The first weeks of May are exciting at Røst. Many of the regular breeding birds are coming back, but it is also a time for rare vagrants, and this year was no exception.

The star of the period was no doubt a smart Lesser Yellowlegs (gulbeinsnipe). Røst is a hotspot for this national rarity – it was the sixth record of this American wader on the island.

Another guest from across the Atlantic was a beautiful male Green-winged Teal (amerikakrikkand), hanging around with the Eurasian teals (krikkand).

A couple and a single male Gadwalls (snadderand) was seen regularly – we suspect this uncommon duck might breed on the island and hope this season will bring evidence.

The elegant Northern Pintail (stjertand) was present in good numbers.

Small groups of arctic geese stopped over on their way north, Pink-footed Geese (kortnebbgås) being the most numerous.

A few flocks of Barnacle Geese (hvitkinngås) were seen…

…while a couple of Brent Geese (ringgås) was more unexpected.

A single Whooper Swan (sangsvane) stopped over for a few days.

Our single Little Gull (dvergmåke) is back for the third consecutive year and has found its place in the colony of Black-headed Gulls (hettemåke). He is singing non-stop, desperately trying to attract a female, and we really hope he will succeed this year.

The Great Skuas (storjo) are back on their breeding spots around the island.

Most of the local shorebirds are back, and three Black-tailed Godwits (svarthalespove) have been present displaying over the wetlands.

Ruddy Turnstpone (steinvender).

Common Snipe (enkeltbekkasin).

Whimbrel (småspove).

Dunlin (myrsnipe).

Ringed Plover (sandlo).

Not many raptors to be seen this period, but this female Merlin (dvergfalk) stopped over for a snack.

Ringing has been slow with mainly the common species, but this Wryneck (vendehals) was a bit of a surprise!

Many of the local passerines are back, like the Northern Wheatear (steinskvett).

Rock Pipits (skjærpiplerke) are found along the shoreline.

A couple of White Wagtails (linerle) settled in their breeding territory. 

More unexpected was a Pied Wagtail (svartryggerle) – this is a subspecies of our White Wagtail found breeding on the British Islands.

A nice male Blue-headed Wagtail (sørlig gulerle) was seen briefly at the start of the month, while a female showed up a week later.

Chiff-chaffs (gransanger) have been numerous.

A couple of Pied Flycatchers (svarthvit fluesnapper) stopped over on the island on their way north.

Barn Swallows (låvesvale) are back, hunting for what can be found of insects.

The last two days of our stay, we were counting Eider Ducks (ærfugl) for the Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA).

A bonus was a beautiful White-billed Diver (gulnebblom) in almost completed summer plumage.