A whole seven days after the last day of sun we saw it again yesterday although I had to drive over an hour to experience it and its arrival was a whole three hours later than forecast - but it was all worth it in the end!
I, of course, went to Sulitjelma and hunted butterflies. I was not alone on that errand with another birder/butterer visiting all the way from Lista. Øyvind however was only having a short stop on his way even further north and only got to enjoy 5 minutes of sun before having to leave. I was able to wait it out though and when the sun did finally show for longer periods I finally, and after lots of efforts, got to see the Pale Arctic Clouded Yellow as well as is possible with nectaring individuals too close to focus on and one in the hand such that I could see the upperwing. I also got to see Northern Clouded Yellow’s upperwing so I can now «forget» about these species and concentrate my efforts on the really rare species that I am certain occur up here😊
Pale Arctic Clouded Yellow (polargulving) showing the underside of both wings
I had to take matters into my owns hands though to finally see the upperwing
This small flower rich hillside was where the previously pictured individual was flying from flower to flower. Previously when I have seen them they have barely had time to stop
Spot it?
And here another individual. It was only 50m away and was also nectaring but was not quite as easy to follow. It was a much more heavily marked individual making me wonder if one was a male and the other a female.
A second, and more heavily marked, Pale Arctic Clouded Yellow (polargulvinge)
My usual out of focus flight shot but this is actually better than normal
Again showing both wings whereas previously the forewing has been hidden
When the light shines through the wings and the forewing is raised then you can see the upper side pattern
An almost acceptable flight (take off) shot
The upper side of a Northern Clouded Yellow (mjeltgulving)
I had to pick it up and blow on it when the sun had gone behind a cloud to get it to open its wings but it flew off strongly when the sun came out again
Clouded yellow habitat and with a much larger flying object in the background
One flying by
And here the upperwing caught as it nectared
Birding has occurred too with the Surf Scoter sighted a few times and even digitally documented. Wader passage is picking up with both adult and juvenile Spotted Redshanks now moving. A male Garganey felt like a strange species to see north if the Arctic Circle but they are observed regularly enough over the years that I am sure they breed locally from time to time. Very good numbers of Common and Arctic Terns (a couple of hundred), Lapwings and breeding Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also satisfying sightings.
Arctic Skua (tyvjo) which breed on a bog nearby
Collared Doves (tyrkerdue) also surprisingly occur this far north although are rare
Garganey (knekkand) - in flight its blue forewing showed it was a male in eclipse
Adult Spotted Redshank (sotsnipe) with Greenshank (gluttsnipe)
Bar-tailed Godwits (lappspove)
And the male Surf Scoter (brilleand) showing his white nape patch..
I am currently in Tromsø where I am helping Jr settle into her new life as a student at the university here. Tromsø is a great town (to call it a city is rather overdoing it though and who ever came up with the description «Paris of the north» should take some time out from describing things) and we are currently enjoying very warm temperatures although in just a few months it will be all snow, darkness, hopefully northern lights and unavoidably thousands of foreign, mostly asian, tourists seeking these «exotic» delights.
Now though this town which boasts the most northern football team, and now also McDonalds, in the whole, wide, world is full of nervous students about to start a new life, apprehensive parents, and yesterday the whole circus that accompanies professional cycling when the last stage of the Arctic Race of Norway was held here and myself and Jr managed to photobomb the winner interview, it was my birthday afterall🥳
I have only allowed myself a little birding and am only using the bus to get around but there is a lot of potential up here. Prestvannet, a small lake 10 minutes bus journey from downtown is a fantastic place with many breeding, and noisy, Red-throated Divers, a good variety of ducks, a few waders including Spot Red when I was there (and apparently lekking Ruff in May) and both Common and Arctic Terns. Tromsø is on an island and the surrounding fjord obviously has potential. By the airport there are some mudflats and here I had a good collection of waders including (distant) Red-necked Phalarope, Little Stint and Ruff. Turnstone also breed in the area and I look forward to seeing them next spring. There were hundreds of seaducks too far out for my bins to ID so I may have to bring my scope on future visits as there must be the chance for some interesting species.
Downtown is full of breeding gulls with Kittiwakes nesting on window ledges, signs and more recently especially built «hotels» which allows incredibly close contact with these birds and their nests. Common and Herring Gulls are also common urban breeders and I have never seen such a concentration and variety of urban breeding gulls before.
Prestvannet
A Spotted Redshank (sotsnipe)
Red-throated Diver (smålom) with a surprisingly small young. Others were nearly fully grown
This Common Gull (fiskemåke) was ringed here as an adult in August 2018. In Feb 2022 it was in Hull, UK
This bird was ringed here as an adult in August 2010 and has been seen regularly but only in Tromsø
Langnes near the airport where I searched for waders
A young Ruff (brushane)
An Arctic Tern (rødnebbterne) that clearly had young nearby as it was very unhappy with my presence
A Sedge Warbler (sivsanger)
My first Little Stints (dvergsnipe) of the year
Adult and juvenile Redshank (rødstilk)
Oystercatchers (tjeld)
Whilst many young Common Gulls were already fledged this youngster still has a number of weeks before independence
This Meadow Pipit (heipiplerke) was still feeding young
The Kittiwake (krykkje) hotel
I haven’t yet managed to find out any information about this ringing scheme. It doesn’t cease to amaze me that colour ringing schemes can be so hard to work out - surely you only colour ringing schemes can because you want to get reports of observations
Summer in the arctic is no cold affair! Temperatures are in the twenties and may reach 30 degrees tomorrow! I hoped this would result in loads of butterflies but instead I have seen hardly any but it may still be early in the season (we are usually here later in July).
I have spent far too many hours searching for the pratincole close to the cabin but got very excited when my phone plinged yesterday afternoon to say it had been found at Klungsett (my favourite birding place up here and where I previously found the Asian White-winged Scoter). I was there an hour later but was yet again too late on the scene and the bird had vanished. The flocks of diving duck were also far too distant so I couldn’t salvage the day with a rare duck either.
The in vain searching for the prat has turned up quite astonishing numbers of breeding waders though. I have always known the area is good but this year seems exceptional (although being here earlier than normal may also play a role). 6 pairs of Lapwings have young and along with a flock of 18 non/failed breeders this is perhaps the best site in Nordland county for the species. I have also seen 2 broods of Curlew and angry adults in at least 6 other areas plus loads of alarm calling Redshank. Unfortunately the farmers have just started to cut the hay fields where many of these birds are and after witnessing how a young Curlew just lat flat on the ground in response to its parent alarm calling my presence I fear that many young Curlew and Redshank will meet a nasty end. Ringed Plover, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher and Woodcock also breed in the area, Whimbrel not too far away and a female Ruff was also intriguing although was I suspect a failed breeder from somewhere else.
Moose have also been seen in exceptional numbers and I had 13 one morning with most being males including a group of 6 plus a female with a small calf.
Pied Flycatcher (svarthvit fluesnapper) are nesting in a box at the cabib
Pair of Shelduck (gravand)
Moose
Lapwings (vipe)
Curlew (storspove)
Female Ruff (brushane)
Spotted Redshank (sotsnipe), Greenshank (gluttsnipe) and Redshank (rødstilk)
A fly orchid (flueblom)
Baby Lapwing - this one could fly whereas others were much smaller
