Auks

Southerly winds brought large numbers of auks into the Inner Oslofjord over the weekend and this morning a calm sea was covered with them. From Bygdøy and Fornebu I must have seen 2-300 of which I would estimate 70% were Razorbills and 30% Guillemots. I only found a single Little Auk but this bird showed ridiculously well at just a few metres range. It was in exactly the same spot as I remember seeing my first Little Auk in Norway 19 years ago so is clearly my lucky spot for the species (I have also seen them here when it has been a wanted species for guiding clients).

When so many auks end up this far up the fjord there is always a worry that they are weak and there isn’t enough food so we will have to hope that they survive.

Little Auk (alkekonge)

it spent a lot of time preening

here I think it is rubbing its oil gland

and a Razorbill (alke)

and a Guillemot (lomvi)

Guillemot and Razorbill side by side

at distance I was getting Brunnich's vibes off this bird but it is just an adult Guillemot which is still moulting out of summer plumage so has lots of black on the face