Iceland - Autumn 2012 (4)

After the disappointment on Heimay we ventured further east. Now accompanied by Edward Ricksen (ER) who had a single day of vacation to kill. We were hoping that the low pressure had brought some birds up from mainland Europe. The lowlands of the south are extremely nice. 

1/10 The lowland near Jökulsárlón in the south is very picturesque.

1/10 Nice scenery near Jökulsárlón

We checked most gardens all the way from Hof (only place with House Sparrows in Iceland) to Sudursveit. Not many birds but at least there were some. Willow Warbler and a probable Lesser White-throat in the first garden and things were starting to look better. At Snappavellir Edward and I found a Blackcap and a Sisken in the upper parts while Yann found a Common Whitethroat (39th record for Iceland) in the lower parts. I managed to fall into a small stream while trying to document the bird (which I did not).   

1/10 A typical garden. The locals are very nice people often letting you walk where ever you want making it a lot easier finding the few birds. Nothing like Denmark!

Sudursveit was gonna be our last garden of the day before we would start heading back towards Reykjavik. It all started very promising when Yann found an Acro before actually getting out of the car. With one of Edwards most likely new species being Marsh Warbler the hunt was on. The bird was calling actively but unfortunately it was foraging within a very impenetrable hedge. We only managed partial views as the bird changed positions quickly and it was a complete nightmare getting any usable shots. During this process I realized that I probably haven't seen that many Acro's in the field in late autumn - often just a quick check of the length of the primary projection.

1/10 YK and ER at Sudursveit. YK was a bit sad that ER had just pulled another species on him (Check further down!).

1/10 Willow Warbler at Sudursveit offering good views and quite easy to photograph.....

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. The first "good" views of the bird. Note short/big bill and round head. 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. Light claws/feet.

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. Light claws (zoomed partial of the above image). 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. Very long primary projection. 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. For 10 seconds the bird was in the top of a bush offering quite good views. 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. Previous records of Marsh Warbler 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. It is possible to see the emargination on P3 on this image. The color of the rump does not seem to differ from the color of the bag/tail. 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. Clearer view of the emargination on P3 but difficult to see because of the angle. 

1/10" Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit. Emargination 

1/10 "Marsh Warbler" at Sudursveit (Zoom of the above image). 

Any comments on the identification on the Acro would be most welcome!

RDN

Brun Tornskade fra start til slut

Klokken 12.10 bliver jeg ringet op af KO, som kan berette om en mulig Brun Tornskade (Lanius Cristatus) i Årslev Engsø fundet af Finn og Lone. 30 sekunder senere er jeg på vej til engsøen for at sikre dokumentationen, da de endnu kun har fået dårlige billeder af fuglen. Efter ankomsten ses fuglen kun sporadisk den første time, men alligevel lykkes det at få lidt brugbare billeder. Mit umiddelbare førstehåndsindtryk af fuglen var 1K Brun Tornskade, og det var også den udbredte holdning på stedet. De første billeder jeg sender via min mobil er de to første billeder herunder. Tilbagemeldingerne til disse billeder er også positive for Brun Tornskade, men der bliver efterspurgt flere billeder. Jeg får herefter fat i et overbelyst uskarpt billede fra Finn, som viser ryggen og halen. Her lignede fuglen virkelig en Turkestan (ssp. phoenicuroides), og det samme synes tilbagemeldingerne at mene. På dette tidspunkt går der også rygter om, at hvide felter er set i vingen. Efter lidt tid begynder fuglen, at være lidt mere samarbejdsvillig og flere kendetegn bliver set bedre, og det kan nu konstateres, at fuglen intet hvidt har i vingen og ombestemmes herefter til Brun Tornskade. Eftersom at RoC er den eneste med Brun Tornskade på sin DK-liste, så han sgu lidt trist ud. En ulykkelig og ca. 100 glade mennesker så fuglen. DK's andet fund af Brun Tornskade og det første siden 1988 (15.oktober).

Brun Tornskade (Lanius Cristatus) 1K. Her ses kontrasten mellem ryg og nakke samt halefarve.
Foto: SSL

Brun Tornskade (Lanius Cristatus) 1K. Intet hvidt kan ses i vingen samt meget mørk maske.
Foto: SSL

Brun Tornskade (Lanius Cristatus) 1K
Foto: SSL

Brun Tornskade (Lanius Cristatus) 1K
Foto: SSL

Over 100 nåede at se fuglen på denne fine novemberdag.

Flere rækker af mennesker.

PGW på Rømø

Club300.dk havde sat hinanden stævne på Mandø den sidste weekend i september, hvilket var den primære grund til, at vi satsede på Rømø i samme periode. Turen startede med et afbud fra RSN pga. en meget syg moster, hvilket gav lidt logistiske udfordringer, men KO fik lånt en bil, og vi kørte afsted fredag aften. Lørdag morgen var vi på plads ved Landsende, og vejret var perfekt til kratlusk. Desværre var der ikke mange fugle i krattene, og efter et par timer var resultatet følgende: Gransanger 30, Munk 8, Tornsanger og Rødstjert 2. Vi kørte herefter til krattene ved nedkørslen til Sønderstrand, og det blev straks bedre, da en tavs Hvidbrynet hurtigt blev fundet i pilekrattet syd for vejen. Samme sted sås desuden turens eneste Havesanger. Vi foresatte til det lille jagtområde nord for vejen, som fremviste en fotogen Hvidbrynet samt en Grå Flue, Rødstjert og en Enkeltbekkasin i majsmarken.

       

Grå Flue fra Rømø.

Turens første Hvidbrynede fundet af SSL. 

Turens anden Hvidbrynede fundet af KO

Fotogent Bryn.

Resten af dagen blev vejret betydeligt dårligere, hvilket begrænsede vores muligheder betragteligt. Vi besluttede os derfor at tjekke vadefugle på stranden og hjejler på nordøen. Det blev aldrig den store succes, og den eneste interessante fugl var en yarrellii på standen. På vej mod fastlandet kørte vi forbi seks Sølvhejrer, som vi fik lidt billeder af i det sidste lys.

yarrellii på stranden.

Seks Sølvhejrer. Rømødæmningen er efterhånden det bedste sted i landet til større forekomster af Sølvhejrer. 

Søndagen startede igen ved Landsende på Rømø, hvilket producerede en Hvidbrynet fundet af KBF. En hård vind fra vest gjorde det svært, og vi besluttede hurtigt at tjekke marker på fastlandet. Vi brugte resten af dagen på at lede efter sjældne Hjejler, Prærieløbere og Topskarver, men indsatsen blev ikke belønnet. Dagen var dog ikke helt spildt, da en ung Sabinemåge gav en fin opvisning ved Vester Vedsted. 

     

Sabinemåge 1K.

En 1K Sabinemåge rastede på en mark ved Vester Vedsted. 

Doi Inthanon (2) 2011

Det er svært at få nok af Doi Inthanon Nationalpark, og dag to blev især brugt på den nederste del af bjerget. Nedenunder kan ses en kavalkade af de mest interessante arter fra dagen. Glæden var især stor, da de første Broadbills kom i bogen.

Mr. Deang blev besøgt endnu engang.

Dark-sided Thrush. En spændende art som godt kan være svær at se. Vi så både arten på toppen og ved Mr. Deang.
Foto: RDN

Grey-cheecked Fulvetta. Alm. art mod nord.
Foto: RDN

Brown-throated Treecreeper. Eneste sted vi så arten.
Foto: RDN

Silver-breasted Broadbill. En flok på femten sås og vi fulgte efter dem et stykke tid. Stor oplevelse!
Foto: RDN

Lidt udsigt.

Vores hytte under vores ophold ved Doi Inthanon. 

Yellow-bellied Fantail.
Foto: RDN

Slaty-bellied Tesia. En lækker lille sag som stod højt på ønskelisten. Den er nem på lokaliteten, men helvedes svær at få billeder af.
Foto: RDN

Wedge-tailed Pigeon. Vi havde ikke meget held med farvelade-duerne, men denne var nu meget fin.
Foto: RDN

Black-throated Parrotbill. Vores tredje art af denne eftertragtede familie.
Foto: RDN

Chinese Leaf Warbler. Man skal holde tungen lige i munden med de små vingebånds-sangere i Thailand. Vi brugte lidt tid på at få denne i bogen.
Foto: RDN

Silver-breasted Broadbill.
Foto: RDN

Grey-backed Shrike. Vi så denne art på flere lokaliteter i den nordlige Thailand.
Foto: SSL

Hill-blue Flycatcher fra Mr. Deang
Foto: SSL

Large Niltava. Sås på flere lokaliteter i det nordlige Thailand
Foto: SSL

Large Woodshrike. En lille flok fulgte de femten Silver-breasted Broadbills.
Foto: SSL

Black-headed Woodpecker. Det må være én af de pæneste spætter i verden. Doi Inthanon er et "hot spot" for arten.
Foto: RDN

Grey-capped Woodpecker.
Foto: RDN

Collared Flaconet.
Foto: SSL

Maroon Oriole. Sås hist og her i det nordlige Thailand
Foto: SSL

Black-headed Woodpecker habitat.

Iceland - Autumn 2012 (3)

Heimay is the single best site for american passerines in Iceland so when a low pressure system passed just south of the islands we off course had to try it out. We were kindly invited to stay at Ingvar Atli Sigurdssons house in the central part of town.

We started checking the Golf Course and the beaches close to the Lighthouse. Some Meadow Pipits and Wheatears were the only passerines found. Shags, Gannets and Eiders were seen all along the coast. Back in town we tried our luck with the gardens but unfortunately it soon became clear that the island was almost empty. Single Meadow Pipits in the bottom of bushes and one garden with 4 Wrens was as exciting as it got. One flock of 20 overflying Meadow Pipits could have held something good but we could not relocate the flock on ground.

30/9 Heimay. Not sure I would name my house this.... 

30/9 Heimay. We checked most gardens in town two times during the day. Unfortunately we only saw a single Redpoll, four Wrens and some Meadow Pipits. Not quite what we had hoped for.

30/9 The entrance to the harbor on Heimay is really extraordinary. The cliffs on the right were formed during the eruption of the volcano Eldfell in 1973.  

The sewage outlet is located just north of the Harbor. It attracts loads of gulls and fulmars and one can just sit on the rocks and enjoy the spectacle - the only thing is the really bad smell.

30/9 Iceland Gull, Heimay. The sewage outlet in the northern part of Heimay attracts loads of Gulls and Fulmars. Several hybrid Gulls, Glaucous Gulls and Iceland Gulls were seen. 

30/9 Fulmars near the sewage outlet on Heimay. Dark -and double dark birds are seen in good numbers here outside the breeding season with the site probably being the best in Iceland for these "forms". We saw one single dark bird.

So we did not have much luck on Heimay but as with other islands its often either/or. Would surely be fun to experience a day with birds on this beautiful island. We left the island on the late ferry enjoying a Short-eared Owl foraging over the mainland as we approached the harbor.

RDN

Iceland - Autumn 2012 (2)

Starting the morning looking for pipits and waders near Gardur again. Same species as yesterday but other numbers. We managed to find some plover flocks but the hoped for American did not reveal it self. Yann saw a single Minke Whale. 

After midday we moved further east checking plantations on the way. Yann told what seemed like endless stories about previous rarities he had seen in what felt like every single bush along the way. At Hildarvatn an eclipse male Ring-necked Duck was found with a supporting cast of Common Goldeneye, Horned Grebe, Great Northern Diver 3 and Common Scoter 2 (rare in the southwest).

Just before sunset we took the ferry to Heimay in the Westmanna Isles. We ended the evening with a beer downtown.

29/9 Torbjörn. Many american passerines have been found in this small plantation just east of Kevflavik. If you ever visit Iceland and you want to try it out then drop your family of in the nearby Blue Lagoon. We did not see a lot but two Gyr Falcons got so close we could hear their wing beats. 

29/9 YK trying to find wintering Harlequins east of Grindavik.

29/9 Great Northern Diver, Hildarvatn. A Ring-necked Duck, Goldeneye and two Horned Grebes were also seen on the lake. The lake is a regular wintering site for good numbers of Scaups.  

RDN