An Ascending Thrush Nightingale

Today is a religious national holiday in one of the most secular countries I know. It is that widely celebrated? holiday of Ascencion Day which always falls on a Thursday, the schools also get closed on the Friday and everyone has a very long weekend and goes to their “cabin” (these days often a second home of a higher standard than the main house) either in the mountains or on the coast…. gotta love living in the world’s richest country.

We are staying in Oslo (the city feels refreshingly empty when so many others are away) and had a very pleasant trip to Fornebu today. I had an extremely close encounter with one of two singing Thrush Nightingales that were both singing at full volume at noon.

This morning I gave sea/migration watching a couple of hours effort at Hulvik from 05:15 but there just wasn’t enough to make me stay longer although a full days effort at this time of the year will probably be rewarded with a Pomarine Skua if nothing else. My 2 hours did give me an Arctic Skua which was chasing a group of 5 adult Kittiwakes which were heading purposefully north (to where?) plus a few Red-throated Divers and Common and Velvet Scoters. The drive home gave me my first Red-backed Shrikes of the year.

Thrush Nightingale (nattergal)

here you can see it tongue

The video is taking handholding the bazooka so you have been warned if you get dizzy 😁

crappy photo but it shows migration in action - Velvet Scoters (sjøorre) migrating to the north

Wood Sandpipers (grønnstilk) are still in suitable breeding habitat in Maridalen

two Pike (gjedde). As far as I can make a black example is very rare

but Black Woodpecker (svartspett) is not that rare

male Gadwall (snadderand) at Østensjøvannet. Both this species and Shoveler may well be breeding (for the first time?) with only males now being seen after there had previously been pairs

male Shoveler (skjeand)

male Red-backed Shrike (tornskate) - my first for 2020

Spotted Flycatchers (gråfluesnapper) are now arriving in good numbers - meaning it must be time to find an RbF

The Tawny Owls (kkattugle) are quite easy to locate due to the scolding Blackbirds (svarttrost)