Spring has sprung

There has been some good birding since my last post and signs of the changing seasons are springing up all over the place. In Maridalen the first Lapwing has appeared, the first migrating Pink-footed Geese have cackled over, the first flock of thrushes is on the fields alongside Snow Buntings, Bramblings and Chaffinches (also singing) and an early Woodcock flew up from a field edge.

Also in Maridalen the Pygmy Owl has showed well a couple of times (although a dusk trip revealed no singing owls) as have both male and female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Last weekend Jr Jr was competing in a drill competition at Jessheim which allowed me to go looking nearby for Woodlarks (seemingly too early) and Taiga Bean Goose which I saw in flight (the GPS positions have not updated for over a week so I do not know which fields they are favouring although they landed on the east side of the river which is very unusual for them).

We have now entered the most exciting time of the year 😊

Finally this winter I had a close encounter with a Pygmy Owl (spurveugle)

being mobbed by a Great Tit (kjøttmeis)

the pattern on the back of the head is supposed to look like eyes such that a Goshawk doesn't think it is worth attacking it as it doesn't haven the element of surprise

and being mobbed by a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (dvergspett)

a Great Spott (flaggspett) also joined the Lesser Spot to give the owl grief

as did this Crested Tit (toppmeis) which perched next to me calling very angrily as I looked at the owl

a displaying male Goldeneye (kvinand)

and a ringed Tufted Duck (toppand) at Østensjøvannet which was ringed 304km to the west on a lake in Stavanger 19.11.2017

Lapwing (vipe) is back in Maridalen with a fairly averge arrival date

and the bird itself

Snow Buntings (snøspurv) are always a joy

Bramblings (bjørkefink) and Chaffinches (bokfink) are starting to flock on the fields and both birds can also be heard singing

Mistle Thrushes (duetrost) have also arrived

as have Redwing (rødvingetrost)

although Starlings (stær) have been back a couple of weeks

my first Pink-footed Geese (kortnebbgås) which were actually heading south after having encountered low cloud over Maridalen

a trip to Huk revealed Purple Sandpipers (fjæreplytt) at close range

Stock Doves (skogdue) are also back at Bygdøy and singing

young Whooper Swans (sangsvane) presumably from lasy years brood in Maridalen

Great Grey Shrike (varsler)

Guillemots (lomvi) are still around in good numbers on the Oslofjord. Nearly all are young/immature birds but there is the odd adult in breeding plumage

some of the Taiga Bean Geese (taigasædgjess) including 6U and a GPS bird

the GPS bird had a loose and damaged feather sticking out of its left wing

female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker