Monthly Archives: May 2011

Birding Frontiers on Twitter

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Martin Garner

Don’ forget you can follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/birdingfrontier and there is a Facebook page to ‘like’ here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Birding-Frontiers/158990000833264

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Hornøya Friday 13th May, it was the first day without the rest of the gang. An early morning walk on Vardø Island got me a flushed Woodcock and singing Shore Lark. Summer plumaged Purple Sandpipers and a 3rd summer Glaucous Gull were in the harbour as … Continue reading →

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The Varanger Crew

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Martin Garner

Thanks! This is a pause mid-blog on the trip to say thank you. Brünnich’s Guillemot and friends still to come. To Tormod Amundsen who organised the whole promotion tour. A very enterprising young Norwegian with load of vision and energy (and projects!). He descibes himself as … Continue reading →

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Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Martin Garner

This is where… I will be giving talks between August 2011 and February 2012. If your interested in me coming to your group/ club in 2011/2012, give us shout: http://birdingfrontiers.com/contact-me/ If you are in one of these areas at the … Continue reading →

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Siberian Snow Bunting

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Martin Garner

Should it be on the British List? Heading up the northern shoreline of the Varanger fjord, Tormod and I encountered some fantastic flocks of seaducks. With some much food-rich water, most bays contain seaducks and gulls. With a bit of looking a few Steller’s Eiderwere found and stragglers of the wintering King Eider population. In one bay we … Continue reading →

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Hawk Owl

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Martin Garner

When bad news is really good news Thursday 12th May. Up early for breakfast. Packed and ready to go. Mid way through the grub and some bad news: The flight back to Vardø for me and Kirkenes for the rest of the group had just been cancelled. Yikes! The guys had a … Continue reading →

Posted in Arctic Norway, Owls and Nightjars | 1 Comment

Hunting White-tailed Eagle

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Martin Garner

It’s all in the wrist action One of the more bizarre things I learnt was the way the some White-tailed Eagles hunt Kittiwake chicks. Indeed I saw one bird circling in narrow space very close to the cliffs. What they do is fly as close as possible … Continue reading →

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The Blue Fulmar Pelagic

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Martin Garner

A New Western Palearctic Experience After the Gyr Falcon we collected our gear and headed, via some ‘white-out conditions’ in land, for Batsfjord harbour. A pioneering adventure had been dreamed up by our host Tormod Amundsen. A birding frontier! The plan was to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Arctic Norway, Seabirds | 3 Comments

Arctic Ocean Seawatch

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Martin Garner

Day One: Part Two This is still the same day. Day one! We left Vadsø harbour eventually heading north via Nesseby and Varangerbotn. We searched in vain for Hawk Owl, but birds such as Arctic Redpoll, Brambling, Rough-legged Buzzard and White-tailed Eagle didn’t fail. Singing … Continue reading →

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