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Varanger bird observations

Bird observations made during my holiday in June-July 1997 on the Varanger peninsula, Norway.
Order of species, scientific and Swedish names follow Jonsson, L. (1992). Fåglar i Europa.
English names follow Sandberg, E. (1992). European Bird Names.

Travel route

21-6-97	Uppsala (Sweden) - Sundsvall - Umeå - Skellefteå - Bovikens havsbad
22-6-97	Bovikens havsbad - Luleå - Haparanda - Rovaniemi - Sodankylä
23-6-97	Sodankylä
24-6-97	Sodankylä - Ivalo - Inari - Utsjoki - Varangerbotn - Nesseby - Store Ekkerøy
25-6-97	Store Ekkerøy
26-6-97	Store Ekkerøy - Hamningberg
27-6-97	Hamningberg - Vardø - Hornøy - Vadsø
28-6-97	Vadsø - Nesseby - Tana - Båtsfjord - Syltefjord
29-6-97	Syltefjordstauran
30-6-97	Syltefjord - Tana - Ifjord - Lakselv - Stabbursnes
1-7-97	Stabbursdalen nature reserve
2-7-97	Stabbursnes - Lakselv - Karasjok - Kautokeino - Enontekiö - Muonio - Parkajoki
3-7-97	Parkajoki - Naakajärvi - Junosuando - Gällivare - Porjus
4-7-97	Porjus - Jokkmokk - Arvidsjaur - Sorsele - Storuman
5-7-97	Storuman -Strömsund - Östersund - Sveg - Tandsjöborg
6-7-97	Tandsjöborg - Mora - Sala - Uppsala

Distance traveled on the Varanger peninsula: ca. 500 km. Total distance: 5000 km.

Species list Varanger

For each species the date and location of first observation is given, as well as some remarks on the occurrence of the species throughout the Varanger peninsula.

Gavia arctica Black-throated Diver Storlom	26-6 Hamningberg - 1 ex. another obs. in a lake between Vardø - Hamningberg
Sula bassana Gannet Havssula	26-6 Hamningberg - 3 ex. A colony breeding on the cliffs of Syltefjordstauran
Phalacrocorax carbo Cormorant Storskarv	25-6 Store Ekkerøy - ca. 30 ex. Common everywhere along the coast. A colony on Hornøy
Phalacrocorax aristotelis Shag Toppskarv	27-6 Hornøy A colony of ca. 150 breeding pairs
Cygnus cygnus Whooper Swan Sångsvan	26-6 along the coast between Ekkerøy - Vardø - 1 ex.
Tadorna tadorna Shelduck Gravand	24-6 Nesseby - 4 ex. ca. 25 ex. at Nesseby on 28-6
Anas penelope Widgeon Bläsand	28-6 Nesseby - 1 ex.
Anas platyrhynchos Mallard Gräsand	28-6 Nesseby - 4 ex.
Polysticta stelleri Steller's Eider Alförrädare	24-6 Nesseby - 7 ex. 8 ex. at St. Ekkerøy on 25-6
Somateria mollissima Eider Ejder	24-6 Nesseby Present everywhere along the coast in high numbers
Clangula hyemalis Long-tailed Duck Alfågel	26-6 along the coast between Vardø - Hamningberg - 15 ex. some obs. on the lakes of Båtsfjordfjellet on 28-6
Mergus serrator Red-breasted Merganser Småskrake	25-6 Store Ekkerøy - 10 ex. 10 ex. along the coast between Hamningberg - Vardø on 26-6
Mergus merganser Goosander Storskrake	24-6 Store Ekkerøy Very common everywhere along the coast
Buteo lagopus Rough-legged Buzzard Fjällvråk	26-6 along the coast between Ekkerøy - Vardø - 2 ex. Common, especially along the south coast
Haematopus ostralegus Oystercatcher Strandskata	24-6 Nesseby Very common everywhere along the coast
Charadrius hiaticula Ringed Plover Större strandpipare	24-6 Nesseby Common along the coast 2 ex. on Båtsfjordfjellet on 28-6
Pluvialis aprocaria Golden Plover Ljungpipare	25-6 Store Ekkerøy- 3 ex.
Arenaria interpres Turnstone Roskarl	25-6 Store Ekkerøy - ca. 15 ex. A colony, breeding on the southern part of St. Ekkerøy, together with Arctic terns
Calidris alpina Dunlin Kärrsnäppa	26-6 along the coast between Vardø - Hamningberg - 1 ex. ca. 20 ex. between Ekkerøy - Vardø on 27-6 ca. 10 ex. at Nesseby on 28-6
Calidris maritima Purple Sandpiper Skärsnäppa	28-6 Båtsfjordfjellet - 1 ex.
Calidris minuta Little Stint Småsnäppa	26-6 along the coast between Vardø - Hamningberg - 1 ex.
Calidris temminckii Temminck's Stint Mosnäppa	30-6 along Tana river - 2 ex.
Philomachus pugnax Ruff Brushane	24-6 Nesseby - ca. 40 ex. Very common everywhere along the coast, but also inland
Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel Småspov	24-6 Nesseby - 1 ex.
Limosa lapponica Bar-tailed Godwit Myrspov	24-6 Nesseby - 2 ex. ca. 250 ex. at Nesseby on 28-6
Tringa totanus Redshank Rödbena	25-6 Store Ekkerøy - 3 ex.
Phalaropus lobatus Red-necked Phalarope Smalnäbbad simsnäppa	24-6 Store Ekkerøy - 10 ex. Groups of 4 - 10 birds can be found in sheltered coastal waters and inland lakes. I did not see them in the famous pond behind the church of Nesseby, though
Stercorarius parasiticus Arctic Skua Labb	24-6 Nesseby Very common everywhere on Varanger, especially along the coast. It was not unusual to see 4 - 5 birds together in 1 single view through a spotting scope
Stercorarius longicaudus Long-tailed Skua Fjällabb	25-6 Store Ekkerøy Common, especially inland, at higher altitudes than the Arctic skua
Larus ridibundus Black-headed Gull Skrattmås	28-6 Nesseby - 1 ex.
Larus canus Common Gull Fiskmås	24-6 Nesseby Common along the coast
Rissa tridactyla Kittiwake Tretåig mås	24-6 Store Ekkerøy A colony of ca. 20000 ex. on the cliffs of St. Ekkerøy A colony of ca. 25000 pairs on Hornøy
Larus argentatus Herring Gull Gråtrut	24-6 Nesseby Very common along the coast
Larus hyperboreus Glaucous Gull Vittrut	26-6 along the coast between Vardø - Hamningberg - 5 ex. Every group of gulls on the beaches contained some Glaucous gulls, but never in high numbers
Larus marinus Great Black-backed Gull Havstrut	24-6 Nesseby Very common along the coast
Sterna paradisaea Arctic Tern Silvertärna	24-6 Store Ekkerøy Several colonies of 20 - 50 pairs on St. Ekkerøy Common everywhere along the coast
Uria aalge Guillemot Sillgrissla	26-6 Hamningberg A colony of ca. 4000 pairs on Hornøy Another colony on Syltefjordstauran
Uria lomvia Brünnich's Guillemot Spetsbergsgrissla	27-6 Hornøy A colony of ca. 200 pairs
Alca torda Razorbill Tordmule	26-6 Hamningberg A colony of ca. 500 pairs on Hornøy
Cepphus grylle Black Guillemot Tobisgrissla	24-6 Store Ekkerøy - 4 ex. Can be seen everywhere along the coast, but never in high numbers
Fratercula arctica Puffin Lunnefågel	27-6 Hornøy A colony of ca. 8000 pairs
Cuculus canorus Cuckoo Gök	30-6 along Tana river - 1 ex.
Asio flammeus Short-eared Owl Jorduggla	26-6 along the coast between Ekkerøy - Vardø - 1 ex.
Eremophila alpestris Shorelark Berglärka	28-6 Båtsfjordfjellet - 1 ex.
Riparia riparia Sand Martin Backsvala	27-6 along the coast between Vardø - Vadsø - 1 ex.
Anthus petrosus Rock Pipit Skärpiplärka	24-6 Store Ekkerøy Frequent along cliff coasts
Anthus pratensis Meadow Pipit Ängspiplärka	25-6 Store Ekkerøy Very common on the meadows of the south coast, but also inland
Anthus cervinus Red-throated Pipit Rödstrupig piplärka	26-6 ca. 2 km north of Vardø - 2 ex.
Motacilla alba White Wagtail Sädesärla	24-6 Store Ekkerøy Very common
Oenanthe oenanthe Wheatear Stenskvätta	24-6 Nesseby Everywhere
Turdus pilaris Fieldfare Björktrast	24-6 Store Ekkerøy Especially common in birch forests, e.g. north of Vadsø and in the Tanafjord
Turdus iliacus Redwing Rödvingetrast	26-6 Sandfjord, between Vardø - Hamningberg - 2 ex. Same as Fieldfare
Phylloscopus trochilus Willow Warbler Lövsångare	26-6 Sandfjord, between Vardø - Hamningberg Very common in all areas with higher vegetation
Pica pica Magpie Skata	27-6 Vadsø Mainly in the villages
Corvus corax Raven Korp	25-6 Store Ekkerøy Common everywhere on Varanger
Corvus corone corone Hooded Crow Kråka	24-6 Nesseby Common around villages
Passer domesticus House Sparrow Gråsparv	24-6 Nesseby Common
Fringilla montifringilla Brambling Bergfink	27-6 Vadsø Common in birch forests in river valleys all over the peninsula
Carduelis flammea Redpoll Gråsiska	27-6 Vadsø Common in birch forests
Carduelis hornemanni Arctic Redpoll Snösiska	27-6 Vadsø Frequent, but less common than Redpoll
Plectrophenax nivalis Snow Bunting Snösparv	24-6 Store Ekkerøy Frequent all around the peninsula, from sea level and upwards.

Total number of species on Varanger: 61

Species list during rest of the trip

During the trip from Uppsala (Sweden) to Varanger and back, I made frequent stops and short walks into nature reserves or areas that seemed promising for birdwatching. In total, I recorded 105 bird species (including the species seen on Varanger). Some of the non-trivial observations:

Anas marila Scaup Bergand	2 ex. from observation tower at Sotkajärvi (between Enontekiö and Muondio - Finland)
Melanitta fusca Velvet Scoter Svärta	1 ex. from observation tower at Sotkajärvi
Lagopus lagopus Willow Grouse Dalripa	1 ex. in Naakajärvi
Grus grus Crane Trana	2 ex. seen from the car north of Hudiksvall
Numenius arquata Curlew Storspov	many seen from the car in the meadows between Gävle and Umeå (along the Swedish east coast)
Tringa nebularia Greenshank Gluttsnäppa	several ex. breeding in Stabbursdalen nature reserve
Parus cinctus Siberian Tit Lappmes	1 ex. in Naakajärvi
Perisoreus infaustus Siberian Jay Lavskrika	4 ex. in Stabbursdalen nature reserve
Loxia curvirostra Crossbill Mindre korsnäbb	in a forest between Junosuando and Vittangi