Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris (Temminck, 1828)

A black-browed albatross came to Mykines in 1860 and returned annually to the Gannet colony. It was shot in 1894, and by then it was older than 34 years.

Petur Petersen (á Botni) skinned the albatross and sent the study skin to Denmark (Knud Andersen) and it was then thought that it had disappeared, since it was not registered in the Zoological Museum. But in 1996, Jon Fjeldså gave J-K.J permission to look in some large boxes of unregistered large skinned birds in the Zoological Museum's skin collection. There J-K.J found the very well-preserved Mykines albatross and took this photo of it.

The last 151 days of an English puffin's life

On 07 July 2022, puffin NO. EA97678 was tagged with a steel ring and a geologger on the Isle of May, which is located on the east side of Scotland. On 05 November 2022 it was shot southeast of Eysturoy, Faroe Islands. Eli Lassen immediately saw the logger and made sure that Jens-Kjeld had it sent, so that it could be read for the very important and interesting information. As can be seen on the map, the puffin first migrated down to Biscay and west of France, as was the most common in the "old" days, after which it migrated to the Faroe Islands, where it then remained for approximately 9 days before it was shot.

According to Mike Harris, this is the first time that a puffin with geologgers first migrated south and then northwest.

Enclosed photos of the bird were taken by Eli Lassen.

Of course, you can't believe that a puffin thinks like a human; but when it comes to procuring food, it acts like the rest of us. When the Scottish puffin with ring number NO. EA97678 reached southern France, it discovered, that there would be a shortage of food. Therefore, it chose to turn around and fly due north. Of course, it could not know, that puffins are shot in the Faroe Islands in winter. And that was its fate.

E. S. The puffin stayed west of France and north of Portugal for 2 months from August to 20 October 2022, after which it flew directly north. It was shot on 05.11.2022.

Article in The Herald

Common Murre Uria aalge albionis

First registration in Faroe Islands of a Common Murre Uria aalge albionis ringed as chick in Heligoland.

This southern subspecies (albionis) is more light gray on the upper side than the Faroese Common Murre. It has only been registered three times earlier in Faroe Islands according to "Birds of the Faroe Islands - facts and figures", but it is probably an overlooked subspecies in Faroese waters, just like Uria aalge hyperborea, which is larger than the Faroese Common Murres. I myself have observed both subspecies several times more than the 3 observations, which I have been registered for.
02. December 2021, Hans Eli Sivertsen was out shooting birds. Among other birds he shot 4 Common Murres, whereof two belonged to the subspecies Uria aalge albionis. One of them was ringed as a chick June 24, 2021 on the island of Heligoland in Germany. It is the first find of a ringed Common Murre from Heligoland, which is in a distance of 1200 km from the east side of Nólsoy, where it was shot. According to the Faroese Bird Migration Atlas, a Common Murre, ringed in the Faroe Islands, was found in Germany, but it is not known whether that Common Murre was hatched in the Faroe Islands or in Heligoland.
N.B. A juvenile Common Murre usually weighs less than an adult bird. But this young ringed chick, that was shot by Hans Eli, was only 5 months old and fat. It weighed 950 g, which is close to the weight of an adult Common Murre.

Little egret Egretta garzetta

In October 2021, several Little egrets were seen around the Faroe Islands. Several observed one in Tórshavn, and on October 17, Sigga Vang found it dead in Steinatúni (in the middle of Tórshavn) and sent it to us. Jens-Kjeld has taken a closer look at the old male, who weighed only 300 g. against its normal weight of 450 g. The stomach contents were examined and it contained neither ear stones from fish nor plastic, but just the black substance seen in the pictures.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Hanna Joensen photographed this next observation of Cattle Egret for the Faroe Islands on Sandoy 27.04.2018.
The first Cattle Egret for Faroe Islands was found and photographed by Tummas Tomassen in Viðareiði 28. September 2008.

On November 14, 2017, Esbern in Eyðansstovu observed a Mourning dove Zenaida macroura in Mykines. It flew around in the village until 21. November, whereafter Esbern took it in care, since it seemed to be in a poor condition. The dove died two days later.
This is the first registration of Mourning dove in the Faroe Islands, and it is only registered 6 times before in Europe.

Listen to the song

Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur

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On June 4, 2016 Bogi Jacobsen found this dead Hawfinch in his garden, which was ringed in Poland. This is the first discovery of a Hawfinch in the Faroe Islands, and this is also the first discovery of a Polish ringed bird in Faroe Islands.

Read about the bird

The Ringing report

American Black Duck Anas rupribes

There are three subspecies of puffins - or 3 sizes.
The smallest of them - Fratercula arctica grabae, is in the Faroe Islands. The medium one - Fratercula arctica arctica, which is much larger, is in northern Norway and Iceland. The third and biggest one, Fratercula arctica naumanni is in Greenland and Novaya Zemlya.
It happens regularly, that foreign winter puffins come to the Faroe Islands to forage. Then some of them are shot - it is allowed to shoot puffins in Faroe Islands in the winter. Until today 26 Norwegian ringed puffins are shot in the Faroe Islands in the winter.
On 27.01.2008 this Norwegian winter puffin on the image was found below some both houses on Nólsoy. It was so starved, that it could not stand on its feet, so it was put down just after that the picture was taken.
Note the large beak on the Norwegian puffin. Also notice the dark cheek and the lack of white stripe on its beak, which is the typical characteristics of a winter puffin.

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

17.04.2014 Dánjal Ári Poulsen found this rare died guest, who turned out to be a young female Goldfinch. Dánjal notices everything, so he will find what is worth finding on nólsoy.

Black swan Cygnus atratus

In the late 1930s a Black swan was observed in a long period near Leitisvatn, Vágar.

In April 2002 a Black swan was seen in Vestmanna and presumably it was the same bird, that was seen later on Sandsvatn.

In 2006 Petur Nolsø, Tórshavn had a pair of Black swans, which got 4 chicks.

In May 2012 a Black swan was seen near Tórshavn and later it flew around on Sandoy.

This one from 2014 was first observed 12. February in Vágseiði in Suðuroy. Most probably it is the same bird, that has been located in Skálafjørður, Eysturoy the last 2 weeks. It can either have come from Great Britain or from Petur Nolsø.

Tórshavn 30.04.2013

Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis

This stuffed Great white Egret was found dead in Søltuvík on Sandoy just before Christmas 2012

Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus

Invasion of waxwings: The first Waxwings arrived in Sandavági 22.10.12. The next 3 weeks many were seen across the country, but only few are seen the later days.

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Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides is starving to death

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides breeds in Greenland and a little further west Larus glaucoides kumlieni - which is a subspecies of Iceland Gull - breeds.
Here in early January 2012, Icelandic Gulls are all over the Faroe Islands. We have not had such a large invasion of Iceland Gulls since January/February 1983. The Iceland Gulls are everywhere and I have talked to fishermen, who say there are 30-40 birds around the boat all the time.
Since it is normal to eat for example Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus in the Faroes, I have had the opportunity to examine some of these Iceland Gulls a little closer. Except from one they were all very skinny - in fact they were on the verge of dying of hunger.
Iceland Gull is seen commonly in the Faroe Islands in winter, and studies have shown that normally 96% of the birds are females but the gender distribution of this invasion is 80% males and 20% females, and such a gender, I have never before seen here. One can imagine that since females are smaller, they do not perform well in the competition for food and therefore they will move away in an attempt to find areas where competition is not so high. When males are now emerging on the Faroe Islands in large numbers, it suggests that there is an extreme shortage of food in Greenland. They simply have fled from Greenland because of food shortages, but the question is whether there are able to get any rescue here in the Faroes, where the birds have starved for the last many years.
Unlike the invasion in 1983, very few of theese Iceland Gulls look like the western stock - Baffin Gull Larus glaucoides kumlieni from Baffin Island, but they will perhaps also show up a little later. Baffin's Gull Larus glaucoides kumlieni vary widely and there are many intermediate forms, but in general the juveniles are darker as well as the older birds have dark drawings on the primaries.

On 08.01.2012 this Iceland Gull was sitting on the pier in Nólsoy to weakened to fly. It only had enough energy to stand up for a moment before it had to lie down again. It is a male and weighs 575 g. Normal weight for such a big male should be around 300 g. more.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

This Cape Shelduck visited Tórshavn 12. May 2011. Cape Shelduck comes from South Africa, so this must be a duck, who has escaped from captivity in one of our neighbour countries.

For the first time ever 4 Great Tits have stayed all the winter in the Faroe Islands. I succeeded to ring one of them.

I caught this Pallas' Rosefinch on Nólsoy 28.04.2003. It has most probably escaped from a cage and then flown to Faroe Islands. This is the only registration of Pallas' Rosefinch in the Faroe Islands.

12.09.2010 the ship Viking Lady approached Runavík with this Osprey on board. The bird was a chick from this summer. Hans Eli Sivertsen took care of the bird for approximately 14 days, mainly feeding it with mackerel.

25.09.2010 Jens-Kjeld Jensen ringed the Osprey, where after it was released.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres

Turnstone seems to spend the winter in the same place year after year. This old male was ringed by Guy Morrison in Alert on Ellesmere Island in North Canada (82.30N - 62.20W) 1. June 2008. Hans Eli Sivertsen observed the turnstone 28. March 2009 near Bacalao in Tórshavn, and he observed it again this winter in the same place. Jens-Kjeld took these photographs of the turnstone 1. February 2010.

The Crossbills come from Scandinavis, mainly because of lack of spruce cone seed in their homeland. They then migrate, hoping to find plenty of spruce cone seed in for example Faroe Islands.

Until now several Crossbills are found dead. The photographed yellow female was caught by a cat in Nólsoy today 02. July 2009. Today Agneta Jacobsen simultaneously caught 3 Crossbills in the kindergarden in Nólsoy, whereof the red photographed male above is one of them.

Símun Petersen was lucky to get theese photographs of a Snowy owl 27. April 2009 in "Gilinum á Høgaryggi", situated between Múlahaga and Krossdal on Borðoy. This is the 4 registrated observation of Snowy owl in the Faroe Islands since 1955. The 3 other observations are:
October 1990, Hvannasund, Viðoy: 1 female found dead by Oskar Simonsen and Poul Johannes Simonsen.
30. July 2001: 1 seen north of Saksun, Streymoy by Kirstin Blom, Bette Johansen and others. Documented by photograph.
11. September 2004:  Trongisvágur, Suðuroy: 1 adult male seen by Jens Petur Brattalíð. Photograph: Bjarni Nygaard.
On the other hand there are several none registrated observations of Snowy owl: A man name Torvald shot 1 in Porkeri, Suðuroy in about 1955. Around 1969 1 was seen near Sumba, Suðuroy. 1 male was shot in Nólsoy in about 1970 (it was stuffed). Many people saw 1 fly over the harbour in Nólsoy, when the ferry Ritan arrived in about 1978. 1 was almost run over by a car, as it was sitting in the middle of the road between Tjørnuvík and Langasandur a winter night in about 1975 and finally 1 was seen 27. November 2004 in Kirkjubønes, Streymoy by people, that were hunting hares.

There is no real system in the visits of Snowy owl in the Faroe Islands and it has never been registrated systematically.
Salomonsen (1963) writes about 15 findings/observations, and he also mentions an invasion in 1955.
Governor Müller (1863) writes about 1 from about 1843 and another 1, that stayed the whole winter in 1849-50. 1 was caught in 1855 and finally he writes, that he has heard about many seen around the islands that year.
Is it possible, that Salomonsen has gone 100 years wrong, when he perhaps thought about the invasion in 1855, and then wrote 1955 instead?
In October 1857 2 Snowy owls were seen near Tórshavn and 1 was seen on the same spot 25. May 1861.
Andersen (1901) writes, that Müller shot 1 adult male near Tórshavn 14. September 1863.
Andersen (1897) writes after Petur á Botni: Nyctea nivea: Seen several times and once shot in Nólsoy.
Salomonsen (1935): 1 female in Nordredal, Streymoy 18. June 1897 and 1 Mykines 10. February 1900.

The first Cattle Egret visiting Faroes was observed 28. September 2008 in Dalinum, Viðoy. The lucky observer was Tummas Thomasen. He told Olevinus Sørensen, Viðareiði about the Egret, and the day after - around noon, he observed the bird at the same location. In the evening the Egret flew to Viðareiði, where it was seen by Tóri Simonsen and others. 30. September Tóri Simonsen took these two photographs among others.