Flying barn door

I had expectations of a new wave of summer migrants in Maridalen today with Blackcap (munk), Pied Flycatcher (svarthvit fluesnapper) and Wryneck (vendehals) my hoped for species. Looks like I’ll have to wait a bit longer for these species but the day did turn up one big surprise. There had been an overnight frost and despite it being blue skies and sunshine it was chilly in the shade and the frost persisted until after 11am in some places.

Willow Warblers were slightly more numerous than yesterday and could be seen flycatching in the lakeside bushes but there were only a couple with the energy to sing. The big surprise of the day was a flying barn door. I had been alerted to look up by some alarm calls and located a large female Sparrowhawk (spurvehauk) which I initially took to be the local male Goshawk (hønsehauk) and I then kept scanning and saw a thermalling large raptor way in the distance. Expecting a Buzzard  (musvåk) I put the scope on it and was very surprised to see a White-tailed Eagle (havørn)! It soon started to glide towards me and came over my head although at some height before continuing towards the city (and thereby qualifying itself for the “Birds that could have seen my garden” list). This is my third record in Maridalen after birds in the last 2 years and only the fourth record here ever. This is a species that is becoming a lot more numerous and will surely become a regular site in a few years.

Ring Ouzels a(ringtrost) re still around and I had five birds and after hearing some rustling in the grass I saw a Lizard which posed well and amazed me with the length of its tail.

I visited the lake where it looked as though the Whooper Swans (sangsvane) were going to breed but they were not there and I fear have suffered disturbance of some sort. I saw a wary pair on Maridalsvannet on 23 April which I assume was the same pair that had left their breeding lake and were now looking for a new nesting site.

With a desire to see some new summer migrants I visited Fornebu at noon. Here I did hear and then see a singing Wryneck but otherwise there was little new. 

Lizard (firfisler)

flying barn door -White-tailed Eagle and a 2cy/juvenile if I am not mistaken (which I am often am)

female Sparrowhawk (spurvehauk) and not Goshawk (hønsehauk) as I initially thought. The size says female and the brown upperparts mean it is not adult but I'm not sure whether it is a 2cy or 3cy

the eye of a Goshawk

2 Ring Ouzels

Ring Ouzel

my first Wryneck (vendehals) of the year

feathers from a Woodcock (rugde) that I found suggesting it had recently died at the hands of an unknown predator. The white tipped feather is from the tail and the other is I assume a primary feather

Comma butterfly (hvit C) at Fornebu

Lesser Redpoll (brunsisik) at Fornebu