More Grozzas

Too many posts on, and pictures of, Pine Grosbeaks will end up getting boring I guess but they are amazing birds and it might be a decade or more before I get to see them like this again so I am happy to keep seeking them out. And to be honest there is not that much else to see in Oslo just at the moment.

Despite the best efforts of the Grosbeaks and many hundreds of Fieldfare (but still no Waxwings) there are still enormous amounts of rowan berries to find so we could have birds around for a good while. There are also unusually high numbers of Bramblings around who are also exploiting the berries and a few Redwings – it is very rare that Redwings spend the winter around Oslo.

An interesting thing I have noted is that the Grosbeaks do not like to be joined by Fieldfares. A flock of Grosbeaks eats quietly and methodically but the Fieldfares make a lot more noise and move around far more quickly. If a flock of Fieldfares descends on the same trees as the Grosbeaks are in then the Grosbeaks get spooked and the flock breaks up and the birds fly up into nearby trees calling. They can remain calling for a long time and the flock remains split up. I have previously written how single birds can call a lot (as though they are seeking their kin) but that flocks are often completely silent and this can mean the flock struggles to form again. I noticed that a group of around 10 birds were quietly feeding and a single bird flew over slowly and calling a lot. The flock didn't respond and the single bird did not see them and just flew over still calling and still lonely.

There are also good numbers of insects eaters still despite the cold spell and Goldcrests seem to be still here in higher than normal numbers. A Long-tailed Tit down town though may have been a sign of birds struggling to find food.

Pine Grosbeak (konglebit) in the snow

in front of the Radisson Blu in downtown Oslo

this male is showing off his best side

with Grefsenkollen as the backdrop

size comparison with Fieldfare (gråtrost)

and with Brambling (bjørkefink)

Bramblings also eat just the seeds

whilst Blacksbirds (svarttrost) and other thrushes swallow the whole berry

Fieldfares

Redwing (rødvingetrost)

Goldcrest (fuglekonge)

it was methodically searching for insects or their eggs

Long-tailed Tit (stjertmeis)