Pushing the Boundaries Tour - birds & people on the road

We are on the road touring the UK with the ´Pushing the Boundaries bird club talks´. So far we have given talks at 3 bird clubs / groups, and we still have the 7 to go. Already meeting so many inspirational people and seeing new places, and new birds!

For me a big highlight is close encounters with the Red Grouse - very different from our Varanger ´white´ Grouse. I expected the Grouse to be a more rare bird, but surely as Martin promised this would be an easy tick. Within an hours drive we had seen more then 100 of these beauties. The female above posed for a while for a very exited guy from arctic Norway!

They were not difficult to find...

We are also getting lots of nice feedback on our talks, and meeting all the UK birders is an inpiring experience for an arctic birder. Though the weather is not treating us nicely - by UK standards that is. Two talks have been postponed due to heavy snow. 

The definition of heavy snow...

Change of plans - UK birders are adaptable :)

The term ´heavy snow´ still have a very different meaning in Britain then in Varanger. This is a scene from the beautifull landscape above Sheffield yesterday.

I guess this is what we call heavy snow in Varanger. Drivable, but any more then this and we give up too...

Birding in the UK is different too, but birds are birds and I am certainly up for an urban Gullfest! From downtown Sheffield factory area.

Another bird highlight for me: a very stylish looking 1st winter Caspian Gull! Iphonescoped by the way. A bird yet to be seen in Varanger. I feel more prepared to see one after this experience, and after Martins Gull Masterclass on Monday 28th of January, probably even more so!

And we are also meeting other locals. A rarity in Varanger - the Robin. 

On tour : Martin Garner / Birding Frontiers & Tormod Amundsen / Biotope 

Stay tuned :)

Tormod A. / Biotope