Red-breasted Flycatcher
North Utsira, South Utsira; Easterly gales and rain. How many times have we heard those names on the shipping forecast, without ever knowing where those places were? In fact, Utsira is an "exotic" island in the North Sea, ten miles west of Karmøy in Rogaland, Norway and approximately 200 miles north east of Sumburgh Head, Shetland, and has been home to a bird observatory since 1992. The island has a population of just over two hundred and has a total land mass of just 6km squared, making it the smallest municipality in Norway and inevitably draws comparisons of it to a Norwegian Fair Isle. Weather and wind have made it necessary to establish two harbours on Utsira. The trip to Utsira takes about an hour by ferry from the mainland and the voyage is now undertaken on a large, new ferry with stabilisers, roll control, and a light, airy lounge with air conditioning! Sea sickness has not quite disappeared, but most trips can now be regarded as a cruise! The island has secured its place in Norwegian birding folklore by virtue of the fact that no less than 23 national firsts have appeared there, and with 317 species recorded in total there, you can see why the potential for finding your own birds is enormous. We believe that we are the first birding tour company to open up the island and this inaugural tour is sure to be a great adventure. Most of our birding will be done on foot, so a reasonable level of physical fitness is required, though we will have a minibus to quickly get to all parts of the island, if a major rarity is found. Though the terrain is mostly flat there are parts of the island that are rocky and undulating. Our accommodation will be in selfcontained flats or rorbu. These are not en suite, but there are two bathrooms to each of the four rooms and a sauna is available. This is the traditional type of accommodation on the island and the rorbu are cosy and comfortable. Your tour leader will be Eddie Chapman, who has lived and birded in Norway for the past 32 years and been birding regularly on Utsira most autumn’s since 1980. He will be joined by Neil Donaghy and you can expect to see approximately 110+ species.
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Introduction
