Spring at the tundra

Our drive from Pasvik to the destination Vardø was done in two days. Lots of birding from the car, and we stayed the night in Vadsø. Huge numbers of Red-necked Phalaropes fed along the shores or in nearby small ponds. Hundreds of twitching birds swimming around is an impressive sight. There were lots of other birds around, both on land and at sea, and the spring was still in an early phase compared to southern Norway.

Summer plumaged shorebirds are often brighter colored than during winter. Like this stunning adult male Bar-tailed Godwit feeding in the shore amorg the Phalaropes.

Six days at Svartnes in Vardø followed. The pipit-studies were carried out with extreme accuracy, and several adults were color-ringed. Göran will give these individuals further attention later this summer.