Dunlin at Kviljoodden - Myrsnipe

Kviljoodden is one of the best places to observe shorebirds in Vest-Agder. The list of birds seen contains several rare species. Yesterday I only observed more common species, and among them two Dunlins (myrsniper) in their summer plumage.

Dunlins from Kviljoodden.

Loons - Smålom & Storlom

Loons are right now on the move. Right now Red-throated and Black-throated Loons are the most common species.

Red-throated Loon (Smålom), winter plumage, from Sånumsstranda, Mandal 09 December 2011. The bird was photographed in rain. Note the slender bill.

Black-throated Loon (Storlom), adult and 2K, Nordhasselstranda, Farsund 16 June 2012. The adult bird shoves white at the back, dark throat and a straight bill. 

Raptors

Here are some common and hard to see raptors from Mandal photographed the last years.

                                           White-tailed Eagle (Havørn) seen from my house (Frøysland) 01 November 2010.

                                            Common Kestrel (Tårnfalk), Jåbekk, 14 September 2011

                                              Common Buzzard (Musvåk), Sånum, 14 April 2012

                                             Western Marsh Harrier (Sivhauk), Skjernøya, 20 May 2012

                                                 Black Kite (Svartglente) seen from my house (Frøysland), 01 June 2012

Flycatchers

The Spotted Flycatcher have had a mayor influx during the last few of days, and yesterday I saw it almost everywhere. The Pied Flycatcher started its return to Norway somewhat earlier but have increased in numbers as well the last week.

                                                                     Spotted Flycatcher (Gråfluesnapper) from Jåbekk, Mandal 19 May 2012

                                                                          Pied Flycatcher (svarthvit fluesnapper), Skjernøya 19 May 2012

Shorbirds from Tregde - Vaderfugler på Tregde

The small beaches at Tregde is one of the best places to see shorebirds in Mandal. It is also possible to go offshore to see more shorebirds during the migration. Here are some of the shorebirds seen during my visits to Tregde this year.

From the top to the bottom: Grey Plover (Tundralo), 12 February 2012, Common Ringed Plover (Sandlo), 10 March 2012 and Common Redshank (Rødstilk), 18 May 2012. 

Eurasian Coot & Common Morheen - Sivhøne & Sothøne

                                                          Eurasian Coot (Sothøne) from Mandalselva, January 2012. 

                                                        Common Moorhen (Sivhøne), Kvisla, Mandal, April 2012.

Here in Norway Common Morheen and Eurasian Coot are quite common breeders. However, in Mandal none of them are common. The Eurasian Coot earlier had a small population in Leirvika, but today there are not any known breeding sites in our district. Although we suspect that it nests in one or two lakes. Several individuals are often seen mid October to March at different localities in and around the city. The Common Moorhen nests from time to time in Mandal, but there are not any stable population. It was observed at four localities in April 2012.

Long stayers

                                                     Two Pink-footed Goose (PFG), Saanum, Mandal 28 April 2012

                                                        The same PFG together with Greylag goose, Sånum, Mandal 12 May 2012

                                              Greater White-fronted Goose (GWFG), Ormestad, Mandal, 10 March 2012. This is the subspecies flavirostris.

                                                   The same GWFG hiding in the grass two months later, 06 May 2012.

                                                         A better view of the same bird. It is staying togheter with a couple of Mute Swan.

Here are some long staying geese this spring, and both species are still present in the area. The two Pink-footed Goose were first observed 11 January and the Greater White-fronted Goose of the subspecies flavirostris 15 January 2012.