Ducks

On Monday, I was able to squeeze in a trip to Nordre Øyeren and it was very productive! Three different adult White-tailed Eagles feels like a record, 4 Great Egrets feeding together, still the 28 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Marsh Harriers, Hen Harrier, Jack Snipe and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker joined hundreds ducks and geese to give both quality and quantity.

The Egrets were interestingly following a flock of about 30 Black-headed Gulls that were finding something to eat in shallow water and were moving around a lot.

 A trip to Maridalen yesterday revealed the first Great Grey Shrike of the autumn which was a promising a sign and hopefully this or another bird will stay for the winter.

A quick trip to Østensjøvannet revealed both Shoveler and Gadwall which also showed very well which pleased my inner togger.

Shoveler (skjeand) at Østensjøvannet

lack of blue on forewing plus dark eye makes this a young female

nearly..

look at that bill

Gadwall (snadderand) with Mallard (stokkand)

this bird must be a juvenile and I would assume a female

a female Mallard (stokkand) that looks like a  Gadwall..

first GG Shrike (varlser) of the autumn in Maridalen

a Barnacle Goose (hvitkinngås) at Østensjøvannet

and a few hundred at Nordre Øyeren

first a single Great (White) Egret and then..

four of them

here you can also see the Black-headed Gull (hettemåke) flock that the th egrets were following around.

a Hen Harrier (myrhauk) flying in front of the egrets and gulls

the Hen Harrier then landed in a tree which is behaviour I have not previously noted. The bird was very small and is a 1cy male

male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (dvergspett)