Jotunheimen

We are holidaying in the Jotunheimen mountains of central norway. Currently we are staying at Haugseter, a small mountain hotel 1050 metres up by the lake of Vinstra. We have been lucky with the weather with temperatures around 17C and a good deal of sun. Birds around the hotel and lake are typical mountain birds. On lake I have had Black Throated Diver, Goosander and Red Breasted Merganser and a flock of 8 Common Scoters. There is an unusually diverse range of gulls and terns for an inland lake at such altitude with 5 Arctic Terns, numerous Common Gulls, 2 Black Headed Gulls and a Herring Gull. 3 Cranes in flight over the lake were probably non breeders although they do breed in the area. Waders are in shorter supply with a few Snipe, Redshank and Golden Plover in the marshes bordering the lake and Common Sandpiper on the margins of the lake itself. Also in the marshes bordering the lake are Tufted Duck and Teal. On looking out of the window this morning the first bird I saw was an adult Golden Eagle over the ridge behind the hotel. The only other raptors we have seen so far have been 2 male Hen Harriers which are a rare breeder in Norway (I would much prefer to see the relatively far commoner Gyr Falcon!). Passerines are represented by Bluethroat, Willow Warbler, Yellow and White Wagtail, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Wheatear and Fieldfare.