Weekend birds

Snow fell on Friday night and despite temperatures quickly rising above zero the snow remained on the ground in Maridalen through the weekend. Proper winters with lots of snow are one of the things I love about living in Oslo and hopefully this winter will see lots of the white stuff.

Dog walking in The Dale and the incidental birding that goes with it revealed the usual suspects with both Hawk Owls being on show, two Common Buzzards in their usual areas and the Grey-headed Woodpecker again turning up on the feeder. I saw him at a similar time to when I saw him on Friday suggesting (hopefully) that he has a routine that will make him more predictable to see.

Singles of Chaffinch and Common Snipe were also noteworthy as these species normally disappear by the end of October.

The pale and distinctive Common Buzzard (musvåk)

The male Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett) was shy

but this Jay (nøtteskrike) which is normally shy has got used to people at the feeders

socially distanced photographers filling their boots with Hawkie

I do sometimes take pictures of things other than birds...