Aurora at Tungenes

Whenever there's a clear night in these parts, it's usually worthwhile to rush out to a spot which suffers least from light pollution to get good views of the elusive aurora, seldom seen this far south. They are visible on clear nights when aurora activity is high.

Tungenes aurora.

A few birdies everyday keeps the birder happy ...

Winter comes and all the ducks gather further south than they normally roam, once in a while you a see a nice mix of ducks in just one place. "Rafts" of ducks can be seen floating about in the fjord in the few days before the water freezes ... happy days indeed!

Mallard

Tufted Duck

Scaup

Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Widgeon

A litte island off Risavika

Seemed like a dream spot to some, a god forsaken isolation to many.

Sele on a sunny stormy day

It's Sunday ...though there's a storm warning out, it looks like there's gonna be small sunny breaks in between just before sunset. Off to Sele we went, a small community along the North Sea route just south of Sola.

The Ha Coast

Everytime we drove along the North Sea route south towards Eigersund, we always stop at this rest stop to gawk at the big waves pounding the coast from the North Sea. In high winds the view is made even more spectacular!

Birdies close to home in Hundvag

Hundvag is an island, surrounding it is a body of water teeming with birds if you'd care to look. Best times are in the early morning, and late afternoon. There are always movements in the water of waterbirds foraging or flying overhead.

Common Merganser, Grey Heron, Red-breasted Merganser, and Common Eider.

Birding by the lake near Brynne

This is a large lake which starts right at the edge of the town of Brynne a few minutes shy of anhour's drive south from Stavanger.  It's a huge lake in the middle of what could be mostly farming area fringed with residentials. The southern part of the lake holds a lush reed bed along the fringe. Here you can find many waterbirds some out in the open water such Common Merganser, Common Coot and Mallards, others more secretive such Water Rail and the like. This site is on the Norway Birding Jaeren route famous for visiting birders to the region.

Common Merganser and Coot on the waters.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

Another 365 days gone ! Happy New Year 2015!