Poland spring trip 2014 - part II

Every year I have the privilege to go to Poland with my class of nature photographers at Lofoten folkehøgskole.

The second week of this years trip we went to eastern Poalnd and the great National Parks of Bialowieza and Biebrza.

The Bialowieza forest is probably the most intact primeval forest ecosystem in Europe, and it is famous for the population of European Bison.

Biebrza National Park is a river valley with huge areas of wetland and natural fields, and it is a paradise for wetland birds!

European Bison (Bison bonuses),
 Bialowieza forest - Europeisk bison

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia), Biebrza - Stork

Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava), Biebrza - Gulerle

Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) is quite common in Biebrza - Sitronerle

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), Biebrza - Linerle

White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) was found
in thousands in Biebrza the first week of May - Hvitvingesvartterne

White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), Biebrza
- Hvitvingesvartterne

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) were also numerous
in Biebrza - Hvitkinnsvartterne

White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), Biebrza
- Hvitvingesvartterne

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus), Biebrza - Hvitkinnsvartterne

White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus), Biebrza
- Hvitvingesvartterne

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus), Biebrza - Hvitkinnsvartterne

Male Penduline Tit (Remiz pendulinus)
building nest, Biebrza - Pungmeis

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Biebrza
- Svarthalespove

The Map (Araschina levana) was flying in great numbers in Biebrza
- Europeisk kartvinge

Biebrza is the best place in Poland to find Elk (Alces alces) - Elg

Poland spring trip 2014 - part I

Every year I have the privilege to go to Poland with my class of nature photographers at Lofoten folkehøgskole.

The first week we spend in the northern areas near Gdansk, and I always.

Female Bearded tit (Panurus biarmicus) at Wistula river, Gdansk.

Singing male Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) by Wistula River, Gdansk.

Plenty of migrating Lilltle Gulls (Larus minutus) at the mouth of Wistula.
Also one Black-headed Gull and a Black Tern among them.

The first Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) ducklings swimming at Rewa.

Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandicensis) at Hel.

Sandwich Terns (Sterna sandicensis) at Hel, with a single Common Tern
to the right.

Spring moths

Around Easter I had the chance to go for early moths with my light trap in Southern Norway, and was rewarded with a nice selection of spring beauties!

Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) - Buemerket seljefly
Probably the most common moth in April.

Angel Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) - Taggvingefly

Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia) - Nattpåfugløye
Males fly in full daylight, and can easily be attracted with feromones.

Pale Pinion (Lithophane socia) - Brunt kappefly

Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) - Olivenlurvemåler

Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) - Fiolett vårfly

Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) - Vivendelfly

Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) - Brun rosemåler

Pine Beauty Moth (Panolis flammea) - Furufly

The Herald (Scoliopteryx libatrix) - Flikfly

Spring by the northern beach

Not many convincing signs of spring on the shore of Lofoten yet, but some undoubtable signs are here. The seagulls are marking their territories and the rock pipit is singing from the naked stones. The toughest of the spring migrants - the Snow Buntings on their way from the Central Russian steppes to Greenland - shows up in great numbers. And among them, an unexpected guest.

Rock pipit - Anthus petrosus

Herring Gulls - Larus argentatus

Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis

Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis

Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis

Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis

A Lapland Bunting - Calcarius lapponicus - showed up among
the Snow Buntings.

Winter birds by the sea

Most birds leave the northern part of Norway in the winter months. But there are exceptions: some seabirds find the temperated waters along our coast very suitable as winter quarters.

The Purple Sandpiper is the only wader that we find in great numbers
north of the arctic circle in the winter.

Long-tailed Ducks in Andenes (King Eiders seen in the rare)

Long-tailed Ducks, Andenes.

Common Eider couple in Andenes Harbour 

Common Eiders gather in great numbers at Gimsøy, Lofoten Islands

Common Eiders under low winter sun, Lofoten

Many Whooper Swans spend the winter in Lofoten. This winter a long
period with low temperatures and no snow made all lakes freeze over.
Tha swans moved out to shallow sea-shores, but this group found relief
in drinking fresh water from an open stream

One of very few Iceland Gulls this winter; a 2nd winter bird
from Henningsvær

Kittiwake in snow, Henningsvær.

Kittiwake

While photographing seagulls in Henningsvær, I captured this bird. It is a
1st winter Herring Gull, and this was the first sighting of the bird after
it was ringed in London, GB 30. November 2013. In late March the same
individual was seen in Bergen!

My winter friend: the Northern Hawk Owl

As winter here north eventually seems to come to an end, it is time to sum up. Not much going on on the bird front this winter, but a number of Northern Hawk Owls have been nice company.