Bird watching IN NORWAY

Little Gull has been recorded.
Tekstboks: The Stjørdal area has a rich bird life with well over 260 recorded species and several good birding localities. Though Stjørdal can not boast of a long coast line (It's only 25 km long) some of best birding areas are to be found along Stjørdalfjorden. Halsøen is virtually situated near the centre of Stjørdal, and can be easy viewed from a number of advantage points from route E6 in the east, or Langøra in the west. Formed by the old river outlet, this tidal area is well worth checking. Due to the shallow waters and extensive areas of mud at low tide Halsøen is used both as a wintering area and a migration stopover point by many species. Both Mute Swan and Bewick's Swan have been recorded, though these species are rare, Whooper Swan however can be seen during the winter months but this species prefers other areas in the Stjørdal area. Greylag Goose is not an uncommon site during the spring and autumn movements while other species of geese like Barnacle and Brent can be seen from from time to time and in varying numbers. Mallard however can usually be seen in good numbers with max flocks of 800+ birds.  Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal and Pintail are annual spring visitors, and all three species can over-winter in small numbers. Rarer dabbling ducks that have been recorded include both Gadwall and Garganey. As one would expect the large areas of mudflats attract good numbers of waders during the spring, summer and autumn months. Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Dunlin and Common Redshank are characteristic for the area while rarer waders such as Little-ringed Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwit have been recorded. During winter white-winged gulls are seen from time to time, while Little Gull has been seen during the warmer months. Of the 158+ species that have been recorded in the area many are passerines with the surrounding farmland providing habitats, both for feeding and breeding. How To Get There: Only a few minuets from Stjørdal, follow route E6 south towards Hell (Honestly the place is called that) Check out the bays at Halsøen, and the other bay south of the runway at Værnes, Sandfærhus. Click here for map Vikanbukta  And Sutterøleiret - Two More Localities Within Easy Reach: Situated on the other side of Stjørdalsfjordfjorden from Halsøen. Both these localities offer good possibilities, though Sutterøleiret, has during the past years been somewhat reduced by landmass filling, and industry. However several small ponds and marshy areas have developed, and it is these areas that are worth checking especially from May through October. During the spring and autumn migrations such species as Temminck's Stint, Ruff, Green Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper can be found and there is always a scattering of passerines. The shoreline at Vikanbukta is about two km long, and at low tide an area of sandbanks and mud becomes visible. Over 145 species have been seen in this area, and due to the fact that areas such as Halsøen and Sutterøleiret have been partly destroyed with landfills, Vikanbukta is the last large area of shallow fjord habitat that remains intact. This area is favoured by Whooper Swans during the winter while White-billed Diver has been recorded. Eurasian  Oystercatcher arrives with the first signs of spring and is soon joined by a collection of the commoner waders that can be found in the region. Like other areas around Stjørdal, Vikanbukta can produce the unexpected with such species as Pomarine Skua being seen there. The surrounding habitat is mostly farmland with areas of scrub as well as both pine and decidious woods. Through the years such species as Turtle Dove and Common Rosefinch have been recorded  How to get there: Situated north of Stjørdal. Follow route E6 heading north at Kvislabakken turn left and follow road to Kleiva. To get to Sutterøleiret, you can follow the road out to the harbour jetty, at Tangen follow the path out past the dried out sand banks and meadows. Click here for map Velvang - Vinge - 5000+ Common Eider Situated on Trondheimsfjord the area is known for its high concentrations of sea duck and gulls. From March through May sea duck numbers can come up in their thousands with such species as Common Eider reaching 5000+. Long-tailed Duck and Velvet Scoter can also reach flocks of a thousand plus birds with the shallow fjords providing a rich food source. As one would expect, the shallow feeding grounds often attract divers, grebes and  other species of wildfowl, though some of them, like King Eider and Surf Scoter are rare. Gull numbers are good most of the year, but April is reckoned to be the best month with counts of 10,000 Common Gull, 2,600 Black-headed Gull and 1,200 Herring Gull worth mentioning. It is a large area with many paths that is just made to be explored. From spring the surrounding farmlands hold flocks of European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing and Eurasian Curlew, the latter two breeding in the area.  How To Get There: Lying North of Stjørdal. Follow route E6 and look out for signs saying Kvithammer and Vinge. At Vinge follow the road down to the shore, here there are paths and roads that you can follow that will give good views of the fjord and its shoreline. Click here for map Lake Almo: This lake is well worth a visit. Due to regulation there are often areas of shallow water at the eastern end of the lake, here you will find a rich vegetation with reeds and other aquatic plant life. Around its shores farmland dominates with areas of scrub and small bushes. Black-throated Diver often stops while migrating through the area and Slavonian Grebe has become a regular visitor. Common Teal, Mallard and Tufted Duck are no doubt the most commonest of the wildfowl during the summer months, while Whooper Swans reach 50-60 birds during the colder months. The area has produced one or two interesting observations for the county, one of them being Eurasian Hobby in 1990. How To Get There: The lake is about 10 km north of Skjelstadmarka. Once at the lake there are a number of paths around the area that one can follow.

Stjørdal

Common Eider can number 5000+, while King Eider are rarer.

Wood Sandpiper  can be seen during migration times

Black-tailed Godwit  -  one of the more uncommon waders to visit the area.

Mallard  -  the commonest dabbling duck of the region.

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