The weeks leading up to Mid-August represent the end of the summer at Røst. 

One week was spent doing fieldwork for the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research at the station at the island Hernyken. One of the main tasks is to register what the Puffin (lunde) feeds their chicks and measure the growth of the puffin chicks.

This year the diet consisted of a variety of fish species of variable quality, and the growth of the surviving chicks were slow.

We saw a few chicks leaving the nest. Some in pure condition, still with a lot of down…

…and som looking quite fit.

Mapping the feeding behaviour of Black Guillemots (teist) is also an important part of the study.

The Kittiwakes (krykkje) have a hard time, and only a couple of pairs bred successfully in the nearby colony at Gjellfruvær. Guillemots (lomvi) also breed here, and a guillemot chick is seen in the background.

Fulmares (havhest) are back breeding on the island Buvær, and at least one pair had a well fed chick.

Arctic Skuas (tyvjo) seems to have a hard time – this was the only juvenile bird we saw this summer.

Back at mainland Røst waders were on the move. Good number of Little Stints (dvergsnipe) were feeding in the wetlands.

Spotted Redshanks (sotsnipe) prefer the small ponds on the island.

A few adult Curlew Sandpipers (tundrasnipe) was a nice encounter.

A juvenile Little Gull (dvergmåke) was a more surprising guest.

After a couple of weeks in Southern Norway, we will be back at Røst for the fall migration in September. Stay tuned!