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Map of Harstad and the Hinn Island Region

Map of Norway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Harstad and Hinn Island Region has a rich artic wildlife and flora, where the meeting of the warm Gulf Stream and the colder waters add richness to both sea- and inland wildlife. The area s situated at 69 degrees north, 300 km north of the polar circle.

The area has a lot of different types of topography from mountain plateaus, birch forests, coastal plains, to islets and skerries. It`s also characterized by many islands with narrow sounds and fjords. All these islands are along the mainland of the Fennoscandinavien peninsula. From the coastal plains the mountains can rise straight up to 1000 m. All this of course affects the area's wildlife.
 
 
 
Type of wildlife experience

 

Seals are common by the shoreline, but they are in larger numbers out in the archipelago. There is one colony at Gapøyholman – Gapøy Islets in Kvæfjord, situated in the Andfiord.

There are more than 200 species of nesting birds in Troms, an unusually high number considering the county’s northern latitude. It's also a resting point for birds migrating  north and south. In the area around Harstad there are several places where you can watch birds. Some are protected landscapes where respect for the environment is necessary. More information: www.visitharstad.com
 
Popular destinations
Sundsvoll Sound – Bjarkøy
Kittiwake colony with more than 10 000 birds. The birds arrive in mid-February and leave the nesting cliff in Mid-August.
 
Lake Laugen – protected landscape at Trondenes - Harstad
Protected landscape and birdlife around Laugen lake near Trondenes Historical Center. There are footpaths by the lake.
 
 
Season
 
Birding: Spring, summer and fall (nesting and migrating birds)
Seals: All year
 
 
Wildlife experience companies
  • Destination Harstad  - Information
  • Sipa adventures -Sea kayaking in the realm of killer whales and sea eagles. 
  • Whalesafari - Andenes - Whale watching tours
  • Nord-Norsk Dykkersenter, tel: + 47  95 22 92 35 - Deep sea rafting in the archipelago around Harstad, in the midst of wildlife.
  • Boat hire  - In and around Harstad you can hire boats of different types and speed. There is no better way to experience the wildlife and catch some fish.
  • Hike or bike

Common birds and animals

Sea mammals   Birds  
 Humback whale Sea eagle Great Tit
 Common porpoise Goshawk White Wagtaile
 Whitebeaked dolphin Rough-legged Buzzard Common Starling
 Killer whale - Orca Falcons Hooded Crowe
 Lesser rorqual Common Raven House Sparrow
 Pilot whale Grouse Bullfinch
 Sperm whale Black Grouse  
 Grey seal Oystercatcher  
 

Northern Lapwing

 
Land mammals Seagull  
 Moose Kittiwake  
 Reindeer (not wild) Puffin  
 Lynx Tern  
 Wolverine Shag  
 Red Fox Common Eider  
 European Otter Common Guillemot  
 Stoat Greylag Goose   
 Lemmus Lemmus Mallard  
 Hare European Magpie  

 

Common migrating birds in Troms County observed in their return Spring 2005

University in Tromsö - Rob Barret

 Red-throated Diver  Ruff  Blue-headed Wagtail
 Black-throated Diver  Common Redshank  White Wagtail
 Slavonian Grebe  Greenshank  Common Starling
 Pink-footed Goose  Wood Sandpiper  Dunnock
 Common Shelduck  Black-tailed Godwit  Sedge Warbler
 Common Teal  Bar-tailed Godwit  Willow Warbler
 Wigeon  Whimbrel  Common Chiffchaff
 Northern Pinntail  Eurasian Woodcock  Winchat
 Northern Shoveler  Common Snipe  Norther Wheatear
 Tufted Duck  Arctic Skua  Robin
 Common Goldeneye  Black-headed Gull  Fieldfare
 Rough-legged Buzzard  Arctic Tern  Ring Quzel
 Common Kestrel  Common Cuckoo  Redwing
 Merlin  Wood Pigeon  Song Trush
 Oystercatcher  Sand Martin  Chaffinch
 Ringed Plover  Barn Swallow  Brambling
 Eurasian Golden Plover  House Martin  Twite
 Northern Lapwing  Skylark  Reed Bunting
 Ruddy Turnstone  Tree Pipit  Snow Bunting
 Knot  Rock Pipit  

Observed birds in and around Lake Laugen

 Slavonian Grebe                          

 Song Trush                               Common Tern                         

 Grey Heron                                  

 Caffinch  Blackbird
 Velvet Scoter  Red Bunting  Great Tit

 Common Teal

 Oystercatcher  Brambling
 Wigeon  Northern Lapwing  Snow Bunting
 Tufted Duck  Eurasian Woodcock  House Martin
 Red-breasted Merganser  Common Snipe  Meadow Pipit
 Sea Eagle  Black-headed Gull  White Wagtail
 Sparrowhawk  Herring Gull  Common Starling
 Pied Flycatcher  Great Black-backed Gull  Magpie

 Fieldfare

 Common Gull  Hooded Crow
 Raven  Willow Warbler   Sedge Warbler
 Robin Redwing  House Sparrow 
 Redpoll Bohemian Waxwing   

 

 

 
Wildlife
 
Boat building
 
Traditional food
 
Living History
 

Co-financed by European Union, European Regional Development, Fund, Interreg IIIB Northern Periphery Programme







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