Oppland Guiding

The last two days I have been guiding Kathy and Mike from Oregon. After a stop to see Maridalen’s highlights we headed off to find the best that Oppland County has to offer around Beitostølen and Valdresflya. We had to contend with a day of heavy rain and strong winds on Thursday but despite this had a very enjoyable and successful trip.

Highlights were many but good views of a Blyth’s Reed Warbler on the way up (a, for once, successful twitch), lekking Great Snipes, Dotterel, Long-tailed Skua, Purple Sandpiper, Lapland Bunting, Bluethroat, Rough-legged Buzzard and Red-breasted Flycatcher were stand outs.

I took few photos due to the bad weather and also because I was guiding but here is a flavour of how good it was.

 

Long-tailed Skue (fjelljo). One of a minimum of 10 that we saw which is a very high number in southern Norway

2 distant skuas against the cluod covered mountains

Valdresflya with Bitihorn in the distance. Very little snow this year

Dotterel (boltit)

Great Snipe (dobbeltbekkasin) 

Purple Sandpiper (fjæreplytt)

Rough-legged Buzzard (fjellvåk)

Arctic Tern (rødnebbterne) - small numbers breed high in the mountains

Blyth's Reed Warbler (busksanger)

And a short video of the highlights, or at least the ones that I video ;-)