Aarhusbirder: juni 2014

fredag den 13. juni 2014

Iceland 2014

Another year catching ducks in northern Iceland. A small project that started out with Red-throated Divers has evolved a lot during the last five years. This year we are mainly focusing on Long-tailed Ducks and Common Scoters but also taking DNA samples of Aythya ducks and catching Red-necked Phalaropes. Long days in the field though always rewarding.

3/6 Barn Swallow at Sandur. My first swallow in Iceland.

5/6 Red-necked Phalarope. A favourite of mine.

8/6 Snowy Owl and Redwing local subspecies coburni at Hraun.

8/6 Snowy Owl at Hraun. Rare in the lowlands. Tried to catch Greylags.

8/6 Common Snipe at Sandur.

8/6 Gadwalls at Hraun. Quite common this year.

As every year I had half a day off and went birding with Yann Kolbeinsson. After having gone to Melrakkasletta and Myvatn the last two years we wanted to try something new this year. We decided to go to Langanes, a peninsular in the northeastern part of the country. On our way east we saw a Lapwing next to N1 - a bird already found in April.

We checked shorebirds (Sanderlings, Knots and Dunlins) heading for Greenland for more rare species. The first couple of hours didnt reveal anything good but then a light brown bird flew up on Yanns side of the car alongside two Golden Plovers. Quickly id'ed to species but the observation didnt last long as the bird flew west not to be relocated (has subsequently been refound). In nearby Thorshøfn we checked the gardens but didnt find anything else besides the local Redwings. A House Martin flew over the church and was a new icelandic tick for me. Impressive to see this species so far north. From here we checked small gardens along the coast all the way to Melrakkasletta where unfortunately the fog made conditions hard. At Grøtnes on the western side of the peninsular two Long-tailed Skuas where being harassed by the common Arctic Skuas.

The highlight of the evening was not to be the BB Sand. In Oxarfjördur a Blue Whale was spotted from the main road. It was feeding only one km from the coast with a supporting cast of three Humpbacks, a White-beaked Dolphin and a Harbor Porpoise. The Blue Whale was watched and heard for almost an hour before leaving it and going back to Husavik arriving at 0130. The day ended with a nice glass of whisky.

10/6 Northern Common Eider at Langanes.

9/6 Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Langanes. The third spring record for Iceland. Only seen for two minutes.

9/6 Lapwing at Kelduhverfi. A successful breeding record with the first bird found in April.

10/6 Blue Whale at Oxarfjördur. Picture taken from the coast, fantastic.

10/6 Blue Whale at Oxarfjördur. The Blue Whales around Husavik rarely show their tail but this individual was really showy.

10/6 Blue Whale at Oxarfjördur. A really nice experience.

RDN

torsdag den 5. juni 2014

Gjerrild Nordstrand, Øst 22/5

Torsdag den 22. maj var der hul igennem. Vejrudsigten insisterede på, at jeg tog en fridag, og jeg var klar ved Gjerrild Nordstrand, Øst ved solopgang. Desværre var jeg den eneste som havde fået denne fremragende ide, så jeg stod helt alene imens de første Hvepsevåger træk ud i lavt højde. En Skovsanger sang ivrigt tæt ved obspladsen, og lidt Gule Vipstjerter og Skovpibere var i luften. Jeg havde selvfølgelig primært fokus på småfugletrækket og ignorerede fuldstændig havet. Vinden friskede dog hurtigt op til hård vind, så det blev aldrig til det store småfugletræk, men til gengæld træk rovfuglene ud i lav højde. I løbet af formiddagen blev det til 47 udtrækkende Hvepsevåger, Fiskeørn5, Spurvehøg12, Rørhøg2, Tårnfalk2, Lærkefalk og Rød Glente. Desuden var flere fugle trækforsøgende bla. Rød Glente4, Sort Glente og Musvåge15. Et sjældent stort bramgåsetræk kunne også iagttages i løbet af formiddagen og i alt 775 fugle træk mod Anholt.
En Lille Skrigeørn var set dagen før tæt på obspladsen, men den kunne ikke genfindes, som det typisk er tilfældet for ørne på Djursland. Så lidt over 12 vendte jeg næsen hjemad igen udmærket tilfreds med en fin dag ved Gjerrild. Ved hjemkomst fandt jeg dog hurtigt ud af, at jeg var blevet fuldstændig udspillet af Markpiber og Hvidskægget Terne ved Fornæs og Lille Skrigeørn ved Årslev Engsø. Sådan kan det gå :-) Jeg så i det mindste nogle fede rovfugle.