OSLO BIRDER: Even more in Maridalen

Maridalen showed off an even better side today. I had all the same species as yesterday in greater numbers plus Two-barred Crossbill, Hobby, Rough-legged Buzzard, Crane, Cuckoo and Great Snipe!

There were now 2 Bluethroats and 7 Shrikes and I had a minimum of 5 different Honey Buzzards! I even managed (finally) close views of a male Honey after having seen him twice appear from the same area with food. I had the Beast in tow but still managed some decent pictures as he briefly appeared low over us in a clearing.

It is not often I get close views of a Honey Buzzard (vepsevåk)

the inset is of the same bird seen 20 minutes later at great height but it can be identified as the same bird by the double feathers (due to moulting) in both wings which look darker plus missing secondaries

and then he was gone

During a sky gazing spell of 2h 10 minutes I had 6 sightings of Honey Buzzard of which there were definitely 4 different birds

one bird sky danced when the wings look to clap above the body

I also had three Common Buzzards (musvåk) including this young bird

and this older bird

Two Goshawks (hønsehauk) including this adult, 3 Sparrowhawks and a distant migrating Rough-legged Buzzard

The pair of Cranes that have been here all summer were feeding in the morning but appeared to fly off in the afternoon and have presumably started their migration

an adult Hobby (lerkefalk)

9 adult Black-throated Divers (storlom) together is not necessarily a good sign as it suggests they are failed breeders

2 Bluethroats (blåstrupe), The top bird is a 1st winter female and the lower bird a 1st winter male

Red-backed Shrike (tornskate)

there are still lots of butterflies although not too many species and thistles that are still in flower attracted lots of them. Here Queen of Spain Fritillary (sølvkåpe), Brimstone (sitronsommerfugl) and Painted Lady (tistelsommerfugl)