Monthly report March 2021
General: coverage and weather
Temperature varied from up to 9.4 degC (29th) to a low of 1.1 degC (8th). Most rainfall in one day was 17.7mm (11th). Highest wind speed was 36.1m/s (11th). Total number of species in March ended on a minimum of 67 versus the previous years 58. National Corona measures were enforced a year ago on the 12th march and are still in place.
Raptors:
Few records or numbers; a flyover Red Kite was seen by guests near the Lighthouse on the 27th. Otherwise only a few records of Sparrowhawk, local Peregrine Falcons and daily one to four White-tailed Eagle.
Shorebirds:
The Mute Swan from February was present in the north until the 15th. Greylag Geese have dominated the month with up to 105 birds on the 31st. A single Teal was noted on the same day. Two to four Mallard were noted between the 13th and 30th. The female Goldeneye in Måkskittmyr from February was present until the 13th. A Water Rail was seen in the dam in Merkeskogen on the 30th.
Golden Plovers were reported with singles in the period 14th to 29th and Lapwing with one to two birds between the 11th and 29th. A Ringed Plover was on Rabben on the 13th and three Dunlin was on Beiningen on the 30th. Woodcocks were only noted with one bird on the 11th and two on the 28th. Lesser Black-backed Gulls were noted from the 27th with a maximum of 30 on the 30th.
Passerines:
One to two Grey Wagtail were present at a few locations from the 27th through to the end of the month.
Black Redstarts were noted with a male and a female on the last of the year. Stonechats were still present with up to four to five birds between the 1st and 15th. Two females were noted between the 27th and 30th and four females on the 31st.
Mistle Thrushes were less prominent with singles on the 1st and 13th and four bords on the 14th.
Blackcap were only noted with one bird in Herberg on the 29th while Chiffchaff were also few and far between with one bird on the 27th and then one to three birds at the end of the month. A Coal Tit was in Merkeskogen on the 11th and Hawfinch were noted at a few sites on the 31st. A Yellowhammer was at Nordvik on the 13th and one to two Reed Buntings were noted from the 27th to 31st.
Ringing:
A total of 13 birds were during the month comprising of two species in the two days of ringing during the month in Merkeskogen. The best day was the 11th when 10 birds were ringed, nine Blackbird and one Coal Tit. This is slightly better than March last year when there was no ringing during the month.
Year ticks:
There were 18 new birds for the year during March: Poor recording in artsobservasjoner.no means the list is not complete for arrival dates for some species: Carrion Crow (8th), Black-headed Gull (10th), Ringed Plover and Yellowhammer (13th), Golden Plover and Fulmar (14th), Chiffchaff, Dunnock, and Lesser Black-backed Gull (27th), Linnet (28th), Reed Bunting and Blackcap (29th), Water rail and Dunlin (30th) and Hawfinch, Black Redstart, Siskin and Teal on the last day of the month.
Rarities/local scarcities:
Red Kite. Fifth record, last in April 2020
Still good numbers of Stonechat in March. Photo: Håkon Heggland.
