OSLO BIRDER: First Bean of the year

After the joys of the GG I had a quiet day in Olso yesterday hoping to find more evidence of spring. Two Oystercatchers seen from Huk meant at least one was a new arrival, but bird of the day was a Dipper that flew low over the sea and then headed for a passing ferry which it almost looked like it would land on before it continued purposefully towards the east. This obviously migrating bird is the first ever record for Bygdøy! Whilst Beast walking close to home in the afternoon Hawfinches, Greenfinches, Bullfinches and Goldfinches were singing in the sun and it felt like more like May than February. A male Goldeneye on the first patch of open water in Maridalen was the first of the year and today that same patch of water held a family of Whooper Swans. There were three young and it must be likely that this is the breeding family from last year. At one stage one of the adults got angry with one of the youngsters and it won't be long before the young are pushed away.

Today I moved a bit further afield and made my first trip out to Årnestangen in 2019. A couple of fields are free of snow and geese and Whooper Swans were gathered here. Among the Canadas and Greylags was a single Taiga (fabalis) Bean Goose which was a reminder that the Scottish birds need to be looked for soon (there are no GPS senders still working so it will be a bit more work to locate them this year). Four Lapwings (my first of the year), 5 Teal, 4 Wigeon, 3 Starling and singing Skylarks gave a very welcome feeling of spring and Great Grey Shrike, White-tailed Eagle and Peregrine added a bit of spice.

migrating Dipper (fossekal) with an unusual background!

singing Hawfinch (kjernebiter)

2 moose in Maridalen on Sunday

male Tufted Duck (toppand) at Østensjøvannet

there were 2 male Tufted back at Østensjøvannet where a female has spent the winter. The female though acts like she thinks of herself as Mallard

Great Grey Shrike (varsler)

Lapwings (vipe)

this 2cy Peregrine (vandrefalk) has made an arial in Oslo its preferred lookout

Starling (stær)

Taiga Bean Goose - note the swan like neck and bill in this photo

in flight with a Greylag (grågås)

in this photo the bill looks quite thick and the neck short and thick which are characters of Tundra Bean Goose but the birds large size is clear. This also shows how difficult it can be racially identifying lone Bean Geese from just a single photo