General: coverage and weather
A warm and dry month. Highest temperature was 23.2 degC (23rd), and lowest was 6.8 degC (10th). Total rainfall was only 30.8mm. Most rainfall in one day was 10.7mm (24th). Highest wind speed was 10.1 m/s and stingiest gust was 14.5 m/s (19th). Total number of species ended on 158. There were quite a few birders on the island for long periods of the month with good coverage in Merkeskogen, gardens and on the sea.
Raptors:
Eight different raptor species during the month. Unsure of the number of Osprey that were seen during the month. A single was seen on the 16th and a bird with prey on the 18th were followed by birds on the 21st and 25th. Sparrowhawk were scarce with singles between the 1st and 19th. Female Marsh Harrier were noted on the 2nd, 10th and 17th. Kestrel were noted with one to two birds daily until the 22nd. A Merlin was seen between the 11th and 13th mainly in the Merkeskogen area, with another seen on the 16th. An adult Hobby passed over Herberg on the 3rd with another over Merkeskogen on the 15th.

Shorebirds:
Brent Geese were on passage between the 19th and 25th with a maximum of 440 on the 21st. 21 Barnacle Geese were noted on the 9th and four Pinkfeet at various locations between the 16th and 28th. Three Mute Swan passed through on the 13th and the pair of shelduck were present throughout the month. A pair of Wigeon were in the north on the 8th and 9th. Three Mallard and proven breeding at Sjoraskogen on the 23rd. A pair of Teal remained until the 16th and a male Pintail passed on the 25th.

Four Tufted Duck passed on the 10th with another three on the 24th. A male Velvet Scoter passed north on the 5th with others on passage until the 25th. Four Goosander passed east on the 12th. A pair of Red-breasted Merganser were present between the 9th and 13th with others seen and four on the 25th.
An early Quail sang on Pedlestemmen on the 8th and another trapped on the 15th, and a maximum of three on the 30th.
A Grey Plover passed NE on the 18th, with a maximum of 21 Golden Plover on the 3rd. Ringed Plover were noted with on to two throughout the month. A pair of Lapwing were present throughout. There were a maximum of 20 Whimbrel on the 3rd with one to two Curlew during the month. A Bar-tailed Godwit was with Whimbrel on the 15th while a Black-tailed Godwit was at Klovning between the 23rd and 25th. A Great Snipe was around the tourist cabin between the 5th and 7th and probably the same seen on the 21st.

Green Sandpiper were noted between the 4th and 25th and Wood Sandpiper with a single on the 9th, single on the 15th to 17th, another on the 17th and another on the 25th. Two Greenshank were noted on the 3rd and other singles until the 18th. Two Turnstone were on Klovningsneset on the 12th, another on the 18th and two on Spannholmane on the 21st. A Dunlin was noted there on the 21st.

Few terns noted. Arctic noted between the 13th and 21st and single Common Tern on the 4th and 9th and two on passage on the 18th. Kittewake were also few and far between. One to four Arctic Skua were on passage between the 4th and 25th while a Pomarine skua passed north on the 10th and a Great Skua on the 20th. There were a maximum of 20 Puffin on Spannholmane on the 21st with, 15 Razorbill and 50 Guillemot there the same day.

Red-throated Diver were noted with 10 to 25 birds on various days and a maximum 0f 150 on the 10th. An adult Black Throated Diver passed on the 25th with single Great Northern Divers on the 11th and 31st and two on the 19th and 24th. Single White-billed Divers were noted on the 4th and 13th, two on the 11th and 24th and five on the 10th.

Passerines:
A male Nightjar was trapped in Merkeskogen on the 13th. Swift arrived on the 6th while there was a maximum of 35 on the 21st. Cuckoo were noted from the 2nd.

A Stock Dove flew over on the 3rd while a Turtle Dove was at Hålandsjordet on the 28th. Collared Dove were daily with a maximum of eight.

A Bee-eater was over Merkeskogen on the 15th with six Wrynecks on the 3rd, and one to three almost daily until the 21st. A young Golden Oriole was ringed on the 13th with another female in Merkeskogen on the 17th, another singing in Varen on the 24th, and another in Merksekogen on the 26th.
Truls found a Woodchat Shrike by Merkeskogen on the 18th and was trapped and ringed on the 18th.

A Waxwing was in Nordvik on the 5th and 6th.

A Bonneli’sWarbler was trapped in Merkeskogen on the 7th with DNA being taken to confirm the species. A Blyth’s Reed Warbler was also trapped there on the 28th. Reed Warbler were reported daily between the 13th and 26th with a maximum of seven on the 16th. Marsh Warbler were well represented with 13 on the 16th and one to five daily on the 30th, while 28 were ringed. Icterine Warbler were first reported on the 3rd, with 84 on the 21st and 33 ringed on the 22nd, and a total of 105 ringed during the month. The 2nd spring record of Barred Warbler cam from Sjordalen on the 21st. A Subalpine Warbler was seen briefly in Hovland on the 22nd.

Fieldfare flocks were evident early in the month with a maximum of 150 on the 1st. Ring Ouzel were noted with up to five on the 5th.
A Thrush Nightingale was singing in Merkeskogen on the 15th and trapped on the 21st while a Nightingale was trapped on the 27th.


Bluethroats were reported on the 3rd, two on the 5h and singles on the 12th, 16th, 18th, 22nd and 30th. Black Redstarts were present between the 1st and 27th with three to four on the 16th and 17th.

Blue-headed Wagtail were present in good numbers with several subspecies noted, and a maximum of 331 on the 24th. Yellow wagtail were noted on the 6nd and 22nd, a ‘supercillaris’ on at Pedlestemmen on the 23rd and 24th and a hybrid on the 13th at Koltemyr.

Rosefinch were noted between the 17th ad 30th with a maximum of nine on the 27th. A Two-barred Crossbill was over Sjoarskogen on the 18th with two others over Merkeskogen on the 23rd.

A male Snow Bunting was at Skjeldmarkje on the 11th, and a Ortolan bunting was along the road at Austrheim on the 2st.

Ringing:
25 days of ringing with 1430 birds ringed of 48 species. Most notable records were Quail, Nightjar, Nightingale, Thrush Nightingale, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Bonneli’s Warbler, Golden Oriole, Woodchat Shrike and six Rosefinches.