Summer migrants filling up

Yesterday I uncharacteristically chose sleep instead of an early morning trip to Maridalen (I think I was still living on the high of the Dotterels). This morning though I awoke at 6am, pulled on some clothes and 20 minutes later was enjoying the early morning sunshine. The sunshine was very welcome as the strong northerly wind was doing its best to make it feel wintery. This wind is putting a real blocker on migration but some birds are of course still arriving and when the winds do change which is forecast from Wednesday then we could be in for some good birding.

In Maridalen today I had Wrynecks singing at three sites all of which I think were males. It is possible that one bird had moved from one sight to another whilst I was there so maybe only the two birds that I have previously heard. Three new summer migrants have arrived: Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler and Icterine Warbler. This means there are not many more to come with for me the only common birds I have yet to see being Marsh Warbler, Swift and Common Rosefinch.

It took me a while to find a Garden Warbler today. Twice I played the song in areas that I usually hold the species and twice a warbler responded and started singing right next to me but both times it was a male Blackcap – no wonder I have problems separating these two species on song when they clearly struggle themselves.

On the lake I only saw one Black-throated Diver on the lake but assume there is a bird on a nest (I had previously thought two pairs would breed but now it looks like it is just the usual single pair). The Lapwing situation seems to be a pair nesting a Skjerven and Kirkeby and a pair establishing themselves at Nes (after failing at Skjerven?).

singing male Icterine Warbler (gulsanger)

same bird

 

male Blackcap (munk) and not a Garden Warbler (hagesanger)

but this out of focus bird is a Garden Warbler

first Spotted Fly (gråfluesnapper) of the year

Willow Warblers (løvsanger) are surprisingly numerous this year after being so scarce on autumn passage last year

Wryneck (vendehals)

And here isa short video of the Wryneck singing. You can also hear Spotted Fly, Willow Warbler, Siskin and Pied Fly.