Owl Guiding

On Friday I went searching for the Fab Four on what was a perfect day for searching for birds in the forest bur rather disappointingly came home with just single of Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Nutcracker for my troubles.

Saturday saw a dog and wife walking trip around Maridalen which revealed three different Great Grey Shrikes which is a record (I have had two birds on a couple of occasions previously but a single bird is the norm). So many birds is a sure sign of lots of rodents which is also confirmed by the continued presence of the Common Buzzard and now two Hawk Owls. This winter and next spring promises to be very exciting on the owl and raptor front.

Owls were the focus of a guiding outing on Saturday evening. It was a very enjoyable outing with a very knowledgeable and keen 11 year old reminding me a lot of how I was in my more formative years (although I feel I am still not fully formed). The guide though was unable to deliver the goods as desired. With 4 species of owls hoped for all we managed was to hear a singing Pygmy Owl. It sung at close range from some spruce trees but failed to show itself. The weather was perfect for owling so the absence of Tengmalms’s and Hawk Owl is perhaps a sign that they are no longer in the area. A couple of Woodcock flew over just after sunset which is a late record.

Whilst we were searching in vain for Hawkie yesterday I got a message that there were two birds in the forest in Maridalen. We agreed to look for these birds this morning but I wasn’t really needed; as I was parking my car this morning at the agreed meet point I got an SMS that read “Hi Simon, we’re here and looking at a haukugle!” 😉 The birds (there were two in the area although we never saw both simultaneously) showed well at times and were oblivious to large numbers of walkers and cyclists in the area (with new lockdown restrictions coming into place people are flocking to country side again for their weekend entertainment).

Now all I need to find is a Great Grey Owl and the winter is sorted!

Hawk Owl (haukugle) one of two birds now in Maridalen

One of three Great Grey Shrikes (varsler) in Maridalen on Saturday

this Great Spotted Woodpecker (flaggspett) on Friday is still in juvenile plumage which is very unusual so late in the year

a Green Woodpecker (grønnspett)

a Redwing (rødvingetrost) and Fieldfares (gråtrost) still finding enough to eat in Maridalen were not so unexpected

but 6 Starlings (stær) are a very unusual November observation