Can't leave the Dale

Where else would I be than Maridalen today? It was hot, almost too hot and a record temperature was set in SW Norway today. Bird wise I had pretty much the expected species but there is always something new. Both Pintail and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker were new for the year for me in Maridalen and a male Red-backed Shrike still feeding three begging young might indicate yet another pair that has bred in or very close to the Dale. I only had one Honey Buzzard sighting today (although didn’t spend too much time looking) and this was a female and seemingly a new bird.

Dragonflies were everywhere and my raptor spotting was made difficult by the sheer number of them in the air which frequently fooled me into thinking I was on to a distant raptor (strangley enough I had no Hobbies eating them). Most of the large species were so active that it was impossible to see what they were but I managed to identify Southern Hawker (blågrønnlibelle), Brown Hawker (brunlibelle), Common Hawker (starrlibelle), Golden-ringed Dragonfly (kongelibelle), a late Four-spotted Chaser (firflekkbredlibelle), Black Darter (svarthøstlibelle), Yellow-winged Darter (gulvingehøstlibelle), Ruddy Darter (blodhøstlibelle), Vagrant Darter (sørhøstlibelle) and Emerald Damselfly (nordmetallvannymfe). In addition, I almost certainly saw Common Darter (Senhøstlibelle) and Common Blue Damselfly (innsjøvannymfe) which I know are there are the moment but I did not document them. I may also have had a Migrant Hawker (septemberlibelle) but managed no photos and this would be a good record.

Butterflies were also very numerous today even if the diversity has become much less. Red Admirals are now the most numerous, followed by Small Tortoiseshells and Painted Ladies with just a few Peacocks, Brimstones and Green-veined and Small Whites. Thistles attract all these species and seeping sap on birch trees proves especially attractive to the Red Admirals.

one less Painted Lady (tistelsommerfugl) but a bit more energy for a Red-backed Shrike (tornskate) before the long autumn migration begins

ecological garden leaves lots of insects and this plot has proven to be very attractive to up to 6 young shrikes

these 2 (of 3) youngsters are still not independent and were succesfully begging for food from dad

this 1cy male Bluethroat (blåstrupe) may well have been around for a week or so

Pintail (stjertand) is a rare bird in the Dale but records from other places suggest that a distinct passage of the species is occuring at the moment. This is a male based on the bill and tertials and may well be the bird that was on Akerselva in the spring

todays Honey Buzzard (vepsevåk) which I reckon is a female

looks at all the Red Admirals!

Red Admiral and Peacock (dagåpåfugløye)

Small Tortoiseshells (neslesommerfugl)

This pair of Yellow-winged Darters (gulvingehøstlibelle) represent the first proof of "breeding" of the species in Oslo!

and there were at least an additional 4 males

this Four-spotted Chaser (firflekklibelle) is a late record

Golden-ringed Dragonflies (kongelibelle) are incredibly smart! 

male Black Hawker (svarthøstlibelle) is a tiny dragonfly and the easiest to identify

This Ruddy Darter (blodhøstlibelle) is the only the second time I have noted the species in Maridalen. If I had used some time and photographed a Common Darter (which is the commonest species in the Dale) then I would have had all 5 of the resident Norwegian Darters species