Værøy 2023 Day 1

 So my first full day on Værøy has come to an end and I am a happy man 😊. At 13:28 I heard Yellow-browed Warbler and then at 13:31 I saw one (of eventually 3) so my Værøy trip is already a success and anything else is pure bonus. One of these bonuses turned up before the YbW with a Hawk Owl on a roof top being mobbed by two Hooded Crows - regular readers of this blog will understand that this sighting alone is enough to give me the shakes.

Other than these species the big event has been an unprecedented influx of Rough-legged Buzzards with over 40 being seen yesterday before I arrived. I have had to make do with around 10 birds but given that I have only seen two single birds here before then this was quite something.

Jack Snipe have also been incredibly numerous and I have seen 10 of over 20 recorded on the island.

I eventually took the helicopter out yesterday rather than the ferry because it has been VERY windy and I  figured a short but expensive helicopter trip would beat a free but 3 hour long bumpy boat trip.

The wind has made birding very difficult today but tomorrow it is forecast to be much less wind so we have high hopes.

Yellow-browed Warbler (gulbrynsanger)

Hawkie getting fed up with Hoodie

White-tailed Eagle (havørn) are numerous

Snow Bunting (snøspurv)

Golden Eagle (kongeørn)

Rough-legged Buzzard (fjellvåk) with a rat which is the only rodent on Værøy

Arctic Tern (rødnebbterne)

Garden Warbler (hagesanger). I had 5 species of Warbler with Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap in addition to the two whose photos grace this post

A Dipper (fossekal) my first on Værøy and only the second record here - as rare as White’s Thrush!

Real, wild Barnacle Geese (hvitkinngås) on their way from Svalbard to the UK

All the Rough-legged Buzzard that I looked closely at were 1cy. They must have had a good breeding season and the strong easterly winds have brought them out here