Berries & Birds

The crop of rowan berries sustains many birds and should ensure that this winter will be one to remember. Today I have seen Pine Grosbeaks, Fieldfare, Redwing, Blackbird, Brambling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Wood Pigeon, Jay and Blue Tit eating them and if I had seen any Waxwings then they would have been doing the same.

The Pine Grosbeaks continue to entertain and today I had a total of 26 birds with a single adult male amongst them which sowed very well. I am now up to 180 birds counted since they arrived in Oslo ten days ago and only 6 (3%) have been adult males. The cause of this incredibly low number is a mystery to me but maybe we will see more arrive as the winter progresses. Currently they must be further north and haven’t felt compelled to “erupt” south like this year’s youngsters.

male Pine Grosbeak (konglebit). I had previously said that the young males were the best plumage but when you see this plumage so infrequently it becomes the one you most want to see

a 1cy bird due to the pointed tail feathers 

Goldfinch (stillits)

Grozza and Goldie

Brambling (bjørkefink)

Fieldfare (gråtrost)

Redwing (rødvingetrost)