A bit of this and a bit of that

Managed three birding trips of various lengths today. The day started at 0630 at Fornebu with Per Christian where I had 4 hours of birding. Mid afternoon a sleeping daughter in the back seat of the car "necessitated" a drive around Maridalen and after the kids were in bed I managed a trip to Østensjøvannet and Maridalen (there is enough light for birding until 2130 now).

Fornebu was not particularly productive but we put in enough effort to be rewarded with some early migrants such as Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Whitethroat. Visible migration was scant but we did have a flock of 10 Greenshank, 6 Wigeon, 8 Tufted Duck and 9 Cormorants which all were actively migrating. Otherwise displaying Little Ringed Plover, drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Redshank and a male Kestrel hanging around the nest box. On the fjord from Rolfstangen were over 70 Red Breasted Mergansers and a Common Tern and a female Redstart flitted amongst the bushes.

The first trip around Maridalen revealed 2 Whooper Swans - an adult and juvenile. If these are two of three that have been present for the last week or so then what has happened to the other adult - could she(?) be sitting on a nest? 25 Goldeneye included a flock of 10 in the middle of the lake that looked newly arrived and also a flock of 9 Tufted Duck that were new in and 3 Teal. Highlight was a Ring Ouzel though on the ploughed fields at Nes.

My evening trip to Østensjøvannet was to see the reported White-fronted Goose and Pochard. I found the Pochard which was a nice male but could not locate the goose although a hybrid goose (uncertain parentage) and one of the 2 Pink-footed Geese present showed white on the face that could lead to confusion! Moorhen was new for the year. The second trip to Maridalen was as the sun set and now the Tufted flock had risen to 15, there were 2 more Teal and a Whinchat flew alongside the car. 3 beavers were visible near their house (I can't come up with the proper name as I write this) including one that was clearly a youngster, a Tawny Owl called very clearly from an area where I have not heard them before but where there is a suitable nesting box and a Woodcock patrolled the area.

There is some rain forecast on Tuesday this week which I hope will cause some more waders to appear.