A twitch in Maridalen!

My choice of where to go this morning in the rain was rather narrowed down by me sleeping in and missing a lift with Kjetil J. to Svellet. When I was finally in a position to get moving at 0830 I chose therefore Maridalen for a short pre-breakfast trip.

It was still raining heavily and sure enough there had been a fall of waders with new record counts. There were a minimum of 28 Redshank (rødstilk) and 40 Greenshank (gluttsnipe) resting where they could (there is no mud at the moment). As soon as the rain eased the birds started calling and began flying off – it pays to be there in the rain.

Redshanks (rødstilk) and Greenshanks (gluttsnipe) forced down by the rain. They flew off north as soon as the rain eased

The Shore Lark (fjellerke) was still on the fields – it seems to have a favourite spot right by the church ruins but is easily disturbed here and then flies up on to the ploughed fields. I reported it and during the course of the day a twitch occurred! This is rarer in Maridalen than any bird I have seen there. I went up again in the afternoon and took this picture – madness J

Rarer than the bird itself - a twitch, including one of Norways top ten listers

Also on the fields today a female Yellow Wagtail (gulerle) and a few Ring Ouzels (ringtrost) still. I also had a male Redstart (rødstjert) and a migrating flock of 60 Pink-footed Geese (kortnebbgås). No raptors today – it would be great to have a Pallid Harrier (steppehauk) hunting the flocks of Meadow Pipits (heipiplerke) or thrushes that are so numerous in Maridalen at the moment.

female Yellow Wagtail. This resembles the one I had at Svellet a couple of days ago and may also be a flava

crappy of picture of a great bird, Redstart (rødstjert). Note that it is ringed

At Svellet Kjetil had in increase in Greenshank to 150 and Wood Sandpipers (grønnstilk) to 12 along with 2 Ruff (brushane) and a few Ringed (sandlo) and Little Ringed Plovers (dverglo). It is surprising that the rain didn’t cause a larger fall here given the numbers at Maridalen but it is good to see the numbers building up.