Birding Molde and Ona Island

Molde is a unique town on the west coast of Norway. It is situated on the south side of a mountain slope with the Moldefjord stretching out before it. Beyond the fjord to the south is a panoramic vista of mountains, with a total of 222 mountain peaks, of which 88 reach higher than 1000 meters above sea level. Quite a sight!

A view over Molde at sunrise, with some of the mountain peaks in the background.

With a few days to spare, my friend Eirik took me birding around Molde and the small island of Ona, some 20 km from the mainland. Ona was our first target and we headed out early the first day to catch the two ferries to the island before sunrise. Standing on a high point on the island, Eirik was calling out the names of bird species he could hear or see, as they flew over us. Interestingly, birds seem to ‘drop’ onto the island under certain weather conditions, such as overcast skies. Hence a number of interesting bird species can be found on such offshore islands. 

Early morning on Ona, with grassland and shoreline habitats.

The usual species such as Blackbird, Blue Tit, Brambling, Redpoll, Common Starling, Redwing, Chaffinch, White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare and others were heard above us. There were many others, but I lost track! A Grey-headed Woodpecker was heard calling nearby, which we later got to see, perched on a pole. As the sun appeared, we started our walk through the various habitats on the island, such as grasslands, gardens, beaches and small patches of woodland. The gardens produced some of the most exciting species for me, such as Lesser Whitethroat and a female Blackcap, which I did not get to see well on Røst in September. Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, House Sparrows and various tit species were frequently found in the gardens.  Snipes were flushed from the moist grasslands, while Curlews, Grey Herons, and Cormorants were found along the rocky shores. Unfortunately we did not see any unusual pipits, with Meadow Pipit being the only species around.

Walking the beaches of Ona in search of larks and pipits.

 

At midday we decided to take the next ferry to Sandøy, situated between Ona and the mainland. From the ferry we saw a Common Guillemot, Razorbills and Red-breasted Mergansers on the water, while a Peregrine Falcon flew by. At Sandøy we saw many of the species seen earlier on Ona, but also a host of additional species. Along the shoreline were White-tailed Eagles, Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plovers, Mallards, Teals and Pintails, with a male Pintail in striking breeding plumage. Further out to sea were Kittiwakes and a Great Northern Diver. A pair of Whooper Swans flew overhead, which was a surprise as they are normally found on the mainland. 

A typical garden on Ona. A White's Thrush was seen here some years ago!

 
The grasslands held flocks of Twite, while a few Skylarks and Snipes were also flushed. A new Norwegian tick for me was a flock of Barnacle Geese on the agricultural fields, which also supported a small flock of Golden Plovers. A Merlin also made an appearance, perching for some time on a small tree before taking off again. The day on Ona and Sandøy was a great refresher of the excitement that comes with island birding, even though we did not get to see any major island rarities. I later heard that Ona was rather quite this year with regards to rare birds, compared to the other islands such as Røst, Vaerøy and Utsira. Nevertheless, I look forward to returning to Norway someday to indulge in some more extended island birding!  

Choose your colour. Some houses on Ona Island.

We also birded areas further north of Molde, visiting many of Eirik’s old birding haunts. Some of the highlights included my first Smew and Common Scoter. A Common Greenshank on the exposed tidal flats was an exciting find as I had not yet seen this species on the trip. Species I had not seen for a while which made an appearance during the day included Black-headed Gull, Waxwing, Little Stint, and Ringed Plover. Flocks of Snow Buntings and the odd Lapland Longspur (seen only in flight) and Skylark were found along the grasslands bordering the beaches. 
 

A Great Spotted Woodpecker, the most easily seen woodpecker in the area

We made a couple of concerted efforts to find a White-backed Woodpecker, a rather sought-after species. However, owing to the large home ranges that birds occupy, it is not any easy one to find. Great Spotted Woodpecker was usually the first and only woodpecker to show itself. A search in the forests above Molde delivered another woodpecker species though, which I was delighted to see, namely Black Woodpecker. This is a seriously impressive bird, with its pitch-black plumage and red crown, not to mention its good size. The species is somewhat of a regional rarity in the area, so we were lucky to see it. Though it did not hang around long, my impression of the bird is still very clear!

Birding some lakes north of Molde; the white specks are Whooper Swans!

Besides birding, we also took a drive along the famous Atlantic Ocean Road between Molde and Kristiansund, an 8 km drive that zigzags between islands and 12 connecting bridges, with sea on both sides. It was chosen as “Norway’s construction of the century” in 2005 and was awarded the status as a National Tourist Route because of the bridge and road architecture and the magnificent coastline that it traverses. So if you ever find yourself in the area, take it for a ride! 

The Atlantic Ocean Road on Norway's west coast

After a few great days in the Molde Area, it was time to head south again. Thanks to Eirik’s hospitality, I managed to see quite a number of new lifers as well as add several new Norwegian ticks to my trip bird list. My next major destination was Bergen in southern Norway, with a couple of stops along the way of course…

Winter's catching up...

I took the longer but more scenic route from Trondheim to Molde, which would take me over the mountains at Sunndalsøra located en route between the two cities. On the second day after leaving Trondheim I reached Rindal, a good birding spot for some local specials. However, the good weather up till then gave way to light but persistent rain. As the first drops fell, I found my first group of Long-tailed Tits. What delightful birds; their pure white heads give the impression of small snow balls. These birds are quite quick when on the move and it was not long before they were foraging in the trees further down the road. After continuing in the rain for a while, I decided to stop at a fuel station with a little shop to take some cover. A friendly chat with the shop keeper turned into a longer discussion about the weather forecast and the road that lay ahead. Before leaving I was generously donated a couple of large tins of food and cold drinks for the road.

Near Rindal, with rain approaching.

On approaching Sunndalsøra, I was having doubts about my plans to cross the mountain. The top quarter of the mountains were covered in thick fresh snow, while some of my gear including boots and gloves were still drenched from the day’s rain. Stubbornness got the better of me and after a couple of hours in town building courage, I was taking the winding road through the breath-taking Litldalen Valley towards the mountain. The autumn colours of the trees were stunning, with every possible shade of yellow, orange and brown on display. The road started a somewhat steeper ascend, which then turned into a long slog to get up the steepest climb I have attempted yet in Norway. 

Looking back onto the Litldalen Valley during a steep climb.

Traffic was scarce, with the only vehicles on the road being rescue workers in search of a hiker who was caught unawares by the snow. He was lucky to be found, but it took a state-of-the-art rescue helicopter to get him off the mountain. One of the rescue workers told me that that was the first and probably last rescue operation for the year, and with that my concerns that I might have to get rescued too, were gone. Eager to make it to the top in good time, there was little opportunity for birding. Species seen while on the go included Siskin, Nuthatch, Willow and Marsh Tit, Redwing, Chiffchaff and Blackbird amongst others. Blackbirds were to become far more common after my first encounter with them in Litldalen.

Just before the top, a dense fog moved in, rekindling my thoughts of a second rescue mission on the same day. Fortunately the fog cleared after a while, making way for sleet. Great, things were really looking good now! Reaching the snow line, there was not much track to steer the bike on. Only one rescue vehicle had passed this way this far up, leaving a narrow track on the gravel road with two inches of snow either side. Fortunately the snow did ease up after a while, making cycling easier.

Heading for Aursjøhytta on top of the mountain.

I finally made it to a place called Aursjøhytta, about 20 km after climbing the steep ascent out of the Litldalen Valley. Aursjøhytta is more like a summer vacation spot; no one hangs out here when it snows. The well-spaced cottages were all deserted. With little choice but to get off the mountain before night fall, I continued along the track in the direction of Eikesdalen, at the foot of the mountain but on the other side. An approaching vehicle in the snow fall was a surprise, but I think they were more surprised to see me!  What would a cyclist be doing in the snow at 900 m up the mountain? After getting more information about the road ahead, which they had just traveled, I decided to make a break for the mountain pass that would get me to Eikesdalen. 

Magnificent snow-covered landscape on the mountain, but little time to appreciate.

It was a 10 km stretch, with lots of slippery ups and downs which meant I often had to get off the bike to push - wheel-spinning up icy inclines was not going to get me anywhere. Its like having teflon-coated wheels! I had a few sightings of Willow Grouse in the snow, but I was too rushed to really appreciate the views. I continued well after sunset, determined not to find out what it must be like to camp in the snow at such altitude. However, with the brakes clogging up with snow during the initial descend into the Eikesdalen Valley, I finally pitched my tent beside the road where the snow layer seemed less intimidating. 

Camping in the snow with the Eikesdalen Valley in the background.

My cheap thermometer read -5 degrees Celsius the next morning, the coldest I had experienced yet. With the rising sun I discovered I had stopped just above the snow line during the night. I was glad the episode was over. Now I could focus on birds again, and not where my front wheel was going. Dropping the last few kilometers into the Eikesdalen valley chilled me to the bone; the sun was still too low on the horizon to warm the valley. Battling to hold the bike and the binoculars with cold hands, I eventually made a dash for the first spot of sun I could find on the road. I also took the opportunity to dry some gear that got wet from the ice. From here on things got better, so I was able to appreciate the views along the magnificent Eikesdalen valley. Nuthatches were common, as well as Long-tailed Tits, Wrens, Goldcrests and Siskins. Unfortunately I did not see or hear any woodpeckers, one of the main reasons for taking the route over the mountain and through the valley.

Drying gear in the Eikesdalen Valley after a cold night in the snow.

Some 30 km before Molde, Eirik, who had returned from his trip, caught up with me. Fortunately so, as I was heading on the road to Molde that passes through a sub-sea tunnel closed to cyclists. If Eirik had not intercepted me with impeccable timing, I would have had to have made a significant detour. With the bike loaded in the back of the car, we were off to Molde to prepare for some island birding the following day. I was lucky to have escaped the early winter chill this time round…

Birding Trondheim

With only a day before leaving on his next trip, Eirik took me birding around Trondheim to see if we could find some regional specials. We started the day early in old pine forests looking primarily for Hazel Grouse, with Eirik using a unique whistle to call out male birds. However, after several attempts at different spots we were still out of luck. Pygmy Owls were also nowhere to be seen despite repeated efforts to whistle them out. While birding the forests a host of other species were seen, including Goldcrests (I would almost consider them the equivalent of the African white-eyes), Coal Tit, Crested Tit, Chiffchaff, Robin, Brambling and Siskin amongst others. Bullfinch was a lifer for me, while I was also pleased to see my first Eurasian Jay for Norway. 

The agricultural fields around Trondheim.

Moving on to some agricultural fields we picked up Greylag and Pink-footed Geese, Yellowhammer and my next lifer, Reed Bunting. While i had had a number of probable sightings of this species over the past couple months, I was never able to get decent views until now. A visit to some lakes and tidal areas produced some good birds such as Slavonian Grebes, Pintails, Long-tailed Duck, and my first pair of Shovelers. A Coot amongst the Goldeneyes and Tufted Ducks on one of the lakes was a nice surprise, another Norwegian first for me.

At Verdalsøra we visited an interesting patch of grassland close to a beach, where we saw a Short-eared Owl being relentlessly harassed by two Hooded Crows. Owls have been pretty hard to see since the beginning of summer due to low rodent numbers, so it was at least good to know there were still some birds around. Yellowhammers were abundant in the area while a couple of Skylarks were also about. We ended the day scanning a large gathering of Pink-footed Geese in the hope of finding a White-fronted Goose amongst them.

A Yellowhammer at Verdalsøra.

Thanks to Eirik, I still had a place to stay after his departure the next day. Left to my own devices and with some tips on where to find some more birds around Trondheim. I was off exploring. I stopped by the Norwegian Ornithological Society’s office and was pleased to meet up again with Ingar and Tomas, whom I had met earlier on my travels at Starbbursnes where they were conducting bird surveys. After getting more birding tips and a map of the city, and browsing through the great collection of bird books, I went in pursuit of my first target species. The localised population of Rooks is easy to find, so it was not long before I found several birds at one of the regularly frequented parks. 

A Rook in Trondheim. Note the pale base to the bill.

The next target species was a little harder to track down, so it was only the following day that I caught up with another localised Trondheim species, namely the Spotted Nutcracker. The birds in Trondheim are of the Siberian race, and established themselves in town after an influx in the mid-1990s. Due to the presence of suitable pines bearing large seeds, a small population of birds remained after the influx, and have since become resident. An interesting phenomenon indeed, and as interesting as the bird itself. Watching Nutcrackers getting at the seeds of pines is something worth watching!  

A Spotted Nutcracker in Trondheim. An unusual species indeed.

Another species I was after in Trondheim was Hawfinch, but did not manage to find it at the recommended site. I did however get great views of other species, such as Eurasian Treecreeper, Marsh Tit (which looks superficially similar to Willow Tit), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Jackdaw, and Song Thrush. On the Nidelva River, which passes through the city, I saw my first male Goldeneye in full breeding plumage. While most male Mallards were in full colour by this time, the other waterfowl species were slower to follow. I was pleased with the prospect that I would soon get to see other waterfowl species in plumage, such as Teal and Pintail, which till thus far have only been in shades of brown. 

After a great stay in Trondheim, and experiencing some of the best weather in a while too, it was time to move on. I was planning on taking a detour through the mountains on my way to Molde at the coast, but little did I know that the seasonal clock was ticking, fast….

Crossing the Arctic Circle

From the island Røst I took the four hour ferry ride back to Bodø on the mainland. The ferry arrived in Bodø at 03:00, and with nowhere to go until the town woke up, I took shelter outside the train station with some fellow ferry passengers. The temperature was cool so it was a relief to get inside the waiting room of the train station once it opened three hours later. After spending the day in Bodø, I headed south towards my next major destination, Trondheim. The trip to Trondheim would be around 800 km, and would take me across the Arctic Circle and across the halfway mark through Norway. With autumn well underway it was imperative that I covered ground quickly if I wanted to miss the first ice of the approaching winter. The rush meant less time was spent on birding and photographing birds, and more time on pedaling!

Though it would take a little longer, I decided to take the more scenic coastal route rather than the busy E39 highway. This also meant I would have to catch several ferries linking the road system along this part of the Norwegian coast. My first stop was the Saltstraumen, the world’s strongest tidal current. Here the sea water passes through a 150 m wide and 3 km long sound that connects the Saltenfjord with the Skjerstadfjord. Every six hours a total of 400 million cubic meters of water passes through the sound at speeds of up to 40 km per hour. Not the place to go for a swim!

 

The Saltstraumen south of Bodø.

 

The usual birds were seen along the way, such as the large gulls (Herring and Great Black-backed), Common Eider, Mallard, Grey Heron, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Brambling, Fieldfare, Chiffchaff, Willow Tit, Raven, Magpie, and White Wagtail amongst others. However, I noticed a number of species that I had not seen before, especially after crossing the Arctic Circle. New species included Goldcrest, Siskin, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, Green Woodpecker and Crested Tit. Goosanders must have reached their southern limit along the way as they were scarce, while Red-breasted Mergansers were common in the fjords.  Although I had seen Wood Doves in the north, they were certainly more common as I cycled south. Seeing this transition in bird species was interesting and exciting, and made the scenic trip even more rewarding. Besides birds, wheat fields became a more obviously part of the landscape going south. Not surprising since the Trondheim county is the wheat basket of the country.

Crossing the bridge at Sandnessjøen on a rainy day.

The perfect spot for wild camping, tucked away at the end of a little-used track.

It had been a while since I last met a fellow touring cyclist on the road, so I was very surprised when I met two cyclists about two thirds of the way on the route from Bodø to Trondheim. And I was beginning to think I was the only one crazy enough to be out cycling Norway in autumn! The two cyclists were from Norway, but had been on a nine-month long tour of North and South America, and were ending their journey at Nordkapp. They knew what they were letting themselves in for, but were determined to end their world tour with a south-to-north cycle through Norway. That takes guts, when you are back in your home country after nearly a year on the road, and then still keep going. Hats off to them!  You can see more about their travels at: http://www.kulturverk.com/2012/06/16/verdens-ender-en-sykkelreise-fra-ushuaia-til-nordkapp-fra-villazon-bolivia-til-cusco-peru/, though the article is in Norwegian.

The last touring cyclists i have met in Norway, so far.

Closer to Trondheim Jackdaws became very common in the towns, especially in Levanger. Here I also had the chance to see hundreds of Pink-footed Geese gather on the agricultural fields before their migration. The migration season was definitely well underway and seeing the behaviour of birds during this time was something new to me. Large flocks of Fieldfares were regularly seen gathering and passing over as they moved south on migration. I was surprised to see some Barn Swallows still around, as most of them would be well on their way to warmer Africa by this time. 

Wheat fields became an obvious feature of the landscape going south.

In Stjørdal, the last town before Trondheim, I somehow lost the designated cycle path due to road construction work in the town centre. I asked another cyclist the way to the path, and that’s how I met David. David not only pointed out that the path was just behind me, but also led the way out of town, saving me the effort of having to work out the route by myself. David was from Stjørdal and was out cycling enjoying the sunshine on this extraordinarily nice day. The weather was so good David actually cycled the whole 35 km with me to Trondheim to meet up with his family who were there for the day, and then treated me to a cup of fruit tea and a kebab. I am most grateful to David’s generosity and company along the road; it was great start to my short stay in Trondheim. David cycled back to Stjørdal that evening so I hope he made it back in good shape.

Looking back at the road just cycled.

 

That evening I met up with my Norwegian friend Eirik, who had just returned from a long trip. Thanks to Eirik I had a chance to wash some rather ragged cycling clothes and get a taste of Chinese food again. The next week I spend in Trondheim was a great break from the saddle, with far more time for birding...