The largest sanctuaries are in the North Norwegian Lofoten islands. On the 365 islands live the black guillemot, cormorant, puffin, white tailed eagle, kitti-wake, fulmar, gannet, and black-tailed godwit. Another place to head for is the marsh Fokstumyra, close to Dombås in eastern Norway. No fewer than 87 different species have been spotted there, including the great snipe, hen, harrier, whimbrel, lapwing, Temminck´s stint, as well as a wide variety of water and marsh birds. PUFFIN At one time, about 150 people lived here, catching puffins as a subsidiary source of income. Catching puffins involved the use of the unusual puffin dog, also termed the Måstad dog. Puffin meat was cured in salt and lasted way into the autumn. There were no roads and very unsatisfactory harbours, so a few years after the war, the village was abandoned. Today, there are about 700 puffin dogs in Norway. All of them can be traced back to Måstad. Going ashore on Måstad is generally combined with a fishing trip or an expedition by boat to the bird cliffs. THE SEA EAGLE CAPITAL Bodø is known as the town of the sea eagle, and nowhere in the world is there a larger stock of this majestic bird. Daily these huge birds are observed soaring high above the town or perthed on rocks on the islands near Bodø. The Sea Eagle Society is an exclusive club that aims to protect the sea eagle and to inform the public about this proud bird. The society also supports various creative endeavours. Membership is available only to those who have actually been in Bodø and have seen the sea eagle in its natural environment. EAGLES At one time, when there was a bounty on eagles, the people of Værøy used to catch eagles with their bare hands, a rather singular pastime that the inhabitants of Værøy had to themselves. Lying in hiding in caves, hunters baited the eagles and caught them with their hands. Eagle hunting caves can be examined to this very day. BIRD CLIFF The mighty bird cliffs on Værøy are to be found on the southwesterly side of the massive, facing the ocean. During the summer, trips to these cliffs are organized every day. BIRD COLONIES The steep and towering islands southwest of the populated island of Røstlandet, are home for the largest number of nesting birds in all of Norway, with approximately one fourth of the country´s seabird population. A census taken in 1992 shows a population of 2,5 million adults birds. During the summer, there are daily boat trips to the nesting colonies. On the island of Vedøya, you can see the remnants of early settlement, showing that the island was probably an old fishing and hunting station. Bird lovers and researchers, both at home and abroad, regularly visit these ornithologically important islands. The island, Runde has a unique variety of species. Almost all our seabirds that breed in colonies are represented, the most numerous being the tourists favourite: the puffin. It nests in screes and holes in the ground, making it difficult to count. But there are something like 100,000 pairs! The kittiwake forms the other really big colony with its 50,000 pairs. Its shrieking swarms really make themselves noticed. The beautiful gannet, shining white with a bright yellow stripe across its head, is the largest of all the feathered inhabitants. The colony at Rundebranden is the biggest and oldest in Norway, and one of just 40 gannet colonies in the world. SOME BIRDS Great snipe Hen Harrier Whimbrel Lapwing Temminck´s stint Kittiwake Puffin Razorbill Guillemot Gannet Fulmar Shag Oyster catcher Curlew Eider Shelduck White tailed eagle Eagle owl Peregrine falcon Golden eagle Sea Eagle