Gadwall

 A return to cold northerly winds today seemed to put a complete stop to migration. The Beast, Mrs OB and myself went on a marathon walk in Maridalen and saw VERY little. Two male Gadwall which had been discovered yesterday by David Houle were a very clear highlight though and were only the second record on the lake with the first being of a single male on 20 April 2014.

Otherwise the Great Grey Shrike showed well although briefly and a single Mistle Thrush was the only thrush sp. I noted. I had two sightings of adult male Goshawks which were probably the males of both the pairs in the valley. At one of the territories they are building a new nest. Territories usually have more than one nest and they can change nests between seasons. I assume the reason for multiple is because their nests are often prone to falling down due to being built on quite thin branches in spruce trees and building a new nest takes a long time and also that a nest from the previous season is so full of shit that grass often grows up. In the territory where they are building a new nest they only had two existing nests to choose between. They previously had three but the nest they used in 2018 was destroyed the following winter when the tree fell down in a storm. They nested successfully in 2019 in a nest that was already faling apart and their other nest doesn’t look that sturdy so I assume they have decied they need to get their act together. I cannot see that the new nest will be completed in time for this season though.

I discovered the Gadwall (snadderand) when they suddenly flew past us when we were sitting down by the lake

A Goshawk (hønsehauk) nest under construction

this old nest which would have been added to over many seasons was not used in either of the last two seasons and does not look particularly sturdy

a new addition to my series of birds with well known landmarks in the background. Here a Great Grey Shrike (varsler) with Tryvanntårnet