OSLO BIRDER: It's starting

As is often the case with me today saw a bit of a repeat of yesterday but only a bit – because today was far superior and real proof that spring cannot be stopped.

I started in Maridalen in rain and low cloud and basically had nothing. I then went to Bygdøy where there definitely were birds. There is still a lot of snow but the rain is really hastening the thaw and within a couple of days there will be flooding and clear fields and very exciting conditions. There are still few geese on the fields of the Kings Farm at Bygdøy, just 40 Greylags but a Barnacle has now joined them. A flock of 40 Starlings contained 2 Redwings and 5 Fieldfares and this would alone have made my day as it was the first migrant thrushes I have seen so far in Oslo.

Moving on to Huk I had three Song Thrushes and 3 Grey Wagtails heard a Ringed Plover, saw 7 Meadow Pipits and a Wheatear suddenly materialise on the beach (both these species being year firsts for both me and Oslo) and assume they had just arrived from over the fjord. 70 Cormorants and 100 Wood Pigeons also headed north into the gloom. OK, so the amount of migrants wasn’t huge but this is just the start of what I feel will be a huge surge.

The 6 Purple Sandpipers were still present and again showed at ridiculously close range. Despite the rain, the light was a lot better than yesterday and my photos noticeably better especially as I was able to get low down when I took the pics.

Visiting Maridalen again before going home revealed 4 Grey Wagtails feeding along the edge of the road where it was snow free and then suddenly a Merlin flew low and fast over the car sending the wagtails fleeing – you gotta just love migration!