Thinking of Værøy

Today, it is raining – not a lot but it finally feels like autumn and my thoughts go to Værøy and wondering about what exciting birds I will not be seeing…

In Maridalen ahead of the rain yesterday there was a slight change in the bird life with late(ish) records of Common Sandpiper and Whinchat, still a few Tree Pipits (but not the hoped for Red-throated) and an increase in the number of Wheatears. Bird of the day though was a Guillemot. This species is often seen in the autumn following storms but there has been to weather that would push a bird inland so it is a bit of a mystery as to why it was there.

I spent a lot of time sky gazing hoping for raptors but there was disappointingly little to see although an adult male Osprey flying high to the north with a fish and undoubtedly to a nest was a surprise. A surprise because it is late for young to still be in the nest and also a surprise because it looked as though it was coming with the fish from the fjord (wasn’t coming from Maridalsvannet at least) so was flying a very long distance (20km) between feeding ground and nest.

male Osprey (fiskeørn) still taking food to the nest

Common Sandpiper (strandsnipe) flying in front of Greylag Geese (grågås)

this Guillemot (lomvi) was a big surprise

Sparrowhawk (spurvehauk) and Goshawk (hønsehauk) - when the size difference is so obvious it amazes me how individual birds can often be a challenge to identify

Wheatear (steinskvett)

and another with a Tree Sparrow (pilfink)

high key Whooper Swans (sangsvane)