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Hernar - Øygarden's rarity hotspot
Hernar is an island at the northern end of Øygarden and is only reachable by boat. A regular boat service operates from Hellesøy to Hernar and other islands in the group. The island is Øygardens answer to Fair Isle or Utsira and has only recently started to receive attention from birders. There is little coverage even during peak migration times - the island is visited less than once a week for the vast majority of the time. Based on my own oberservations and reports from some of the residents there must be a vast amount of stuff that gets missed.
If there were to be any regular ringing in Øygarden this would be the place I would hope nets could be set up....
Hernar is probably THE best place in Øygarden for migrant passerines and rarities. Statistically it produces more good birds per visit than anywhere else. This is probably due to a number of reasons - Hernar is an island, there is relatively little disturbance and there are some good habitats. Another reason is probably that once on the island one is stuck there until the boat goes - meaning that once can really cover the available habitat well.
Greenish Warbler, Hernar, 26 August 2009
Yellow-browed Warblers turn up in varying numbers each autumn
The number of species
seen in a day spent birding on the island is usually around 40, almost
irrespective of the time of year.
Although rarities and migrants are the main reason to visit Hernar the island has other birds too. White-tailed Eagle and most of the other species seen in Øygarden can also be seen here. It is by far the best place for Twite which breed in good numbers and large flocks build up during the autumn.
Regular migrants include Water Rail (present for the majority of the autumn between at least September to November) and Grey-headed Woodpecker (largely in October).
Red-backed Shrike / Tornskate, Hernar, 03 September 2009
Great Grey Shrike / Varsler, October 2008
Fjord Express arrives at Hernar on a blustery October day
(Click on picture for boat timetable)
The
boat to the island leaves from Hellesøy which is a birding
destination in its own right - well worth checking if there is enough
time and/or light available. In April 2009 whilst standing on the deck
of the Fjord Express waiting for it to depart this Great Egret came
flying over....I have since been informed that this superb bird was
seen on Hernar by some of the residents on a number of occasions.
The commonest species of warbler in the autumn tend to be Blackcap and Chiff-chaff, with smaller numbers of Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warblers being seen. Often these species can be seen out of context foraging on the ground rather than in bushes and trees which are in short supply on the island.
Garden Warbler, Hernar, October 2008
Raptors
are often seen here, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and White-tailed Eagle are
the most common. Goshawk, Kestrel and Merlin are all regular visitors
too.
The heath and boggy areas on the eastern side of the island often hold few birds, but if there is time are still worth checking as something is usually seen in this area.
Dawn view from Hernar, November 2009
A selection of the rarities seen at Hernar is given below:
Spotted Flycatcher / Gråfluesnapper
Hernar, August 2008
Hernar is an island at the northern end of Øygarden and is only reachable by boat. A regular boat service operates from Hellesøy to Hernar and other islands in the group. The island is Øygardens answer to Fair Isle or Utsira and has only recently started to receive attention from birders. There is little coverage even during peak migration times - the island is visited less than once a week for the vast majority of the time. Based on my own oberservations and reports from some of the residents there must be a vast amount of stuff that gets missed.
If there were to be any regular ringing in Øygarden this would be the place I would hope nets could be set up....
Hernar is probably THE best place in Øygarden for migrant passerines and rarities. Statistically it produces more good birds per visit than anywhere else. This is probably due to a number of reasons - Hernar is an island, there is relatively little disturbance and there are some good habitats. Another reason is probably that once on the island one is stuck there until the boat goes - meaning that once can really cover the available habitat well.
Greenish Warbler, Hernar, 26 August 2009
Yellow-browed Warblers turn up in varying numbers each autumn
Although rarities and migrants are the main reason to visit Hernar the island has other birds too. White-tailed Eagle and most of the other species seen in Øygarden can also be seen here. It is by far the best place for Twite which breed in good numbers and large flocks build up during the autumn.
Regular migrants include Water Rail (present for the majority of the autumn between at least September to November) and Grey-headed Woodpecker (largely in October).
Grey-headed Woodpecker,
Hernar, October 2009
View
of Hernar showing most of the habitated area
The best garden on the island.....
The best garden on the island.....
During
the winter months
species such as Woodcock, Snipe and thrushes can be found here as they
try and move away from harsher conditions further inland. Autumn and
winter is also the best time to see Black Grouse on the island.
In the spring species such as Icterine Warbler can turn up.
In the spring species such as Icterine Warbler can turn up.
 |
 |
| Barred Warbler / hauksanger, Hernar, 02 October 2009 | Common Rosefinch / Rosenfink, Hernar, 16 September 2009 |
Red-backed Shrike / Tornskate, Hernar, 03 September 2009
Great Grey Shrike / Varsler, October 2008
Fjord Express arrives at Hernar on a blustery October day
(Click on picture for boat timetable)
The commonest species of warbler in the autumn tend to be Blackcap and Chiff-chaff, with smaller numbers of Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warblers being seen. Often these species can be seen out of context foraging on the ground rather than in bushes and trees which are in short supply on the island.
Garden Warbler, Hernar, October 2008
 |
 |
| Raven are a common resident | White-tailed Eagle are a very common sight at Hernar |
 |
 |
| Twite / bergirisk are a common breeder and passage migrant on the ilsand | Jack Snipe/kvartbekkasin are regular in small numbers on Hernar |
The heath and boggy areas on the eastern side of the island often hold few birds, but if there is time are still worth checking as something is usually seen in this area.
Dawn view from Hernar, November 2009
 |
 |
| "Downtown Hernar" | "Orchard" garden on Hernar |
 |
 |
| Birding Hernar, October 2009 | Blue Tit / Blåmeis foraging on the heaths on the east of the island, October 2008 |
 |
 |
| Siberian Chiff-chaff are a possibility in October | Lapland Longspur are regular in the autumn |
A selection of the rarities seen at Hernar is given below:
| English | Norsk | Scientific |
| Grey Phalarope | Polarsvømmesnipe | Phalaropus fulicarius |
| Glaucous Gull | Polarmåke | Larus hyperboreus |
| Eurasian Wryneck | Vendehals | Jynx torquilla |
| Grey-headed Woodpecker | Gråspett | Picus canus |
| Richard's Pipit | Tartarpiplerke | Anthus novaeseelandiae |
| Bohemian Waxwing | Sidensvans | Bombycilla garrulus |
| Icterine Warbler | Gulsanger | Hippolais icterina |
| Barred Warbler | Haukesanger | Sylvia nisoria |
| Greenish Warbler | Østsanger | Phylloscopus trochiloides |
| Yellow-browed Warbler | Gulbrynsanger | Phylloscopus inornatus |
| Great-grey Shrike | Varsler | Lanius excubitor |
| Red-backed Shrike | Tornskate | Lanius collurio |
| Common Rosefinch | Rosenfink | Carpodacus erythrinus |
Spotted Flycatcher / Gråfluesnapper
Hernar, August 2008