More Pygmy Owls

Pygmy Owl (spurveugle)

This blog is at risk of becoming Simon’s Pygmy Owl blog, but this is the time of year when they are relatively easy to find and they are a great bird!

My birding day started with the Maridalen bird but he was sat quite high up and soon flew to other side of a large field so I didn’t get any great shots of him. After seeing the Marsh Tit at the feeders I then headed for Pollevannet.

Marsh and Long-tailed Tits made themselves known in bushes in the reedbed but Bearded Tits stayed quiet. I then came across a photographer who I thought was taking a picture of something a long way out in the reedbed so I assumed he had found the Beardies. When I went up to him though it became clear he was photographing something in the bush just 5 metres away and there was another Pygmy Owl! And at eye level!! I really wish I had had my tripod with me but had to make the best of hand holding in poor light conditions. The background was also a bit messy but it was so cool to be so close to this little predator as he looked for food on the ground beneath him. He stayed there for quite a while before flying nearly through my legs and off into a small wood. An unforgettable experience!

After this I heard at least one Water Rail calling in the reedbed and eventually also heard a couple of Beardies but never had a chance of seeing them. The Kingfisher was also in his regular place, so a pretty good days birding was had!

I checked out the fjord at Drøbak but there were few birds. A pod of 4 cetaceans heading purposefully north may have been porpoises but I really felt they were too large although they were very dark on the back and the dorsal fin was small.

And the Maridalen bird was a bit less photogenic

but this shot wasn't too bad

and the Maridalen Marsh Tit (løvmeis) which has already been twitched :-)