MUGIMAKI u I did not see

Last week I got a message from Kjell that he and Geir were going to go back to Værøy for another week as the weather forecast was promising and would I also like to go? Well, Mrs OB is a VERY understanding wife but I myself could not justify extravagance of another trip.

The weather forecast subsequently changed negatively and after two very quiet days I think Kjell was ruing his impulsiveness. That was until this morning. I was waiting at the barbers for a short back and sides when Kjell sent me this picture:

A MUGIMAKI Flycatcher on Værøy although I must admit to not being able to recognise it myself when sent the picture... (PHOTO: KJELL MJØLSNES)

While obviously rare I couldn't put a name to it and had to ask a friend and was pleased to find out its given name is one that oozes cosmic mind f*ckness – MUGIMAKI flycatcher!!!! This far eastern bird has to my knowledge only been seen three times before in Europe/WP but the British Rarities Committee considered their only record so implausible that they refused to accept it as a wild spontaneous bird meaning only two previous records are considered “good”. So Geir (he found it), Kjell and Værøy have a Norwegian first and a third for the WP on their hands and I, as usual, have to control my jealousy (reminds me of my brief appearance on a Norwegian TVprogram looking at jealousy and rightly thinking birders would be a good example).

My Oslo birding today rather pales into insignificance but Grey-headed Woodpecker (unfortunately heard only but I now feel confident to ID based on call after more experience with this species) and a Rough-legged Buzzard in Maridalen were good birds.

Rough-legged Buzzard (fjellvåk) heading purposefully east in Maridalen

one and a half Sparrowhawks also in Maridalen

I started feeding up in the garden a few days ago and already have a good flock of House and Tree Sparrows. These have attracted a smart male Brambling and more excitingly a Collared Dove. This is, I think, my first record actually on the deck in the garden of a species which has become rare in Oslo (I wouldn't be surprised if there are less than 50 birds left in the city).

Collared Dove (tyrkerdue) 

male Brambling (bjørkefink)