davebroadley
Well-known member
An early breakfast in the baronial officers mess was accompanied by a violent lightning storm and did not bode well for our day's birdwatching, but by the time breakfast was over, the rain had stopped and the clouds were starting to break up.
Brambling and Chaffinch were drinking frdm the puddles as we left for another visit to the lighthouse.
Lista Fyr, the Dungeness of Norway, is one of the top 2 migratory locations in Norway, the other being Utsira( similar to Fair isle).
On reaching the lighthouse, although the sea was still rough, the wind had abated and an obvious passerine migration was in full flow with large flocks of Brambling, Chaffinch and Starlings moving southwards.
Looking seawards, streams of Velvet Scoter passed close inshore along with Gannets, Eider and Common Scoter with just 1 Gt Skua.
We left the lighthouse and started driving down any road that led to the sea, finding little harbours and bays holding flocks of Eider and Velvet Scoter resting close inshore, so we were able to study the ducks at close quarters, especially the Scoters, rather than a line of dots on the horizon.
Situated along the E43, a road, signposted Ohasselstrand led us to Flugleviska (Bird Bay), where again amongst hundred of Velvet Scoters, both Red-Throated and Gt Northen Divers were found along with Slavonian Grebe, Mergansers,Shag and Cormorants. A Peregrine flew low over the bay, hunting through the small islands.
Shorebirds, leafing through the seaweed debris for a meal included Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruff,Sanderling,Knot and Dunlin.A lone Dark-bellied Brent Goose flew in for a few minutes before moving on south.
A few Barn Swallows and Sand Martins kept flying out to sea, only to return as the wind drove them back.
Following a welcome hot lunch in Vanse we continued exploring the coast beforing returning to Lista, where a large skein of migrating geese revealed themselves to be Pink-footed.
Bushes by the toilet block ( wonderful places birders seem to congregate) gave us good views of Brambling, Tree-Sparrow and Yellowhammer.
By this time, the rain sqaulls which we had missed afew times, became heavy and persistant, so we headed back to the hotel to dry off before dinner.
Brambling and Chaffinch were drinking frdm the puddles as we left for another visit to the lighthouse.
Lista Fyr, the Dungeness of Norway, is one of the top 2 migratory locations in Norway, the other being Utsira( similar to Fair isle).
On reaching the lighthouse, although the sea was still rough, the wind had abated and an obvious passerine migration was in full flow with large flocks of Brambling, Chaffinch and Starlings moving southwards.
Looking seawards, streams of Velvet Scoter passed close inshore along with Gannets, Eider and Common Scoter with just 1 Gt Skua.
We left the lighthouse and started driving down any road that led to the sea, finding little harbours and bays holding flocks of Eider and Velvet Scoter resting close inshore, so we were able to study the ducks at close quarters, especially the Scoters, rather than a line of dots on the horizon.
Situated along the E43, a road, signposted Ohasselstrand led us to Flugleviska (Bird Bay), where again amongst hundred of Velvet Scoters, both Red-Throated and Gt Northen Divers were found along with Slavonian Grebe, Mergansers,Shag and Cormorants. A Peregrine flew low over the bay, hunting through the small islands.
Shorebirds, leafing through the seaweed debris for a meal included Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruff,Sanderling,Knot and Dunlin.A lone Dark-bellied Brent Goose flew in for a few minutes before moving on south.
A few Barn Swallows and Sand Martins kept flying out to sea, only to return as the wind drove them back.
Following a welcome hot lunch in Vanse we continued exploring the coast beforing returning to Lista, where a large skein of migrating geese revealed themselves to be Pink-footed.
Bushes by the toilet block ( wonderful places birders seem to congregate) gave us good views of Brambling, Tree-Sparrow and Yellowhammer.
By this time, the rain sqaulls which we had missed afew times, became heavy and persistant, so we headed back to the hotel to dry off before dinner.
