It's a day for rainbows and surf waves. The first drops fall just as we walk through the stone wall on our way to Sjøfuglbua, and soon we are sitting safely under a roof and watching the rain. Not long after, it shines in the west. A golden light shines over the pebbles and the waves that roll in, and a rainbow plunges into the sea a few hundred meters from shore.

Far out there on the horizon, a ship rolls forward as its bow rises and falls like a seesaw.

- Many people wonder why the bench here is set so far into the room. But when the rain whips almost horizontally, they understand. Then you are still sitting dry and warm in here. And the concrete floor ensures that the telescope stands firm regardless of wind strength. That is one of the reasons why this is Norway's best observation post for seabirds, says Jonas Langbråten.

He is a nature guide at the Lista Wetland Visitor Centre, and will show us why so many bird watchers travel to Lista.

Migratory birds all year round

- You can actually see it on the map. Lista is an outpost. Although the migratory birds can fly far, they depend on food and rest. Therefore, many of the migration routes converge here. Lista becomes a kind of crossroads for the roads westward, southward or further along the Norwegian coast, he explains.

A plan in Sjøfuglbua illustrates the point. It shows when different bird species pass by; there are birds in every month.

- The last species on the way north, the ringed goose, meets the first waders going the opposite way, so to speak, says Jonas.

Of the just over 520 bird species that have been seen in Norway, 385 have been registered in Farsund municipality and 350 of them at the Lista Bird Station. This makes Lista lighthouse the location in Norway where the most species have been seen.

- I saw a collared flycatcher here last May. It does not breed in Norway, the nearest place is Øland. But it flew past here anyway, on a spring migration day it was full of birds, he says before he falls silent.

- There is a flock of woodpeckers flying, and a duck is right down between the waves. And look, there comes a flutter of feathers, he says when he takes his eyes from the binoculars again.

Bird experiences for everyone

The diversity of species has made Lista very popular among birdwatchers, and you will rarely go long without seeing people with telescopes and cameras with enormous telephoto lenses.

Einar Røras has driven from Mandal to see the bird life.

However, you do not need to know the difference between a cormorant and a sparrow to have great bird experiences in the area.

One thing is the VR glasses in the visitor center at the lighthouse, which give you the feeling of flying like a seabird over the North Sea. It is a dizzying and intense experience.

Even greater experiences await outdoors, with real birds. Binoculars can be borrowed free of charge. Every morning you can also join the bird station for ringing in the garden by the lighthouse and really study the feathered ones up close. Or you can join Jonas on a bird safari, and benefit from his vast knowledge of the various bird species that fly or swim by.

You can also join the ringing which is every morning in the period 15 March – 10 June and 15 July – 15 November.

For the most ardent enthusiasts, the rich bird life is usually enough in itself. But they also get good preparation. The first station offers accommodation in the apartments Skarven and Myrsnipa. And the free map from the tourist information shows a total of three bird-watching huts in addition to the Sjøfuglbua, as well as a further eight places where there is a good chance of seeing everything from Siberian waders to night warblers and white-backed woodpeckers.