Wednesday 20 February 2013

Some birding of sorts


Finally some birding although the eight year old who accompanied me has now decided that she is not at all interested in birds so I wasn’t able to stay particularly long at any one place.

We started at Linesstranda near Drammen where some of the locals provide a great amount and variety of food for wintering birds. This has resulted in a good selection of overwintering birds including a Bearded Tit (skjeggmeis) in the reedbed (although as far as I know this has not come to food). I was hoping for some great views of the Bearded and Long-tailed Tits (stjertmeis) but neither showed for us whilst we were there. A Robin (rødstrupe) was my first of the year though – this winter they seem to have been very scarce. There was a lot of bird song in the woodland here mostly from Siskins (grønnsisik) and Bullfinches (dompap) – a positively spring feel was in the air.

Moving onto Horten I easily found the overwintering Mistle Thrush (duetrost). It is exceptional that they overwinter but this one has found a good supply of mistletoe berries to keep it going.

At Presterødkilen in Tønsberg we heard a couple of Bearded Tits in the reedbed but failed to see them and at nearby Jarlsø there were four Little Grebes (dvergdykker).

I tried for two Hawk Owls during the day but failed to find them.   Recent increase in records in hedmark and Oppland counties could be a sign that birds are moving north looking for suitable breeding sites.
a not particularly good picture of a Mistle Thrush high up in a tree but note the mistletoe on which it feeds

equally poor picture but I have never noticed that the undertail coverts are so boldy patterned before

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