OSLO BIRDER: Back on the patch

After a long break I have finally been back on the patch and have bagged the final three summer visitors that I had been waiting for: Honey Buzzard, Hobby and Red-backed Shrike.

The Hobby shot through in a fleeting visit last week and the Honey Buzzard and Shrike showed well today. The Hobby was a hunting adult that could indicate local breeding (although I wonder why I never see the birds earlier in the summer), the Honey Buzzard was an adult male that was flying around the valley and was probably looking for food to take to a nest many kilometres away. The Red-backed Shrike was also an adult male but this was probably a bird that has bred elsewhere and has already left its youngsters to fend for themselves (and the youngsters themselves should soon move through Maridalen).

Last week I had a couple of Marsh Warblers alarm calling at a site where there had been a pair and another singing male earlier in the summer. These birds showed and looked like Marsh Warblers and also called like Marsh Warblers. Today I had two birds at the site where I have had the (for me) unidentified warbler(s). The birds responded to pishing and gave Sylvia like chacking calls in response without any classic Marsh Warbler notes. This should indicate Blyth’s Reed except for the fact that what I saw of the birds resembled more Marsh Warbler and I have also recorded Marsh Warblers giving this Sylvia like call. Never-the-less it was quite noticeable how different these birds were compared to the birds from last week.

A visit to Fornebu gave me, the now long staying, Little Egret which shows very well.