Suðuroy 19/9-21/9

 This weekend the Faroese Ornithological Association went to Suðuroy, the best island for rare birds, or birds in general on Faroe Islands. We were five people, but decreased to four on Saturday, with two locals joining us, but not staying with us. We had our accommodation at Akraberg, the southernmost settlement on Faroe Islands.

Akraberg! First bird observatory on the Faroe Islands in the future???

But before we get that far, we started the birding immediately in the light rain and heavy rain from the ferry, which gave us a nice 3k+ dark phase Pomarine Jaeger, a quite rare bird this close to land, 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 European Storm Petrel, that I didn't see and a Puffin. After 2 1/2 hours we made landfall and immediately we went to Kjógvavatn at Nes near Hvalba, which held 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, biggest flock ever recorded on the Faroe Islands, a continuing Little Gull, Pale-bellied Brant, plenty of gulls.

We then drove towards Hvalba, where we could see a bunch of gulls feeding on a Pilot Whale carcass and when we drove closer, there was one gull left, a gull I immediately could recognise from Denmark - Caspian Gull! Wow, 2nd record for Faroe Islands and we barely been on the island for an hour.

We parked the cars and got some nice photos. We drove further and saw that the whole grass area was covered under water with ducks, waders and plenty of pipits surrounding the flooded plains with four Ruffs being highlights. The village itself didn't hold anything significant, so me, Bartal and William went to Sandvík to check the gardens, which held 1 Reed Warbler. While at Sandvík, Silas and Barbara had found a Wood Sandpiper, 13th record for the Faroe Islands. So we got in the car and hurried down to see it. We found it feeding in the rain and the waining light. So while Silas and Barbara went out shopping we headed to Sumba, the village just above Akraberg, to check the gardens and seaside. The gardens, even though the wind was a bit strong, held a few warblers with the absolute highlight being a Yellow-browed Warbler! Absolute favourite warbler and the harbinger of the autumn, accompanied by a Lesser Whitethroat. We went to the house and started settling in.

Next day I woke up at 0600, got some coffee and went out to the outermost tip of Faroe Islands to do some vismig. Before I even sat down I had found what would be one of the biggest highlights of the trip for me: 3 Orcas! I never get tired of seeing whales, and I wasn't disappointed as I found a Fin Whale also just outside the tip, WOW! Otherwise the 1 hour 45 minutes morning obs yielded 6 sooty shearwaters, 4 manx shearwaters, plenty of fulmars, 150 meadow pipits, 2 "grey geese" sp. and 12 chaffinchs. These 1 hour and 45 minutes are the first vismig obs done at Akraberg for maybe 20-30 years, crazy considering the immense potential it otherwise holds. We ate breakfast and went out birding. Sumba held some warblers and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers. Otherwise the rest of the island showed signs of a clear out, we were surprised when Silas found two bean geese at a small lake above Famjin. Bean Geese of either taxas are quite rare on Faroe Islands, with Taiga being far the rarest with only 6 records compared to rossicus's 22 records of 30 individuals. At first we thoughts one of each, but cooler heads prevailed and it seems to be two rossicus, with one looking almost exactly like a fabalis.

Tundra Bean Geese

We then went to Hvalba, the last destination of the day, where me and Bartal were dropped of to check the grassy fields and the village. While checking the reed beds and the small streams I saw a bunch of waders "jump" out of the grass when a crow passed over and my instinct screamed that we need to check them. I yelled for Bartal that we had to check them, and as we walked over I saw four Ruffs and a smaller wader that I could recognise as a putative Pectoral Sandpiper, and it didnt take much extra looking for confirmation! While looking the Wood Sandpiper paid a short visit and ended up joining the sandpiper for some crazy combo-shots. Shortly after we decided to check the gardens, where I ended finding a European Turtle Dove 1cy. It was quite skittish, but we managed to get some flight shots to nail the ID and exclude any of the other turtle dove taxas.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper

European Turtle Dove 1cy

We then headed back to the lighthouse once more, to get ready for the next and last day. Sunday didn't reveal anything too crazy, though the morning obs had 4 barn swallows, 3 great skuas, 3 Sooty Shearwaters and 4 Eurasian Wigeon to show for. It was otherwise the usual suspects, with one new addition in the shape of a Whinchat at Hov and Trongisvági had 1 Tree Pipit and 1 Pied Flycatcher. Me and Bartal were then dropped of at the ferry and that was the end of three days of heavy duty, topshelf birding!