First snow

Some sniffles (must take precautions in these Covid times) have contributed to little action since my last post.

The first snow of the autumn has fallen today and that should cause some movement of birds over the next few days although I don’t feel like venturing out in it just yet.

A visit to Fornebu revealed little except for a couple of Siberian (tristis) Chiffchaffs – quite why Fornebu is such a magnet for this species but no other eastern warblers will always be a mystery. Waxwings are also turning up but with no berries (after last years exceptional crop trees seem to have nothing to give this year) they will not stay for long. They were already eating rosehips which is something they normally only resort to late in the winter.

Attempts to find Tengmalm’s Owl in Maridalen continue to draw a blank but another trip further into the forest gave Hawk Owl, Pygmy Owl and 2 Tengmalm’s.

In Maridalen I had a rare non-breeding season sighting of a Three-toed Pecker and a male Grey-headed Pecker (a white feather on the face seems to suggest it is the same bird I found on 30 Sept) has been turning up on one of the feeders resulting in some amazing pictures appearing on my Facebook feed although I have yet to see it.

male Three-toed Woodpecker in Maridalen. It is unusual to see this species here outside of the breeding season

poor picture of a Siberian (tristis) Chiffchaff (gransanger) at Fornebu

first Waxwings (sidensvans) of the autumn

Hawk Owl at dusk