Pontic galore

During a visit to Jæren to work with Northern Lapwings, I also had the chance to do a bit of birding. Sterting with a both Marsh and Hen Harriers seen from the car in the evening when arriving on the 23rd.

Caspian Gull is a rare species in Norway, although it has become noticeably more frequent over the years. The first record in the country was in 2000. Today, it’s an annual visitor in small numbers.

After meetings in the morning I drove a round through Hå municipality in a landscape at the time wrapped in sea fog. My first stop was all the way south, at Sirevåg harbour. A young Caspian Gull has been staying there for a while, and I had brought some bread to lure in the gulls. The young bird didn’t show at first, but suddenly a slightly older individual appeared on a rock right in front of me. After a bit more bread‑throwing, the young gull finally turned up as well, and suddenly there were two Caspian Gulls in the harbour. Epic.