Sun

The sun keeps on shining which makes for a nice walk but does not make for the best birding. Spring migrants keep on coming though. Per Christian and I walked around Maridalen today and can confirm that Chaffinches (bokfink) are back and already singing. When hearing a familiar song for the first time each spring it takes a few seconds to work out what it is but this is a most welcome addition to the small but growing chorus. We also had a flyover Buzzard (musvåk), two Goshawks (hønsehauk) and two Sparrowhawks (spurvehauk), calling and drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker dvergspett), Mistle Thrush (duetrost), Reed Bunting (sivspurv), Long-tailed Tits (stjertmeis), Dipper (fossekall) and two male Teal (krikkand) and the first Greylags Geese (grågås) of the year on the lake. In other words a good selection of species but nothing outstanding. The Greylags landed and went through the thin layer of ice that had formed on the lake after an overnight frost and no wind. There was little sign of visible migration except for a few Wood Pigeons (ringdue) and Crows (kråke) heading north as did one of the Sparrowhawks.

Fornebu felt nearly birdless under the scorching sun but did actually give me five year ticks: Oystercatcher (tjeld), Shelduck (gravand), Ringed Plover (sandlo), Lesser Black-backed Gull (sildemåke) and Lesser Redpoll (brunsisik). We also had the Great Grey Shrike (varsler), heard at least two Bearded Tits (skjeggmeis) and had a few Stock Doves (skogdue). Summer plumaged Black-headed Gulls (hettemåke) are also now back and a Grey Wagtail (vintererle) flew over but no White Wagtails (linerle) have yet appeared.

At Fornebu we saw a few day flying moths that superficially resemble the Small Tortioseshell butterfly (neslesommerfugl) – I will have to wade through my moth book to work out what they were.

summer plumaged Black-headed Gulls are always a delight in the early spring

Stock Dove - quite smart as far as doves and pigeons go

Long-tailed Tit

male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker