Maridalen Mandarin

Yesterday, Rune and I “did” Nordre Øyeren and Aurskog-Høland. Birding was good although it was a great disappointment that the flodd waters at Kjelle have so rapidly declined and with no rain forecast for at least the next week they will disappear very soon. It was dry everywhere and Lapwings were concentrated around the last remaining areas of flood water rather than on breeding fields. We had good birds with my first Garganey, Hen Harrier and Golden Plover of the year and Taiga Bean Goose, White-tailed Eagle, White-fronted Goose amongst others.

Today I was up late after being (rarely) out yesterday and was not in a fit state to do very much but I joined Mrs OB for a Beast walking trip in Maridalen. Here, I had an enormous surprise with a male Mandarin Duck sitting on the edge of the ice. Although as plastic as they come you cannot tire of seeing such a smart bird and this was a new species for the Dale and not surprisingly it proved popular later on. Thrushes were starting to flock for the first time and a flock of Pink-footed Geese was on the fields as were the two Cranes.

male Mandarin

female Black Woodpecker

and the male - they are using an old hole

Golden Plover (heilo)

male Hen Harrier (myrhauk)

White-fronted Goose (tundragås)