Bluethroat

Today was 100% birding (although I of course did try to take some nice photos to adorn the blog 😊) and was one of those May days in Maridalen that remind you why you so like birding and how wonderful migration is. There were no rarities, no big falls and it was sunny (and still northerly winds) but there was a really nice selection of birds – 76 species in total according to my eBird App and that without tryinh. I was out for over 5 hours and had the Beast with me. Having his company does make me walk slower and probably results in me covering areas more thoroughly.

What made today so special was the migrants bounds for the mountains that decided to stop off and show really well. 3 Golden Plover were feeding at very close range (rather than the skittish flocks that normally turn up during bad weather), a number of male Yellow Wagtails were around the lake, a male Velvet Scoter on the lake and best of all, and my target for the day, a male Bluethroat who could not have performed better. Alongside these were lots of Wheatears, Whinchat, Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers and Willow Warblers. Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper joined the breeding waders, a Hobby had a dog fight with the breeding Common Buzzards, Whooper and Mute Swans on their nests, Black and Red-throated Divers on the lake. Did I miss anything? Oh yes, a male Three-toed Woodpeckers drummed away right next to me 😊

male Bluethroat (blåstrupe)

together with a male Chaffinch (bokfink)

male Grey-headed thunbergi Yellow Wagtail (gulerle/såerle)

male Velvet Scoter (sjøorre) - today's rarest bird

one of three confiding Golden Plovers (heilo)

male Chaffinch (bokfink) collecting food - not sure whether this will be for the female on the nest or already hatched young

Great Spotted Woodpecker (flaggspett) - note the angular shape of the bill

male Grey Wagtail (vintererle)

a terrible picture of a Hobby (lerkefalk) attacking an irritated Common Buzzard (musvåk)

Lesser Whitethroat (møller)

the first ever pair of Mute Swans (knoppsvane) to attempt to breed in Maridalen are having to build their nest up to cope with very high water levels

male Three-toed Woodpecker (tretåspett)

Wood Sandpiper (grønnstilk)

Black-throated Diver (storlom)