7th journey to the Barents Sea, June 29th- July 27th, 2007
Report on a birding trip
Illustrations on
http://lutzluecker.spaces.live.com
and
http://www.dailymotion.com/lutz6lucker
Lutz Lücker 5, Fort-L'Ecluse – CH-1213 Pt.-Lancy/Geneva / Switzerland
Introduction (same as in 2002-2006):
Travel :
By car from Geneva. Petrol less expensive in Finland, most expensive in Norway.
Crossed Baltic Sea at Fehmarn (Puttgarden/Rödby) and Helsingör.
Beware! In late July, waiting queues in Rödby can be long; better use the bridge near Odense.
There are lots of automated petrol stations in Fennoscandia but they do not all accept foreign credit cards. Better have a few small banknotes ready, especially in Finland...!
Maps :
Used mainly the Norwegian Cappelens 1 :400.000 Troms og Finnmark map (main reference for this report). For local use the 1 :250.000 Statens vegvesen VERGKAART, blad 21 (Varanger) is very good. There are better maps for hikers (1 :50.000), but very small and expensive. An excellent bargain is the Statoil Scandinavia atlas NORDEN for 200 skr: the whole of Scandinavia on a 1:300.000 scale! But it does have some imperfections: a yellow road may turn out to have thousands of potholes, a red one may not be tarmaced.
Daily route, weather and highlights
Weather in the High Arctic was mostly cool (cold, down to 5 degrees C at 350 m asl), and quite windy this year. But little rain, mostly drizzle.And seven marvellous, sunny days, too. Spring had been late, lots of huge snowdrifts, especially on the NE slopes, like in 2000 and 2003. Nice for landscape photographs.
Again virtually no Lemmings on the tundra, but in early June, lots of them had been seen by S.Harrap in the Gednje area. Quite a few other rodents by the sea; so Rough-legged Buzzards (Buse pattue) (Raufußbussard) were not scarce there.
Mosquitoes scarce this year, only on the very few calm, warm days on the tundra. Few species were rare or seemed absent like Pied Flycatcher (Gobemouche noir) (Trauerschnäpper) or Willow Grouse (Lagopède des saules) (Moorschneehuhn). But I spent little time in forest areas.
I had no special target species since I had already seen anything one could expect on previous journeys and had no illusions about difficult small birds like Terek Sandpiper (Chevalier bargette) (Terekwasserläufer), Little Bunting (Bruant nain) (Zwergammer), Rustic Bunting (Bruant rustique) (Waldammer), Greenish Warbler (Pouillot verdâtre) (Grünlaubsänger) or Great Snipe (Bécassine double) (Doppelschnepfe). So I decided to consider anything new like the adult Iceland Gull (Goéland à ailes blanches) (Polarmöwe), as a bonus.
Sorry, but some of my friends will have to learn a few English names of more or less "common" Arctic Fjell species so I have set up a
Glossary:
RTD: Red-throated Diver (Plongeon catmarin) (Sterntaucher)
RLB: Rough-legged Buzzard (Buse pattue) (Raufußbussard)
LTD: Long-tailed Duck (Harelde boréale) (Eisente).
LTS: Long-tailed Skua (Labbe à longue queue) (Falkenraubmöwe)
AS: Arctic Skua (Labbe parasite) (Schmarotzerraubmöwe)
TS: Temminck's Stint (Bécasseau de Temminck) (Temminckstrandläufer)
PSP: Purple Sandpiper (Bécasseau violet) (Meerstrandläufer)
RTP: Red-throated Pipit (Pipit à gorge rousse) (Rotkehlpieper)
The highlights:
Thur 28th June
Enter Sweden at Helsingborg. First of a long series of dead badgers on the road. Near Mjölby I save a stunned Tawny Owl (Chouette hulotte) (Waldkauz) sitting on the emergency lane of the motorway.
Fri 29th
Arrival in Hudiksvall. 24 Lesser White-fronted Geese (Oie naine) (Zwerggans) on the lake, as usual in late June. They have not started moulting yet. I manage to get a few good pictures at less than 15 yards. Incredible how tame these wild birds are when together with feral Greylag Geese (Oie cendrée) (Graugans)! Night at my friend Bo Fagerström's who tells me that Blyth's Reed Warblers (Rousserolle des buissons) (Buschrohrsänger) have started singing in the area.- First singing Redwing (Grive mauvis) (Rotdrossel) near Hoga Küsten panoramic car park.
N Umea, 1 mile S Valsfäboda 60 very shy Cranes (Grue cendrée) (Kranich) are standing in the fields. 2 Whooper Swans (Cygne chanteur) (Singschwan) near Robertsfors. Night in Boden at my friend Ove Stefansson's. Nice weather.
Sat. 30th
A few Little Gulls (Mouette pygmée) (Zwergmöwe) near Jämtöfjärden. 1 female Blackcock at the Kemimaa junction. 1 female Smew (Harle piette) (Zwergsäger) 30 kms S Rovaniemi. First Reindeer near Korvala. Now I am back to Lapland!
Short break 17 kms S Sodankylä. I hear a few Waxwings (Jaseur boréal) (Seidenschwanz) and a Hazel Grouse (Gélinotte des bois) (Haselhuhn). I try calling it with my whistle, whereupon the bird approaches as close as 5 yards, invisible in the Willow bushes. After 20 minutes of "talking" to him, he eventually crosses the forest road in flight but obviously realizes he's been fooled. - Another male Blackcock near the Nature Reserve on the Moskuvaara road but no Little Bunting (Bruant nain) (Zwergammer) there. Cool, windy and pouring rain in Inari.
First Rough-legged Buzzard (Buse pattue) (Raufußbussard) ( from now on RLB...) near Liarvakärijärvet and first Merlin (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin)(Faucon émerillon) 10 kms NE Utsjoki. No Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) in the Tana valley but 3 juv. Hawk Owls (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) sit on the wires above the road 20,3 km N Tana Bru, begging for food and watching the cars underneath. Cute! It has stopped raining and I make a few videos. 3 RLB at kms 29 and 30, one of which attacks me. The eyrie cannot be far but it is late and I want to be in Batsfjord before midnight. 3 Long-tailed duck (Harelde boréale) (Eisente) (LTD...) on a roadside lake at Kongsfjordfjellet pass. Night in Batsfjord with central heating and hot water. Thank you, Runar and Benny!
Sun 1st July
I get my things to my cabin in the Gednje area where I want to continue my studies on Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). Beautiful weather on the Fjell! A pair of Shore larks (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche) are sitting by the door. Then I meet my friend Bärbel Kraatz who arrived with her camping car in the area a few days earlier. We look for Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) in her study area and find 2 females with a male on top of a huge pleateau. But no signs of breeding intentions. A still white cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) at the summit (except for a grey head), Red-throated Divers (Plongeon catmarin) (Sterntaucher) (RTD) on a lake, LTS and Arctic Skuas (Labbe parasite) (Schmarotzerraubmöwe) (AS).
Mon 2nd
1 RLB in my study area, 2 female Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) but no presence on the 2-acre surface where I had 5 nests of at least 2 different males from 2000 to 2006. Bad surprise! Splendid weather but VERY few birds around. Just a few Ringed Plovers (Grand Gravelot) (Sandregenpfeifer) and Temminck's Stints (Bécasseau de Temminck) (Temminckstrandläufer) (TS), Shore larks (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche), Lapland Buntings (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer) and Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer). 4 LTS in Bärbel's area, 2 Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) (but still no nest...) and nice surprise: one of the elusive Purple Sandpipers (Bécasseau violet) (Meerstrandläufer) (PSP) on the pleateau!- No Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) around their 2006 eyrie near the Berlevag road, which seems to have been used by some Raven (Grand Corbeau) (Kolkrabe).
Tue 3rd
Weather still sublime (which means that some mosquitoes are quite active...). 2 cock Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) feed on breadcrumbs in front of my cabin window.
A cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) and a female Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) in my study area, 2 Black-throated Divers (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) on the Lake at km 4 of the Batsfjord road with 2 LTS. In Bärbel's area we spot the PSP and another Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). Still no nest...
A pair of Dunlin (Bécasseau variable) (Alpenstrandläufer) at the Genje junction with a several-day-old chick.
Wed 4th
What a terriffic blue sky with picturesque white clouds! Around Bärbel's car we see 3 AS, 1 LTS on the plateau, in the valley of a creek a pair of alarming Turnstones (Tournepierre à collier) (Steinwälzer) ... and ANOTHER lone fem. Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). But DO they reproduce this year?
A French birder had seen a flock of 24 non-breeding Golden Plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer). Is there food shortage for these birds this year? The Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer)'s behaviour however is suspicious. We look around the spot for nearly one hour until I stumble upon the breeding male. But there is only one egg in the nest, apparently a late replacement clutch, only 235 m from Bärbel's car! We immediately leave and watch the birds from behind the car. They are back after a few minutes. But the AS are after them; they seem to know that there is a nest somewhere. A bad omen.
Thu 5th
Shopping and shower in Batsfjord, checking E-mails at Frywillighetscentren (50 nkr / 30 mins.)
I find a TS's nest in my study area. There was only one tussock of grass where the bird flew away and sure enough, 4 eggs inside!-
My friends Klaus, Daniel, Markus and Georg are waiting in the Tana Valley where they also saw a Hawk Owl (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) at km 20,3. Still the 3 RLB around km 29/30 with breeding Kestrel (Faucon crécerelle) (Turmfalke) (!), a rarity,as well as a VERY rare Redstart (Rougequeue à front blanc) (Gartenrotschwanz).
As we are coming out of the Austertana Birch woods, we find a family of Merlins (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin)(Faucon émerillon) by the roadside. Splendid sunshine and a few LTS until we plunge into thick coastal fog in Gednje; this obstinate fog will only vanish next Wednesday! 1 RLB on the way to my cabin where I hear a calling Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn).
Fri 6th
We go down to Batsfjord since there is no fog below 80m asl. We are lucky and find a breeding Red-throated Pipit (Pipit à gorge rousse) (Rotkehlpieper) (RTP) in the Harbour, LTD and Common Scoter (Macreuse noire) (Trauerente). Nice surprise: a juv. Glaucous Gull (Goéland bourgmestre) (Eismöwe), just a few yards from a harbour office. I just manage to make a video before it flies away.- We drive to Bärbel's place. Alas, the Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) have not laid a second egg and have left the nest. But we manage to find (in spite of the fog and drizzle) the cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn), 4 LTS, FOUR female Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) and stumble upon... a breeding PSP! We leave the spot immeadiately as the weather is cold and windy.
Sat 7th
5 degrees in the morning, 8° in the cabin, luckily there is a fireplace, enough wood and I have brought along a saw!
On the plateau Bärbel and I just check on the PSP and find the nest we did not see yesterday because the bird had fooled us.
My German friends -alas- have to head for Vadsö because of trouble with car keys. Reading and a lot of Bach and Rachmaninov in the cabin...
Sun 8th
I take the road to Syltefjord until I arrive at the first large lake. 12 LTD, 3 LTS and a Merlin (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin (Faucon émerillon)). 4 Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalarope à bec étroit) (Odinshühnchen) at the Genje junction, and a pair of local Golden plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer) near Bärbel's car.
In Batsfjord a bad surprise: the facilities where I can have a wash with warm water and sleep on a cold night if necessary have been ransacked by vandals who smashed a marble table and a few neon tubes. Bärbel helps me to clean up the mess. In Norway many people leave their doors unlocked and this can happen
since I did not have a key....Short visit at the police station.-
Bärbel's PSP is still breeding. Some sunshine after 17 hrs., 5 degrees in the morning, windy,....Books, Mozart, Chopin.....
Mon 9th
Long journey to cloudy Berlevag. 1 (rare) fem. Pintail (Canard pilet) (Spießente) a mile after Gednje junction +RTP, a RLB 10 kms before Berlevag. Lots of Gulls bathing in the stream near the village. By chance I spot a spotless adult ICELAND GULL (Goéland à ailes blanches) (Polarmöwe) flying over them. It disappears 500 yds. down the road. I dart after it and find it in the middle of a large flock of roosting gulls. I manage to approach it to make a few videos. Smaller and much lighter than Herring gulls (Goéland argenté) (Silbermöwe), slenderer beak. Great bird! One Rock Pipit (Pipit maritime) (Strandpieper) at the lighthouse but no uncommon seabirds, just 5 Black Guillemot (Guillemot à miroir) (Gryllteiste). An imm. White-tailed Eagle (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler), a LTS and a RLB at km 15.
On my way back to Kongsfjord, weather improves and I spot an adult Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) carrying prey across the road and perching somewhere in the cliffs. I leave the car and manage to find the bird which flies (without its prey) across the sea and vanishes behind another cliff. But I also notice a juvenile bird sitting on a small crest, flying around it after some time. I drive to the other side where I see two juveniles, and after some time, another adult. But the evening sun shines right into my eyes and I do no want to disturb the birds so I leave.
Back at Bärbel's we find that 3 PSP chicks have hatched. If I had not marked the nest we would never have found them. I just make a few pictures and we leave the spot, never to see them again. Evening with Beethoven, Liszt and Co. At midnight, my friend Achim from Germany arrives.
Tue 10th
Cold, wet and windy. Not a good start for Achim. But we do manage to find the Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) again. 2, perhaps 3 juveniles, at least one adult. Again the Pintail (Canard pilet) (Spießente), RLB and RTPs near Gednje. No Iceland Gull (Goéland à ailes blanches) (Polarmöwe) in Berlevag but three Swallows (Hirondelle rustique) (Rauchschwalbe)! AND probably the northernmost colony of Common Terns (Sterne pierregarin) (Flussseeschwalbe) in Kongsfjord harbour!
Wed 11th
A GLORIOUS morning. Blue sky, warm, no wind but VERY few mosquitoes. 2 Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) in front of the cabin.
We explore my study area. The Temminck's stints (Bécasseau de Temminck) (Temminckstrandläufer) have not hatched but there are several pairs now. I tell Achim to carefully look behind every big rock for Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn); 30 seconds later I find a female sitting in the shadow of a large stone! Next surprise: a MALE Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) where I had seen a female on the 3rd. Hesitating behaviour, so we walk backwards, wait for 10 minutes, and sure enough, he's back on his 3-egg-clutch! Bärbel will be delighted! It is 2 weeks she has been looking forward to this opprtunity. But before we take her to "my" area, we have a short walk around hers and meet ANOTHER male dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer)! Very suspicious and hesitating, visibly very nervous because of the alerting Golden Plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer) which seem to drive him mad with their incessant alarm calls. We have to retreat, take turns in observing the bird until nearly 3 hrs later he is ALSO down on a 3-egg-clutch, just 5 minutes' walk from Bärbel's car! We drive to my cabin to celebrate the day with a midnight sun dinner outside during which 2 RTD fly over us several times, we see LTD on the lake and hear warning Turnstones (Tournepierre à collier) (Steinwälzer). The best and most satisfactory day of my stay.
Thu 12th
Cold, foggy and rainy. We take Bärbel on the Berlevag road to check on the Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) which are still there, 2 juv. + 1 ad.
Then off we go towards Varanger Fjord. A roadside hovering LTS is a great experience for Achim. Still the 3 RLB at km 29/30 in the Tana Valley. AND a juv. Hawk Owl (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) at midday on the wire above the road at km 20,3! Very confiding!
A stopover at Nesseby church only yields a few Bar-tailed Godwits (Barge rousse) (Pfuhlschnepfe) and Shelduck (Tadorne de Belon) (Brandgans) with chicks.
1 Steller's Eider (Eider de Steller) (Scheckente) on the shores of Vadsöya, RTP in the reserve with 80+ Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalarope à bec étroit) (Odinshühnchen) on the pond.
2 White-tailed eagles (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler) between Vadsö and Ekkeröy. AND we find ANOTHER Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) eyrie between Ekkeroy and Skallelv. One juv. and 1 adult which does not seem to mind our presence. In the well-known White-tailed eagle (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler) nest further on there are 2 big chicks, the adults perching not far away. That's 6 Eagles in 1 hour!
We arrive at Vardö Hotel (still rather reasonably priced and good food...); after dinner we spot a GREAT SKUA (Grand Labbe) (Skua) flying around Hornöya bird island. Good bird for Varanger!
Fri 13th
Cool and cloudy in the morning. The boatman's forecast on the vessel that takes us to Hornöya: today just like now, rain tomorrow! Thank God he is wrong; the sun came out one hour later and the rain not before 6 pm the next evening.
On the island we see all the common Auks and seabirds: Puffin (Macareux moine) (Papageitaucher), Razorbill (Pingouin torda) (Tordalk), Shag (Cormoran huppé) (Krähenscharbe), Guillemot (Guillemot de Troïl) (Trottellumme), Black Guillemot (Guillemot à miroir) (Gryllteiste) and Brünnich's Guillemot (Guillemot de Brünnich) (Dickschnabellumme). RTP, Rock Pipit (Pipit maritime) (Strandpieper) and Meadow Pipit (Pipit farlouse) (Wiesenpieper) side by side, as well as a few Twite (Linotte à bec jaune) (Berghänfling), one VERY close at the landing place.
A female roadside King Eider (Eider à tête grise) (Prachteiderente) on the shore of Svartnes harbour but no rare gulls.
In Hamningberg we have a few Gannets (Fou de Bassan) (Basstölpel) flying close by, more RTP, but no Otters nor Whales.
On our way back to Vardö we find ANOTHER Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) eyrie but it is empty.We just see an adult far away over the sea. BIG surprise: as we scan the rock face, a small crimson-red bird flies through the field of view of my scope. It turns out to be an adult male TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL (Bec-croisé bifascié) (Bindenkreuzschnabel)! Not the first time these birds are spotted in the Hamningberg area but a surprise all the same. Where is the nearest Larch tree?
A smaller surprise: a Wood Sandpiper (Chevalier sylvain) (Bruchwasserläufer), very angry, sits 10 ft. from my car in the middle of the road near Svartnes, also miles away from the nearest tree!- Excellent dinner at the hotel. Beer expensive as usual....
Sat 14th
As we come out of the Vardö tunnel, a Short-eared Owl (Hibou des marais) (Sumpfohreule) flies across the road. In a quarry, a nest with 4 young RLB, the adult perching near by and insulting us. At km 11, there are 2 Twite (Linotte à bec jaune) (Berghänfling), at km 12 three King Eider (Eider à tête grise) (Prachteiderente) (female and imm.males), 1 Common Scoter (Macreuse noire) (Trauerente), 8 Velvet Scoter (Macreuse brune) (Samtente), about 15 LTD, and 2 juv. Great Norther Divers, followed by a juv. WHITE-BILLED DIVER (Plongeon à bec blanc) (Gelbschnabeltaucher) near km 19. Not far from there, we hear a large falcon make a lot of noise. And sure enough, an adult Peregrine (Faucon pèlerin) (Wanderfalke) is sitting not far from its nest and finally goes to feed its 3 white downy chicks. These birds breed MUCH later than Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke).
We look for Arctic Redpoll (Sizerin blanchâtre) (Polarbirkenzeisig) at Sandford creek but only see a Red Fox, Reed Bunting (Bruant des roseaux) (Rohrammer) (!) and RTP with Redwing (Grive mauvis) (Rotdrossel) and Fieldfares (Grive litorne) (Wacholderdrossel). Nothing special in Hamningberg but we eventually find ANOTHER juv. Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) perching below the nest by the weekend houses, sadly chased away by a naughty boy. It flies well and vanishes behind the mountain. We watch a feeding scene at the White-tailed Eagles (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler)' nest near Kiberg and hear a breeding Bar-tailed Godwit (Barge rousse) (Pfuhlschnepfe) shout abuse. But it starts raining and we do not search. We drive to the Hotel on Vadsöya and spot 13 (!!) Steller's Eider (Eider de Steller) (Scheckente) from our bedroom window in the bay. To my knowledge, there have not been any other observations on Varanger in July. In 2000, I had more than 100, up to 70 at a time! Nothing to eat at the (expensive) hotel but Internet. We have dinner in an Indian restaurant. Good food but 200 nkr. In Vardö it was only 135 nkr. In Vadsö we paid 995 nkr for the room, in Vardö only 590 for a much larger room with more modern facilities. But it would have meant driving back 50 miles in the rain. We have a walk on Vadsöya, see breeding Ruff (Combattant varié) (Kampfläufer) and an Arctic Hare!
Sun 15th
Last day of Achim's stay. pouring rain during breakfast. I spend some time checking E-mails and it stops raining. Meet 3 Spanish birders who saw White-billed Diver (Plongeon à bec blanc) (Gelbschnabeltaucher) at Golnes on the previous evening. As we are talking, a White-tailed Eagle (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler) and an ad. Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) fly towards Ekkeröy. A flock of 50 Redpoll (Sizerin flammé) (Birkenzeisig) by the road to Krampenes, one of which turns out to be a 2nd cal. year Arctic Redpoll! (Sizerin blancheâtre)(Polarbirkenzeisig)!
We drive to Ekkeröy and walk around the Island. The Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) is surely there and flies off to Russia with a small prey, crossing the large fjord!!!-We see Guillemot (Guillemot de Troïl) (Trottellumme), Black Guillemot (Guillemot à miroir) (Gryllteiste) and Razorbill (Pingouin torda) (Tordalk) on the sea, the latter a rare bird here. 10 Black-throated Divers (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) in the bay, breeding Turnstones (Tournepierre à collier) (Steinwälzer), AS, RTP and Lapland Bunting (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer) with juvs. - After a simple soup lunch by the German bunkers I accompany Achim to the Tana Bru junction where I have to say Goodbye. No Owls at km 20,3 but after 2 mins. of tape-recording an adult tailless Hawk Owl (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) perches on a wire in the afternoon sun! Common Sandpiper (Chevalier guignette) (Flussuferläufer) at km 29, the usual RLBs. At km 4.2 after Austertana an adult Merlin (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin (Faucon émerillon)) where we saw the juveniles on the 5th. -
18° in Nesseby, sunny, S winds but only 11° at the cabin, wind NW.
Mon 16th
Storm and drizzle. Reading, Mozart and Tschaikowsky, afternoon walk with Bärbel at Oardu lake with 2 Bluethroats(Gorgebleue à miroir) (Blaukehlchen) with food and a Lapland Bunting (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer). Fortunately I still have plenty of firewood.
Tue 17th
Beautiful day! I check on both Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) nests , feed the birds with mealworms as usual and have a walk with Bärbel until midnight. Nothing special except for suspicious roadside shorelarks but the weather is perfect.
Wed 18th
The weather is still fine but Bärbel has to leave since she promised her Swedish friend who had lived with a deceased gentleman from Batsfjord to drive her home to Sweden. I check on and feed my Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) and LTS at the cabin. Cooler and cloudy after 6 pm., Schubert, Bach-Busoni transcriptions, sublime music instead of sublime weather.
Thu 19th
Cloudy, rain between the showers, cool, windy. Short walk to feed my Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer), a cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) at km 10 of the Batsfjord road, snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) and RTD at the cabin. More firewood, books, Bach and Schumann.
Fri 20th
Cold morning, 8°, windy but sunny and warm later! I check on Bärbel's area. Her LTSs are violently attacking an animal sitting deep down in the valley of the creek. I think it might be an Arctic fox and go towards the spot. But it is "just" an enormous female Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) that has just eaten 3/4 of a female Willow grouse (Lagopède des saules) (Moorschneehuhn) (the only one I was to see during this journey). Yes, these birds DO turn up here, miles away from the nearest bush or shrub. When I arrive at the Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) nest, BIG surprise: one of the chicks has hatched, is already very active but creeps back under its father's belly for warmth every 10-15 minutes. I feed the poor male a few worms and start taking pictures.
D......d mosquitoes! I had left the anti-insect stuff in the car. But it is less than 10 mins. walk so I go and fetch the bottle since I am willing to stay for a few hours. The birds do not mind my presence(which the male associates with food).
Hundreds of Reindeer have appeared throughout the area; a phenomenon I had never seen before. Back at the cabin I find a lone TS. Brahms, Paganini, Rimsky-Korssakov, Grieg...
Sat 21st
Weather not too bad, sunny spells, slight breeze and I am lucky. The 2nd chick has hatched, both chicks are very independent but come back to the nest regularly since No.3 has not hatched yet. The male obviously does not like the ever present LTSs but seems to try and call an invisible female. It is here that Siegfried Kraatz had photographed a female Dotterel with newly hatched chicks. Some of them DO participate in the breeding buasiness!
After more than an hour and a lunch break in the car (the nest being less than half a mile from the main road) the family is complete. No.3 has dried very quickly but remains under the male, its siblings running around daintily. I take more pictures and videos, even using a wide-angle lens until the first shower threatens. My dream has come true: assisting the hatching of a Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) clutch in good weather conditions without any risk of disturbance or harm. Took me 7 years to achieve this goal! I had seen a few birds with chicks before but always on cold days which did not allow any interference.
Sun 22nd
Cool, windy with showers. Of course, the Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) family has vanished. I slowly retreat and make sure that I do not crush any chicks. I meet Armelle from Bourges in France who is actually (and desperately) looking for Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer), LTS, Shore Lark (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche) and Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn). As we start talking, a first LTS flies overhead. Delight!
After the last shower I take her to "my" third and last Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) nest. We have to wait a few minutes because the bird seems to be having a lunch break. But it DOES return and Armelle is ...well, ravished (?)! Then the sun comes out and the study area seems to be teeming with bird life. Golden Plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer), Ringed Plovers (Grand Gravelot) (Sandregenpfeifer), TSs (their nest is empty now...), breeding ASs, even warning Dunlin (Bécasseau variable) (Alpenstrandläufer), a bird I had NEVER seen here before, Lapland Buntings (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer), more LTSs, Meadow Pipits (Pipit farlouse) (Wiesenpieper). 3 weeks ago the place seemed to be deserted. Before dinner we drive to Bärbel's place and DO find the cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) which lets us approach very closely (Bliss...!!!) as well as a pair of Shore Larks (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche).- More Rachmaninov and Moussorgsky during and after dinner.
Mon 23rd
Well, I HAVE to leave. No rain, wind not too strong, good opportunity to get all my things into my car. The usual RLBs at km 30/Tana road. Plus a VERY rare bird at km 13,5: a Sparrowhawk (Épervier d'Europe) (Sperber)! First time I see it here up north. More RLB at Mantojärvi S Utsjoki. The ONLY Thunbergi Yellow Wagtail (Bergeronnette printanière) (Schafstelze) at Petkula bog S Ivalo. Too foggy to look for Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) on Kaunispää, but I think I had my dose! The main roads in Finland have a speed limit of 60 mph (100 kmh). Much too fast,and I nearly hit 2 Reindeer which wanted to meet in the middle of the road, leaping out of the opposite ditches like Jack-In-the-Boxes, impossible to stamp on the brake, a 40-ton truck driving close behind me. I swear never to exceed 80 kmh in Lapland Reindeer areas any more.
Near Puntus/Kuusamo I see a female Elk (Moose) crossing the road. This time I was driving more slowly...! Just before midnight, on rd.843, east of Suomussalmi (near a birdwatch tower by a lake)I hear some Owl chicks screech in the forest. I stop and eventually spot a juv. Pygmy Owl (Chevêchette d'Europe) (Sperlingskauz) in a tree. The birds fly very well but this one stays put so that I can go and get the telescope. By the tower I hear Willow Grouse (Lagopède des saules) (Moorschneehuhn) and Whooper Swan (Cygne chanteur) (Singschwan) call in the dark....
Tue 24th
Sunny morning, mosquitoes. A Woodpecker crossing the road might have been a Three-toed Woodpecker (Pic tridactyle) (Dreizehenspecht) but Great Spotted ones DO haunt the area, too.
I arrive at the Wildbrownbear Hotel near Vartius. A pair of Waxwings (Jaseur boréal) (Seidenschwanz) in a fir tree, calls of Common and Parrot Crossbills (Bec-croisé perroquet) (Kiefernkreuzschnabel). After a siesta and late lunch. Arri takes me to one of his 7 hides where I am to remain until 7 in the morning, just on my own. Very punctually, 2 huge male Brown Bears arrive around 6 pm and start eating Salmon offal. There may have been a third animal but I am not quite sure. The Bears are surrounded by lots of Herring Gulls (Goéland argenté) (Silbermöwe), Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Goéland brun) (Heringsmöwe) and others which are not scared by them . But on one occasion they a fly away in panick. The Bears had left a short while before this happened. Probably one of the rare Wolverines (Glouton) (Vielfrass) which are regularly seen here had just stolen a morsel of salmon but I had been sitting on the wrong side of the hut... Bad luck!
But I can take a few good pictures of Bears, Wood Sandpiper (Chevalier sylvain) (Bruchwasserläufer), Greenshank (Chevalier aboyeur) (Grünschenkel) and Green Sandpiper (Chevalier culblanc) (Waldwasserläufer). I want to go to sleep after 10 pm but one of the bears comes back on and off and keeps me awake until midnight, sometimes being as close as 8 or 9 yards!
Wed 25th
Rain in the morning, no birds, no bears. Long drive to Boden to Ove's place.
Thu 26th
A Nutcracker (Cassenoix moucheté) (Tannenhäher) behind Ove's garden My first and only Marsh Harrier (Busard des roseaux) (Rohrweihe) in the Hoga Küsten are. 24 moulting Lesser white-fronted Geese (Oie naine) (Zwerggans) in Hudiksvall, none of them being ringed, offspring born in the wild from the birds released in the 1980s and 90s. Here you can get as close to them as 10 yards if you do not walk towards them,do not stop walking or intensely look at them.
Dinner with Bo's family.
Fri 27th
A last Black-throated Diver (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) crosses the road N Gävle by the Tönnebro car park near Ljusdal/Moran junction. They used to be at Höbäcken, not far from there but I had not seen them there since 2004. A pair of Cranes (Grue cendrée) (Kranich) near the bird tower of Store Mosse National Park at Kävsjön. Very high water level; so the Whooper Swans (Cygne chanteur) (Singschwan) and Black-throated Divers (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) had disappeared; it must have been too difficult to build a nest there this year.
I arrive in Denmark at midnight after realizing that there is still a thing in the sky they call a "Moon". I had not seen it for one month!
But I am already longing to return the those lonely inhospitable Fjells of Arctic Norway that hold such charming little birds..... Next year? Who knows?!
Postscript:
Thu 2nd August
A Hoopoe (Huppe fasciée) (Wiedehopf) crosses the motorway A31 in Burgundy, not far from Mirecourt/Epinal junction. Very exotic!
Report on a birding trip
Illustrations on
http://lutzluecker.spaces.live.com
and
http://www.dailymotion.com/lutz6lucker
Lutz Lücker 5, Fort-L'Ecluse – CH-1213 Pt.-Lancy/Geneva / Switzerland
Introduction (same as in 2002-2006):
Travel :
By car from Geneva. Petrol less expensive in Finland, most expensive in Norway.
Crossed Baltic Sea at Fehmarn (Puttgarden/Rödby) and Helsingör.
Beware! In late July, waiting queues in Rödby can be long; better use the bridge near Odense.
There are lots of automated petrol stations in Fennoscandia but they do not all accept foreign credit cards. Better have a few small banknotes ready, especially in Finland...!
Maps :
Used mainly the Norwegian Cappelens 1 :400.000 Troms og Finnmark map (main reference for this report). For local use the 1 :250.000 Statens vegvesen VERGKAART, blad 21 (Varanger) is very good. There are better maps for hikers (1 :50.000), but very small and expensive. An excellent bargain is the Statoil Scandinavia atlas NORDEN for 200 skr: the whole of Scandinavia on a 1:300.000 scale! But it does have some imperfections: a yellow road may turn out to have thousands of potholes, a red one may not be tarmaced.
Daily route, weather and highlights
Weather in the High Arctic was mostly cool (cold, down to 5 degrees C at 350 m asl), and quite windy this year. But little rain, mostly drizzle.And seven marvellous, sunny days, too. Spring had been late, lots of huge snowdrifts, especially on the NE slopes, like in 2000 and 2003. Nice for landscape photographs.
Again virtually no Lemmings on the tundra, but in early June, lots of them had been seen by S.Harrap in the Gednje area. Quite a few other rodents by the sea; so Rough-legged Buzzards (Buse pattue) (Raufußbussard) were not scarce there.
Mosquitoes scarce this year, only on the very few calm, warm days on the tundra. Few species were rare or seemed absent like Pied Flycatcher (Gobemouche noir) (Trauerschnäpper) or Willow Grouse (Lagopède des saules) (Moorschneehuhn). But I spent little time in forest areas.
I had no special target species since I had already seen anything one could expect on previous journeys and had no illusions about difficult small birds like Terek Sandpiper (Chevalier bargette) (Terekwasserläufer), Little Bunting (Bruant nain) (Zwergammer), Rustic Bunting (Bruant rustique) (Waldammer), Greenish Warbler (Pouillot verdâtre) (Grünlaubsänger) or Great Snipe (Bécassine double) (Doppelschnepfe). So I decided to consider anything new like the adult Iceland Gull (Goéland à ailes blanches) (Polarmöwe), as a bonus.
Sorry, but some of my friends will have to learn a few English names of more or less "common" Arctic Fjell species so I have set up a
Glossary:
RTD: Red-throated Diver (Plongeon catmarin) (Sterntaucher)
RLB: Rough-legged Buzzard (Buse pattue) (Raufußbussard)
LTD: Long-tailed Duck (Harelde boréale) (Eisente).
LTS: Long-tailed Skua (Labbe à longue queue) (Falkenraubmöwe)
AS: Arctic Skua (Labbe parasite) (Schmarotzerraubmöwe)
TS: Temminck's Stint (Bécasseau de Temminck) (Temminckstrandläufer)
PSP: Purple Sandpiper (Bécasseau violet) (Meerstrandläufer)
RTP: Red-throated Pipit (Pipit à gorge rousse) (Rotkehlpieper)
The highlights:
Thur 28th June
Enter Sweden at Helsingborg. First of a long series of dead badgers on the road. Near Mjölby I save a stunned Tawny Owl (Chouette hulotte) (Waldkauz) sitting on the emergency lane of the motorway.
Fri 29th
Arrival in Hudiksvall. 24 Lesser White-fronted Geese (Oie naine) (Zwerggans) on the lake, as usual in late June. They have not started moulting yet. I manage to get a few good pictures at less than 15 yards. Incredible how tame these wild birds are when together with feral Greylag Geese (Oie cendrée) (Graugans)! Night at my friend Bo Fagerström's who tells me that Blyth's Reed Warblers (Rousserolle des buissons) (Buschrohrsänger) have started singing in the area.- First singing Redwing (Grive mauvis) (Rotdrossel) near Hoga Küsten panoramic car park.
N Umea, 1 mile S Valsfäboda 60 very shy Cranes (Grue cendrée) (Kranich) are standing in the fields. 2 Whooper Swans (Cygne chanteur) (Singschwan) near Robertsfors. Night in Boden at my friend Ove Stefansson's. Nice weather.
Sat. 30th
A few Little Gulls (Mouette pygmée) (Zwergmöwe) near Jämtöfjärden. 1 female Blackcock at the Kemimaa junction. 1 female Smew (Harle piette) (Zwergsäger) 30 kms S Rovaniemi. First Reindeer near Korvala. Now I am back to Lapland!
Short break 17 kms S Sodankylä. I hear a few Waxwings (Jaseur boréal) (Seidenschwanz) and a Hazel Grouse (Gélinotte des bois) (Haselhuhn). I try calling it with my whistle, whereupon the bird approaches as close as 5 yards, invisible in the Willow bushes. After 20 minutes of "talking" to him, he eventually crosses the forest road in flight but obviously realizes he's been fooled. - Another male Blackcock near the Nature Reserve on the Moskuvaara road but no Little Bunting (Bruant nain) (Zwergammer) there. Cool, windy and pouring rain in Inari.
First Rough-legged Buzzard (Buse pattue) (Raufußbussard) ( from now on RLB...) near Liarvakärijärvet and first Merlin (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin)(Faucon émerillon) 10 kms NE Utsjoki. No Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) in the Tana valley but 3 juv. Hawk Owls (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) sit on the wires above the road 20,3 km N Tana Bru, begging for food and watching the cars underneath. Cute! It has stopped raining and I make a few videos. 3 RLB at kms 29 and 30, one of which attacks me. The eyrie cannot be far but it is late and I want to be in Batsfjord before midnight. 3 Long-tailed duck (Harelde boréale) (Eisente) (LTD...) on a roadside lake at Kongsfjordfjellet pass. Night in Batsfjord with central heating and hot water. Thank you, Runar and Benny!
Sun 1st July
I get my things to my cabin in the Gednje area where I want to continue my studies on Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). Beautiful weather on the Fjell! A pair of Shore larks (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche) are sitting by the door. Then I meet my friend Bärbel Kraatz who arrived with her camping car in the area a few days earlier. We look for Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) in her study area and find 2 females with a male on top of a huge pleateau. But no signs of breeding intentions. A still white cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) at the summit (except for a grey head), Red-throated Divers (Plongeon catmarin) (Sterntaucher) (RTD) on a lake, LTS and Arctic Skuas (Labbe parasite) (Schmarotzerraubmöwe) (AS).
Mon 2nd
1 RLB in my study area, 2 female Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) but no presence on the 2-acre surface where I had 5 nests of at least 2 different males from 2000 to 2006. Bad surprise! Splendid weather but VERY few birds around. Just a few Ringed Plovers (Grand Gravelot) (Sandregenpfeifer) and Temminck's Stints (Bécasseau de Temminck) (Temminckstrandläufer) (TS), Shore larks (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche), Lapland Buntings (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer) and Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer). 4 LTS in Bärbel's area, 2 Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) (but still no nest...) and nice surprise: one of the elusive Purple Sandpipers (Bécasseau violet) (Meerstrandläufer) (PSP) on the pleateau!- No Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) around their 2006 eyrie near the Berlevag road, which seems to have been used by some Raven (Grand Corbeau) (Kolkrabe).
Tue 3rd
Weather still sublime (which means that some mosquitoes are quite active...). 2 cock Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) feed on breadcrumbs in front of my cabin window.
A cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) and a female Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) in my study area, 2 Black-throated Divers (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) on the Lake at km 4 of the Batsfjord road with 2 LTS. In Bärbel's area we spot the PSP and another Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). Still no nest...
A pair of Dunlin (Bécasseau variable) (Alpenstrandläufer) at the Genje junction with a several-day-old chick.
Wed 4th
What a terriffic blue sky with picturesque white clouds! Around Bärbel's car we see 3 AS, 1 LTS on the plateau, in the valley of a creek a pair of alarming Turnstones (Tournepierre à collier) (Steinwälzer) ... and ANOTHER lone fem. Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). But DO they reproduce this year?
A French birder had seen a flock of 24 non-breeding Golden Plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer). Is there food shortage for these birds this year? The Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer)'s behaviour however is suspicious. We look around the spot for nearly one hour until I stumble upon the breeding male. But there is only one egg in the nest, apparently a late replacement clutch, only 235 m from Bärbel's car! We immediately leave and watch the birds from behind the car. They are back after a few minutes. But the AS are after them; they seem to know that there is a nest somewhere. A bad omen.
Thu 5th
Shopping and shower in Batsfjord, checking E-mails at Frywillighetscentren (50 nkr / 30 mins.)
I find a TS's nest in my study area. There was only one tussock of grass where the bird flew away and sure enough, 4 eggs inside!-
My friends Klaus, Daniel, Markus and Georg are waiting in the Tana Valley where they also saw a Hawk Owl (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) at km 20,3. Still the 3 RLB around km 29/30 with breeding Kestrel (Faucon crécerelle) (Turmfalke) (!), a rarity,as well as a VERY rare Redstart (Rougequeue à front blanc) (Gartenrotschwanz).
As we are coming out of the Austertana Birch woods, we find a family of Merlins (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin)(Faucon émerillon) by the roadside. Splendid sunshine and a few LTS until we plunge into thick coastal fog in Gednje; this obstinate fog will only vanish next Wednesday! 1 RLB on the way to my cabin where I hear a calling Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn).
Fri 6th
We go down to Batsfjord since there is no fog below 80m asl. We are lucky and find a breeding Red-throated Pipit (Pipit à gorge rousse) (Rotkehlpieper) (RTP) in the Harbour, LTD and Common Scoter (Macreuse noire) (Trauerente). Nice surprise: a juv. Glaucous Gull (Goéland bourgmestre) (Eismöwe), just a few yards from a harbour office. I just manage to make a video before it flies away.- We drive to Bärbel's place. Alas, the Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) have not laid a second egg and have left the nest. But we manage to find (in spite of the fog and drizzle) the cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn), 4 LTS, FOUR female Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) and stumble upon... a breeding PSP! We leave the spot immeadiately as the weather is cold and windy.
Sat 7th
5 degrees in the morning, 8° in the cabin, luckily there is a fireplace, enough wood and I have brought along a saw!
On the plateau Bärbel and I just check on the PSP and find the nest we did not see yesterday because the bird had fooled us.
My German friends -alas- have to head for Vadsö because of trouble with car keys. Reading and a lot of Bach and Rachmaninov in the cabin...
Sun 8th
I take the road to Syltefjord until I arrive at the first large lake. 12 LTD, 3 LTS and a Merlin (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin (Faucon émerillon)). 4 Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalarope à bec étroit) (Odinshühnchen) at the Genje junction, and a pair of local Golden plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer) near Bärbel's car.
In Batsfjord a bad surprise: the facilities where I can have a wash with warm water and sleep on a cold night if necessary have been ransacked by vandals who smashed a marble table and a few neon tubes. Bärbel helps me to clean up the mess. In Norway many people leave their doors unlocked and this can happen
since I did not have a key....Short visit at the police station.-
Bärbel's PSP is still breeding. Some sunshine after 17 hrs., 5 degrees in the morning, windy,....Books, Mozart, Chopin.....
Mon 9th
Long journey to cloudy Berlevag. 1 (rare) fem. Pintail (Canard pilet) (Spießente) a mile after Gednje junction +RTP, a RLB 10 kms before Berlevag. Lots of Gulls bathing in the stream near the village. By chance I spot a spotless adult ICELAND GULL (Goéland à ailes blanches) (Polarmöwe) flying over them. It disappears 500 yds. down the road. I dart after it and find it in the middle of a large flock of roosting gulls. I manage to approach it to make a few videos. Smaller and much lighter than Herring gulls (Goéland argenté) (Silbermöwe), slenderer beak. Great bird! One Rock Pipit (Pipit maritime) (Strandpieper) at the lighthouse but no uncommon seabirds, just 5 Black Guillemot (Guillemot à miroir) (Gryllteiste). An imm. White-tailed Eagle (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler), a LTS and a RLB at km 15.
On my way back to Kongsfjord, weather improves and I spot an adult Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) carrying prey across the road and perching somewhere in the cliffs. I leave the car and manage to find the bird which flies (without its prey) across the sea and vanishes behind another cliff. But I also notice a juvenile bird sitting on a small crest, flying around it after some time. I drive to the other side where I see two juveniles, and after some time, another adult. But the evening sun shines right into my eyes and I do no want to disturb the birds so I leave.
Back at Bärbel's we find that 3 PSP chicks have hatched. If I had not marked the nest we would never have found them. I just make a few pictures and we leave the spot, never to see them again. Evening with Beethoven, Liszt and Co. At midnight, my friend Achim from Germany arrives.
Tue 10th
Cold, wet and windy. Not a good start for Achim. But we do manage to find the Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) again. 2, perhaps 3 juveniles, at least one adult. Again the Pintail (Canard pilet) (Spießente), RLB and RTPs near Gednje. No Iceland Gull (Goéland à ailes blanches) (Polarmöwe) in Berlevag but three Swallows (Hirondelle rustique) (Rauchschwalbe)! AND probably the northernmost colony of Common Terns (Sterne pierregarin) (Flussseeschwalbe) in Kongsfjord harbour!
Wed 11th
A GLORIOUS morning. Blue sky, warm, no wind but VERY few mosquitoes. 2 Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) in front of the cabin.
We explore my study area. The Temminck's stints (Bécasseau de Temminck) (Temminckstrandläufer) have not hatched but there are several pairs now. I tell Achim to carefully look behind every big rock for Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn); 30 seconds later I find a female sitting in the shadow of a large stone! Next surprise: a MALE Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) where I had seen a female on the 3rd. Hesitating behaviour, so we walk backwards, wait for 10 minutes, and sure enough, he's back on his 3-egg-clutch! Bärbel will be delighted! It is 2 weeks she has been looking forward to this opprtunity. But before we take her to "my" area, we have a short walk around hers and meet ANOTHER male dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer)! Very suspicious and hesitating, visibly very nervous because of the alerting Golden Plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer) which seem to drive him mad with their incessant alarm calls. We have to retreat, take turns in observing the bird until nearly 3 hrs later he is ALSO down on a 3-egg-clutch, just 5 minutes' walk from Bärbel's car! We drive to my cabin to celebrate the day with a midnight sun dinner outside during which 2 RTD fly over us several times, we see LTD on the lake and hear warning Turnstones (Tournepierre à collier) (Steinwälzer). The best and most satisfactory day of my stay.
Thu 12th
Cold, foggy and rainy. We take Bärbel on the Berlevag road to check on the Gyrfalcons (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) which are still there, 2 juv. + 1 ad.
Then off we go towards Varanger Fjord. A roadside hovering LTS is a great experience for Achim. Still the 3 RLB at km 29/30 in the Tana Valley. AND a juv. Hawk Owl (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) at midday on the wire above the road at km 20,3! Very confiding!
A stopover at Nesseby church only yields a few Bar-tailed Godwits (Barge rousse) (Pfuhlschnepfe) and Shelduck (Tadorne de Belon) (Brandgans) with chicks.
1 Steller's Eider (Eider de Steller) (Scheckente) on the shores of Vadsöya, RTP in the reserve with 80+ Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalarope à bec étroit) (Odinshühnchen) on the pond.
2 White-tailed eagles (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler) between Vadsö and Ekkeröy. AND we find ANOTHER Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) eyrie between Ekkeroy and Skallelv. One juv. and 1 adult which does not seem to mind our presence. In the well-known White-tailed eagle (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler) nest further on there are 2 big chicks, the adults perching not far away. That's 6 Eagles in 1 hour!
We arrive at Vardö Hotel (still rather reasonably priced and good food...); after dinner we spot a GREAT SKUA (Grand Labbe) (Skua) flying around Hornöya bird island. Good bird for Varanger!
Fri 13th
Cool and cloudy in the morning. The boatman's forecast on the vessel that takes us to Hornöya: today just like now, rain tomorrow! Thank God he is wrong; the sun came out one hour later and the rain not before 6 pm the next evening.
On the island we see all the common Auks and seabirds: Puffin (Macareux moine) (Papageitaucher), Razorbill (Pingouin torda) (Tordalk), Shag (Cormoran huppé) (Krähenscharbe), Guillemot (Guillemot de Troïl) (Trottellumme), Black Guillemot (Guillemot à miroir) (Gryllteiste) and Brünnich's Guillemot (Guillemot de Brünnich) (Dickschnabellumme). RTP, Rock Pipit (Pipit maritime) (Strandpieper) and Meadow Pipit (Pipit farlouse) (Wiesenpieper) side by side, as well as a few Twite (Linotte à bec jaune) (Berghänfling), one VERY close at the landing place.
A female roadside King Eider (Eider à tête grise) (Prachteiderente) on the shore of Svartnes harbour but no rare gulls.
In Hamningberg we have a few Gannets (Fou de Bassan) (Basstölpel) flying close by, more RTP, but no Otters nor Whales.
On our way back to Vardö we find ANOTHER Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) eyrie but it is empty.We just see an adult far away over the sea. BIG surprise: as we scan the rock face, a small crimson-red bird flies through the field of view of my scope. It turns out to be an adult male TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL (Bec-croisé bifascié) (Bindenkreuzschnabel)! Not the first time these birds are spotted in the Hamningberg area but a surprise all the same. Where is the nearest Larch tree?
A smaller surprise: a Wood Sandpiper (Chevalier sylvain) (Bruchwasserläufer), very angry, sits 10 ft. from my car in the middle of the road near Svartnes, also miles away from the nearest tree!- Excellent dinner at the hotel. Beer expensive as usual....
Sat 14th
As we come out of the Vardö tunnel, a Short-eared Owl (Hibou des marais) (Sumpfohreule) flies across the road. In a quarry, a nest with 4 young RLB, the adult perching near by and insulting us. At km 11, there are 2 Twite (Linotte à bec jaune) (Berghänfling), at km 12 three King Eider (Eider à tête grise) (Prachteiderente) (female and imm.males), 1 Common Scoter (Macreuse noire) (Trauerente), 8 Velvet Scoter (Macreuse brune) (Samtente), about 15 LTD, and 2 juv. Great Norther Divers, followed by a juv. WHITE-BILLED DIVER (Plongeon à bec blanc) (Gelbschnabeltaucher) near km 19. Not far from there, we hear a large falcon make a lot of noise. And sure enough, an adult Peregrine (Faucon pèlerin) (Wanderfalke) is sitting not far from its nest and finally goes to feed its 3 white downy chicks. These birds breed MUCH later than Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke).
We look for Arctic Redpoll (Sizerin blanchâtre) (Polarbirkenzeisig) at Sandford creek but only see a Red Fox, Reed Bunting (Bruant des roseaux) (Rohrammer) (!) and RTP with Redwing (Grive mauvis) (Rotdrossel) and Fieldfares (Grive litorne) (Wacholderdrossel). Nothing special in Hamningberg but we eventually find ANOTHER juv. Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) perching below the nest by the weekend houses, sadly chased away by a naughty boy. It flies well and vanishes behind the mountain. We watch a feeding scene at the White-tailed Eagles (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler)' nest near Kiberg and hear a breeding Bar-tailed Godwit (Barge rousse) (Pfuhlschnepfe) shout abuse. But it starts raining and we do not search. We drive to the Hotel on Vadsöya and spot 13 (!!) Steller's Eider (Eider de Steller) (Scheckente) from our bedroom window in the bay. To my knowledge, there have not been any other observations on Varanger in July. In 2000, I had more than 100, up to 70 at a time! Nothing to eat at the (expensive) hotel but Internet. We have dinner in an Indian restaurant. Good food but 200 nkr. In Vardö it was only 135 nkr. In Vadsö we paid 995 nkr for the room, in Vardö only 590 for a much larger room with more modern facilities. But it would have meant driving back 50 miles in the rain. We have a walk on Vadsöya, see breeding Ruff (Combattant varié) (Kampfläufer) and an Arctic Hare!
Sun 15th
Last day of Achim's stay. pouring rain during breakfast. I spend some time checking E-mails and it stops raining. Meet 3 Spanish birders who saw White-billed Diver (Plongeon à bec blanc) (Gelbschnabeltaucher) at Golnes on the previous evening. As we are talking, a White-tailed Eagle (Pygargue à queue blanche) (Seeadler) and an ad. Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) fly towards Ekkeröy. A flock of 50 Redpoll (Sizerin flammé) (Birkenzeisig) by the road to Krampenes, one of which turns out to be a 2nd cal. year Arctic Redpoll! (Sizerin blancheâtre)(Polarbirkenzeisig)!
We drive to Ekkeröy and walk around the Island. The Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) is surely there and flies off to Russia with a small prey, crossing the large fjord!!!-We see Guillemot (Guillemot de Troïl) (Trottellumme), Black Guillemot (Guillemot à miroir) (Gryllteiste) and Razorbill (Pingouin torda) (Tordalk) on the sea, the latter a rare bird here. 10 Black-throated Divers (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) in the bay, breeding Turnstones (Tournepierre à collier) (Steinwälzer), AS, RTP and Lapland Bunting (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer) with juvs. - After a simple soup lunch by the German bunkers I accompany Achim to the Tana Bru junction where I have to say Goodbye. No Owls at km 20,3 but after 2 mins. of tape-recording an adult tailless Hawk Owl (Chouette épervière) (Sperbereule) perches on a wire in the afternoon sun! Common Sandpiper (Chevalier guignette) (Flussuferläufer) at km 29, the usual RLBs. At km 4.2 after Austertana an adult Merlin (Faucon émerillon) (Merlin (Faucon émerillon)) where we saw the juveniles on the 5th. -
18° in Nesseby, sunny, S winds but only 11° at the cabin, wind NW.
Mon 16th
Storm and drizzle. Reading, Mozart and Tschaikowsky, afternoon walk with Bärbel at Oardu lake with 2 Bluethroats(Gorgebleue à miroir) (Blaukehlchen) with food and a Lapland Bunting (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer). Fortunately I still have plenty of firewood.
Tue 17th
Beautiful day! I check on both Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) nests , feed the birds with mealworms as usual and have a walk with Bärbel until midnight. Nothing special except for suspicious roadside shorelarks but the weather is perfect.
Wed 18th
The weather is still fine but Bärbel has to leave since she promised her Swedish friend who had lived with a deceased gentleman from Batsfjord to drive her home to Sweden. I check on and feed my Dotterels (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer). Snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) and LTS at the cabin. Cooler and cloudy after 6 pm., Schubert, Bach-Busoni transcriptions, sublime music instead of sublime weather.
Thu 19th
Cloudy, rain between the showers, cool, windy. Short walk to feed my Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer), a cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) at km 10 of the Batsfjord road, snow Buntings (Bruant des neiges) (Schneeammer) and RTD at the cabin. More firewood, books, Bach and Schumann.
Fri 20th
Cold morning, 8°, windy but sunny and warm later! I check on Bärbel's area. Her LTSs are violently attacking an animal sitting deep down in the valley of the creek. I think it might be an Arctic fox and go towards the spot. But it is "just" an enormous female Gyrfalcon (Faucon gerfaut) (Gerfalke) that has just eaten 3/4 of a female Willow grouse (Lagopède des saules) (Moorschneehuhn) (the only one I was to see during this journey). Yes, these birds DO turn up here, miles away from the nearest bush or shrub. When I arrive at the Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) nest, BIG surprise: one of the chicks has hatched, is already very active but creeps back under its father's belly for warmth every 10-15 minutes. I feed the poor male a few worms and start taking pictures.
D......d mosquitoes! I had left the anti-insect stuff in the car. But it is less than 10 mins. walk so I go and fetch the bottle since I am willing to stay for a few hours. The birds do not mind my presence(which the male associates with food).
Hundreds of Reindeer have appeared throughout the area; a phenomenon I had never seen before. Back at the cabin I find a lone TS. Brahms, Paganini, Rimsky-Korssakov, Grieg...
Sat 21st
Weather not too bad, sunny spells, slight breeze and I am lucky. The 2nd chick has hatched, both chicks are very independent but come back to the nest regularly since No.3 has not hatched yet. The male obviously does not like the ever present LTSs but seems to try and call an invisible female. It is here that Siegfried Kraatz had photographed a female Dotterel with newly hatched chicks. Some of them DO participate in the breeding buasiness!
After more than an hour and a lunch break in the car (the nest being less than half a mile from the main road) the family is complete. No.3 has dried very quickly but remains under the male, its siblings running around daintily. I take more pictures and videos, even using a wide-angle lens until the first shower threatens. My dream has come true: assisting the hatching of a Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) clutch in good weather conditions without any risk of disturbance or harm. Took me 7 years to achieve this goal! I had seen a few birds with chicks before but always on cold days which did not allow any interference.
Sun 22nd
Cool, windy with showers. Of course, the Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) family has vanished. I slowly retreat and make sure that I do not crush any chicks. I meet Armelle from Bourges in France who is actually (and desperately) looking for Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer), LTS, Shore Lark (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche) and Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn). As we start talking, a first LTS flies overhead. Delight!
After the last shower I take her to "my" third and last Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) nest. We have to wait a few minutes because the bird seems to be having a lunch break. But it DOES return and Armelle is ...well, ravished (?)! Then the sun comes out and the study area seems to be teeming with bird life. Golden Plovers (Pluvier doré) (Goldregenpfeifer), Ringed Plovers (Grand Gravelot) (Sandregenpfeifer), TSs (their nest is empty now...), breeding ASs, even warning Dunlin (Bécasseau variable) (Alpenstrandläufer), a bird I had NEVER seen here before, Lapland Buntings (Bruant lapon) (Spornammer), more LTSs, Meadow Pipits (Pipit farlouse) (Wiesenpieper). 3 weeks ago the place seemed to be deserted. Before dinner we drive to Bärbel's place and DO find the cock Ptarmigan (Lagopède alpin) (Alpenschneehuhn) which lets us approach very closely (Bliss...!!!) as well as a pair of Shore Larks (Alouette haussecol) (Ohrenlerche).- More Rachmaninov and Moussorgsky during and after dinner.
Mon 23rd
Well, I HAVE to leave. No rain, wind not too strong, good opportunity to get all my things into my car. The usual RLBs at km 30/Tana road. Plus a VERY rare bird at km 13,5: a Sparrowhawk (Épervier d'Europe) (Sperber)! First time I see it here up north. More RLB at Mantojärvi S Utsjoki. The ONLY Thunbergi Yellow Wagtail (Bergeronnette printanière) (Schafstelze) at Petkula bog S Ivalo. Too foggy to look for Dotterel (Pluvier guignard) (Mornellregenpfeifer) on Kaunispää, but I think I had my dose! The main roads in Finland have a speed limit of 60 mph (100 kmh). Much too fast,and I nearly hit 2 Reindeer which wanted to meet in the middle of the road, leaping out of the opposite ditches like Jack-In-the-Boxes, impossible to stamp on the brake, a 40-ton truck driving close behind me. I swear never to exceed 80 kmh in Lapland Reindeer areas any more.
Near Puntus/Kuusamo I see a female Elk (Moose) crossing the road. This time I was driving more slowly...! Just before midnight, on rd.843, east of Suomussalmi (near a birdwatch tower by a lake)I hear some Owl chicks screech in the forest. I stop and eventually spot a juv. Pygmy Owl (Chevêchette d'Europe) (Sperlingskauz) in a tree. The birds fly very well but this one stays put so that I can go and get the telescope. By the tower I hear Willow Grouse (Lagopède des saules) (Moorschneehuhn) and Whooper Swan (Cygne chanteur) (Singschwan) call in the dark....
Tue 24th
Sunny morning, mosquitoes. A Woodpecker crossing the road might have been a Three-toed Woodpecker (Pic tridactyle) (Dreizehenspecht) but Great Spotted ones DO haunt the area, too.
I arrive at the Wildbrownbear Hotel near Vartius. A pair of Waxwings (Jaseur boréal) (Seidenschwanz) in a fir tree, calls of Common and Parrot Crossbills (Bec-croisé perroquet) (Kiefernkreuzschnabel). After a siesta and late lunch. Arri takes me to one of his 7 hides where I am to remain until 7 in the morning, just on my own. Very punctually, 2 huge male Brown Bears arrive around 6 pm and start eating Salmon offal. There may have been a third animal but I am not quite sure. The Bears are surrounded by lots of Herring Gulls (Goéland argenté) (Silbermöwe), Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Goéland brun) (Heringsmöwe) and others which are not scared by them . But on one occasion they a fly away in panick. The Bears had left a short while before this happened. Probably one of the rare Wolverines (Glouton) (Vielfrass) which are regularly seen here had just stolen a morsel of salmon but I had been sitting on the wrong side of the hut... Bad luck!
But I can take a few good pictures of Bears, Wood Sandpiper (Chevalier sylvain) (Bruchwasserläufer), Greenshank (Chevalier aboyeur) (Grünschenkel) and Green Sandpiper (Chevalier culblanc) (Waldwasserläufer). I want to go to sleep after 10 pm but one of the bears comes back on and off and keeps me awake until midnight, sometimes being as close as 8 or 9 yards!
Wed 25th
Rain in the morning, no birds, no bears. Long drive to Boden to Ove's place.
Thu 26th
A Nutcracker (Cassenoix moucheté) (Tannenhäher) behind Ove's garden My first and only Marsh Harrier (Busard des roseaux) (Rohrweihe) in the Hoga Küsten are. 24 moulting Lesser white-fronted Geese (Oie naine) (Zwerggans) in Hudiksvall, none of them being ringed, offspring born in the wild from the birds released in the 1980s and 90s. Here you can get as close to them as 10 yards if you do not walk towards them,do not stop walking or intensely look at them.
Dinner with Bo's family.
Fri 27th
A last Black-throated Diver (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) crosses the road N Gävle by the Tönnebro car park near Ljusdal/Moran junction. They used to be at Höbäcken, not far from there but I had not seen them there since 2004. A pair of Cranes (Grue cendrée) (Kranich) near the bird tower of Store Mosse National Park at Kävsjön. Very high water level; so the Whooper Swans (Cygne chanteur) (Singschwan) and Black-throated Divers (Plongeon arctique) (Prachttaucher) had disappeared; it must have been too difficult to build a nest there this year.
I arrive in Denmark at midnight after realizing that there is still a thing in the sky they call a "Moon". I had not seen it for one month!
But I am already longing to return the those lonely inhospitable Fjells of Arctic Norway that hold such charming little birds..... Next year? Who knows?!
Postscript:
Thu 2nd August
A Hoopoe (Huppe fasciée) (Wiedehopf) crosses the motorway A31 in Burgundy, not far from Mirecourt/Epinal junction. Very exotic!
