OSLO BIRDER: The return of Elvis

The days are getting a lot hotter with temperatures up to +13C but with the clear skies we have again had overnight frosts with the temperature dropping to -3C in Maridalen. The melting of the ice on the lake is therefore going slowly although the ice free areas do grow every day. With blue skies there has been little in the away of any noticeable new arrivals of either passerines or waterfowl and my attention has therefore been upwards hoping for raptors although I do probably leave too early in the morning to catch the main movement. Never the less I had a good day on Friday when 7 species revealed themselves - 2 ringtail Hen Harriers, Marsh Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard, Merlin, Kestrel, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk & Buzzard. These species contributed to me amassing 68 species which is a good total for mid April.

News broke of a male King Eider visible from land on Friday and headed off first thing Saturday morning to see if I could find which thankfully I did. This is almost certainly the bird found as a 2cy in August 2018 and which has been seen on and off since then. Whether it leaves the inner Oslo fjord for extended periods or just isn’t located (most sightings have been from boats) is open to debate but I definitely have not had much luck seeing him. My last sighting was 8 April 2020 when he was in adult plumage although bill shield was not yet massive and prior to that I had seen him in the autumn of 2018 when he was still in an immature plumage. On Saturday though he looked absolutely magnificent which enormous bill shields and he was feeling good out himself and amorously displaying to a female Common Eider who appeared to prefer his advances over those of the many male Common Eiders present – perhaps we will get some hybrid eiders later this year. The display was quite special and can be seen in the accompanying videos.

Whilst watching Elvis I heard what I thought sounded like an Osprey and looked up to see a pair mating on a nest that I had never previously noticed! These were my first of the year and they clearly waste no time.

After this I checked out a couple of lakes nearby without seeing too much although a Tundra Bean Goose was a good find.

male King Eider (praktærfugl) with Common Eiders (ærfugl)

displaying

wing flapping was also an occasional element of the display

I had not appreciated before that the yellow on the bill was a shield which grows separately on either side of the bill with a gap inbetween

Look at the black V on the throat

Tundra Bean Goose (tundrasædgås) with Greylag and Canada Goose

note tail and wing patterns. Greylag to the left

this Pink-footed Goose (kortnebbgås) was also in the flock but never allowed a side by side educational photo with the Tundra. Pink-feet have a habit of being wildy misidentified as both Tundra Bean, Taiga Beans and White-fronted Geese but it really is quite obvious when you look at the colour of the bill and legs