Keeping to the Dale

We are having a mini heatwave with temperatures up to 25C this afternoon but in the morning there was a heavy fog hanging over Maridalen that didn’t lift until nearly noon. Just after the fog lifted and it suddenly became hot there was a lot of (mosly distant) Honey Buzzard activity with at least 6 birds around the Dale. I had also heard one calling in the mist earlier. One male Honey Buzzard was active in the area where I saw another male on three occasions last week showing that different birds use the same areas to search for food. I also had three sightings of Hobby with at least two birds as I saw an adult and a 1cy.

Three Red-backed Shrikes and a  Bluethroat were still present and a Wryneck was new. I also had my first Wheatears of the autumn and Meadow and Tree Pipits and Willow Warblers were more numerous. Other birds included Crane, Goshawk, Whooper Swan, Red-throated Diver, Black Woodpecker, Whinchat and Nutcracker.

Wryneck (vendehals) - always a scarce bird on autumn passage

Bluethroat (blåstrupe) 

Red-backed Shrike (tornskate)

Wheatear (steinskvett)

1cy Goshawk (hønsehauk)

adult Hobby (lerkefalk)

adult male Honey Buzzard (vepsevåk)