Too hot already

Boy was it hot and dry today with hardly a cloud in sight and by the time I got up into Maridalen after 11am it felt very birdless. I was betting on raptors to save the day but except for a good showing from the local Sparrowhawks there was niks, nada, jack squat (I’ve no idea how to spell those words..).

What did save the day though were three Pintail (including 2 males) resting on the side of the lake which is only my second record in Maridalen. Quite why they turned up today when there was no other evidence of migration will remain one of those mysteries that makes birding so much fun.

I added no new species to my year list but from my previous list only Jack Snipe remains and I can now add Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Blackcap and House Martin which should fall this week.

A check of nesting sites revealed that Black Woodpeckers, Goshawk and Whooper Swan all seem to be nesting in the valley this year.

Pintails (stjertand) and a Grey Heron (gråhegre) on Maridalsvannet

a Brimstone butterfly (sitronsommerfugl)