Summer holiday birds

July was holiday time, with a couple of weeks exploring the west coast of Norway. Covered a lot of ground, visited a few touristy places, but also found time to sneak in a bit of birding. A few avian highlights below (or at least some of the better bird photos I took).

Juvenile Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (N=stokkand) having a good stretch in the sunshine. Øygarden, 20th July 2020.

Part of the Northern Gannet Morus bassanus (N=havsule) colony at Runde, 24th July 2020.

Several pairs of Great Skuas Catharacta skua (N=storjo) breed on Runde. In fact over 90 % of the Norwegian breeding population is found at this one site. Runde, 23rd and 24th July 2020.

Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica (N=lunde). As is the case elsewhere, this species is declining as a breeding species in Norway. Runde, 23rd July 2020.

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis (N=heipiplerke), Ervik, Stad 22nd July 2020

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica (N=blåstrupe), Geiranger 16th July 2020

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus (N=sivsanger), Ervika, Stad 22nd July 2020