A Black Red day

After a wintery and bird light weekend away in Bodø it was good to get out in Maridalen today. Things started slowly as we had a cold night and it was still -4C when I drove in at 0830. Things warmed up quickly though when I found only the second ever Black Redstart for the Dale. I had it around the church ruins for 20 minutes before it vanished. The habitat was more suitable for a Stonechat but I am definitely not complaining 😊

Black Redstart (svartrødstjert) - I am undertain of sex and age but suspect it is 2cy male 

this signpost has been used by many birds over the years but this is the rarest so far

Crane (trane)

Snow Buntings (snøspurv) 

this Sparrowhawk (spurvehauk) was the only raptor I saw although i did hear a Goshawk

my first White Wagtail (linerle) of the year

Whooper Swan (sangsvane)

adder

My first White Wagtail and Dunnock for the year were also welcome and Twite, Snow Bunting and Mistle Thrush were all in double figures so it was a proper early spring day! A Crane flew low over in the afternoon and clearly wanted to land but chickened out and 1200 Pink-footed Geese migrated over in 8 flocks. The only thing missing was any form of raptor migration.