Nordic Progress

15 February 2010

This report just in from Anne Harrison who is currently in Norway conducting aerial surveys.

"Had the most amazing survey today - we were hoping for Orcas as Ib, another surveyor, saw ten in one of the fjords yesterday. No luck, but awesome nonetheless; the highlight being a Golden Eagle being mobbed by two Ravens just beneath the plane in band A. The light conditions were perfect so the markings on the eagle were really clear. There are so many White-talied Eagles too - we must have seen at least seven today and they look massive!

Beautiful conditions and scenery, though not much in the way of birds in the fjords themselves. The good stuff is at the mouths of the fjords where there are endless small islands between which most of the ducks can be found. Some of the islands are covered with pine forest. I also had my first Long-tailed ducks today! No divers yet but the other surveyors have seen the odd Great Northern.

The transects that go out to sea are unfortunately very quiet so not many seabirds or cetaceans to be had. We are moving further North after survey tomorrow however, which may be more fruitful. We have a 300km fjord to survey first!"