Norwegian Birding

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

Monday 1 July

Just Back from a week's cruise with Jenny to Norway on Cunard's new "Queen Anne."  Not intended as a birding holiday but, nevertheless, one cannot but keep an eye on the bird life whilst aboard ship and at one of our shore visits.  First port of call was the lovely city of Bergen, albeit arriving early afternoon for our six hour visit, where, without fail, you cam across both Common Gull and Eider Duck in the coastal area and Hooded Crows once on dry land.  A good number of Feral Pigeons as we walked along the quayside and then we took a local train for a ride up the valley to dale to visit the famous Norwegian Dale clothing business.  Unexpectedly, a Green Woodpecker was seen from the ride up  and quickly followed by a male Pied Flycatcher.  Making our way back to the city we saw Starlings and the final walk through the park back to the ship enabled us to comes across a number of Mallards on the lake and scavenging House Sparrows around those eating their picnics.  Naturally their was no shortage of Common Gulls around the dock area and even a "stray" Magpie.

Eider Ducks Somateria mollissima in Bergen harbour

The following day saw us in Flam.  Unable to get a ticket for the train ride, we took a local tour up to the magnificent viewpoint at Stegastein.  Not so much the House Sparrows and Common Gulls we had seen at the coast but on on the mountain first a Pied Wagtail followed by Robin and Chaffinch.  Then, as we approached the town on our return drive, a Barn Swallow over the water.

Common Gull Larus canus

Continuing on with our adventure the third port of call was Olden, and this time we actually berthed in the town rather than distant Loen by tender and a fifteen minute drive to the town.  In between our sight-seeing we also found the birds starting with a trio of feeding Magpies seen from our balcony in one of the nearby houses. A tour and circumnavigation of the nearby lake produced both Chaffinch and Tufted Duck with a couple of resting Common Gulls on the water.  Walking across the field to my right a lone Oystercatcher.  Back in the town, naturally, more House Sparrows around the shopping centre and then we sat for our picnic lunch watching a pair of Red-breasted Merganser on the water at relatively close quarters.  I took a walk across the bridge to the other side of the this small stretch of water to get a closer look and recorded both Pied Wagtail and Hooded Crow before noticing the pair of Mallard working their way upstream. More than a dozen Common Gulls with one pair keeping an eye on their well-developed chick and even a couple more of the latter upstream from the bridge as I made my way back.  And then alone Magpie feeding in he garden below me.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

Unfortunately, our fourth visit to Haugesund had to be cancelled due to the forecasted heavy storm coming in from Scotland.  Therefore, the captain took the ship a little further along the coast so that we could visit the Hardangerfjord, the world's fifth and Norway's second longest fjord, culminating in the large waterfall and eventually turning the ship round at Eidfjord before returning to the North sea.  Most, if not all, of the bird sightings came as we made our return journey and approaching the sea recorded a number of Common and Herring Gulls, a group of ten Eider Ducks were resting on a small island and then a Glaucous Gull flew past the ship. Ere long we even had a Great Black-backed Gull flying past the balcony.  Before nightfall we were once again out on the North Sea and there, following us over the now very rough waters, a couple of Cory's Shearwaters.

Common Gulls Larus canus

The final day at sea was a case of empty waters, until reading my book at the front of the forward lounge I noticed the white speck on the water below.  Picking up my binoculars I instantly recognised the Gannet which seemed to completely ignore the approaching Queen Anne but, presumably, made a hasty departure before trying to out-maneuver the might of a steel hull!

Common Gull Larus canus with single chick

Birds seen:     

Eider Duck, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Cory's Shearwater, Gannet, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Glaucous Gull, Rock Dove, Green Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Dipper, Robin, Pied Flycatcher, Magpie, Hooded Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch.

Common Gull Larus canus chicks

Magpie Pica pica

Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

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