Red and Rosy

Yesterday’s efforts raised me to 3rd place in this year’s annual listings. For someone based in Oslo that is no bad feat but I will soon fall off the pace as the summer and autumn pickings will be far worse for me than those based in south west Norway.

Today I had a couple of hours available and decided I would find myself Common Rosefinch (rosenfink) and Red-backed Shrike (tornskate). Checking Sørkedalen first I found a pair of Rosefinches and the male showed well for me although unfortunately the light was a bit wrong.

Male Common Rosefinch

 Also in Sørkedalen a Whinchat (buskskvett) giving a good Corn Bunting (kornspurv) impression, an Icterine Warbler (gulsanger) and in one field 10 adult and 12 very young Lapwings (vipe).

In Maridalen I also had a singing Rosefinch although I failed to see it, a Whinchat that mimicked both Rosefinch and Robin (rødstrupe), the Mediterranean Gull (svartehavsmåke) was flying over the lake, the Wryneck was hanging out of his hole and best of all a fine pair of Red-backed Shrikes.

male Red-backed Shrike

Wryneck

This is the first time I have had Rosefinch, R-b Shrike and Wryneck on the same day in Maridalen. Anyone of these species would have made my day birding in southern England and here I get to see all three on my local patch!

In the afternoon we had a trip to Øyungen lake in Maridalen for our first outside swim of the year (temperatures were well over 20C today) and here there were two male Teal that gave the impression they had females close by (possible nesting).