The sightings and occasional thoughts of an English birder in Oslo
Friday, 18 October 2019
Mid October update
The middle of October around
Oslo can be very exciting but can also be disappointingly quiet. The last few
days have been somewhere between these two. Jack Snipe is a species that it is
easiest to find at this time of the year and I have managed to kick up birds in
both Maridalen and at Fornebu but without getting photos or to see them on the
ground – I definitely seem to have lost my skill at finding them before they
fly up which has resulted in some memorable encounters in the past such as here
or here.
Another expected goodie
at this time of the year is Siberian / tristis / Chiffchaff which turns up annually
at Fornebu. With such a distinctive plumage and not least call it must just be
a matter of time before this is split into a separate species. I have seen a
single tristis well over the last couple of days and there are also a handful
of more normal Chiffchaffs but the majority of these have calls suggesting they
come from far to the east – the “sweeo” call. One interesting behavioural
difference that I have also noticed in previous years is that tristis is very
often in reedbeds whereas the “western” birds are more often in the bushes and
trees bordering the reedbeds.
The male Shoveler at
Bogstadvannet showed well today in better weather, and without a dog pulling at
the lead, than on Tuesday and seems to be very at home here although not quite
as confiding as the local Mallards.
The highlight from
Maridalen today was a Rough-legged Buzzard. Although I see them annually on
migration this is one of a very few times that I have seen a settled bird
although a Raven managed to chase it off.
Siberian tristis Chiffchaff (gransanger) at Fornebu. Note how it is brown and grey with the only green being on the front of the underwing, Note also the wing bar and jet black legs and bill. In addition the call is a give away
this is a more normal Chiffchaff but the call (sweeo) suggested it was from the east and the plumage has little green
this Chiffchaff has more green in the plumage and also had a more normal call
Sparrowhawk (spurvehauk)
autumn in Maridalen
Mute Swans (knoppsvane)
Razorbills (alke) in the fjord
Rough-legged Buzzard (fjellvåk) in Maridalen. This is not a juvenile but I am unsure exactly what age/sex it is
with a Raven that objected to its presence
More shots of the Shoveler (skjeand) at Bogstadvannet
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