Had to make do with a very small grey owl

I went searching for the GGO again yesterday and gave it another 4 hours but this time ensured I was there until it became dark at 4pm. Result no GGO but at least 2 Pygmy Owls felt like a good enough reward for the effort put in. We even heard some autumn song which is quite different to the normal spring song and something I can only remember having heard once before.

Pygmy Owl (spurveugle)

Today I gave Fornebu a go as recent records in Sweden show that the autumn is far from over. I failed to find anything rare but there were three Chiffchaffs still present. The first one was heard only but only gave a “normal” call that I would associate with birds breeding in southern Norway. I then saw 2 birds which both looked like tristis and responded marvellously when I played tristis song with both wing shivering. The only problem was that one called repeatedly and gave only an “eastern abientius” call. Tristis apparently also make this call but should also make the classic “piip” call. I did later hear one of them repeatedly giving the “piip” call with no other calls mixed in but I didn’t manage to ascertain which bird made which calls. So I am happy to record one as a certain tristis and the other as a possible “intergrade” (if they exist).

here is one of the tristis Chiffhchaffs wong-shivering in response to me playing the song of tristis. This bird looks classic tristis with brown ear coverts and the only yellow visible under the eing

this is the other bird which also looked like a classic a tristis should look but one of them gave some calls that weren't completely classis

On Friday and Saturday I am off Stavanger and Jæren for two days of what Kjell Mjølsnes promises will be off the charts birding in terms of quality! I cannot wait.