to 13 but were together with 6 Whimbrel and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit. Other waders were 11 Oystercatchers and a Little Ringed Plover. The higher water levels meant there were a few ducks with 90 Teal, 17 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck and a male Shoveler. I had a ringtail harrier but this was a clear 2cy Hen Harrier and an adult Peregrine was once again hunting here (must be breeding close by).

I had quite a few summer visitors with Willow Warblers now fairly common, a few Blackcaps, and my first Yellow Wagtail, Common Tern and House Martin of the year.

 I had started the day in Maridalen where despite cloud and southerly winds there had been a complete exodus of the weekend’s birds. Gone were the hundreds of thrushes and I had just a handful of Fieldfares and no Rouzels. The ducks were gone from the lake with just a single Common Scoter and 10 Goldeneye left.

The weather forecast for the next few days is for southerly winds and there may be some opportunities for some good passage at up the fjord.

Bar-tailed Godwit (lappspove) with Curlew (storspove)

The Barwit in flight with 2 Curlew

Curlew and Whimbrel (småspove) with a Greenshank (gluttsnipe) in the background

The two Spotted Redshanks (sotsnipe) with Greenshanks

Svellet panorama. The large mudbank will probably be flooded by just another 20cm increase in water levels

Willow Warblers (løvsanger) have become common during the course of just a couple of days