Red-footed Falcon and other raptors

Since my last post I have spent a LOT of time looking for raptors. The target has been Pallid Harrier and/or Red-footed Falcon. Pallids are now moving through southern Norway with ringed birds from Finland being seen and the Red-foots have been seen in large numbers around the Baltic and should also turn up in Norway.

I concentrated my efforts on Nordre Øyeren and was there Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Over the three days I noted 12 species but none of the rarities I was hoping for but multiple Hen Harriers, White-tailed Eagles and Honey Buzzard gave some quality. The other species I saw were Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Buzzard, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Peregrine, Kestrel and Hobby.

Great White Egret, Black-tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and a heard only Red-throated Pipit made for very enjoyable birding.

On Saturday news broke of a juv Red-footed Falcon an hour from Oslo and on Sunday afternoon I had to drop Jr Jr off somewhere that was nearly half way there so I decided to carry on. The bird had seen all through the morning but seemed to have disappeared an hour before I arrived and there were a few birders looking forlornly at all the overhead wires in the area when I arrived. Almost the first bird I saw getting out of the car was a Red Kite though so that was a good start! It was distant but great to have only my fifth sighting of this species in Norway although it has started breeding now and will probably become commoner and commoner. The falcon was not to be found though and slowly the other birders disappeared and I decided to drive around the area. I knew that the falcon had been seen together with a Cuckoo and when I found a Cuckoo on wires I got very excited but despite much searching couldn’t find its companion. I returned to where I had seen the Kite and noted Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Hobby, Sparrowhawk plus many Buzzards. Eventually It was time to start heading home and I had a choice of two directions. As the petrol light had come on I decided to take the route which would take me quickest to a petrol station and what a fortuitous choice that was! It took me past where I had earlier seen the Cuckoo and sure enough it was there and then suddenly it had a companion!! I got to see them both very well on roadside wires. They both frequently dropped to the ground (a stubble field) before flying back up with a large caterpillar and the falcon also took dragonflies. I put out the news and some of the birders I had seen earlier were still in the area and got to see it.

So 14 species of raptor over 5 days ain’t bad going 😊

As I write this post I have received a message of a juv Pallid Harrier only half a hour from Oslo. Should I go?

There are a lot of photos here and I also have video to go through but will post that later.

1cy Red-footed Falcon (aftenfalk) - I'm pretty happy with this picture :-) 

together with the young Cuckoo (gjøk)

not so good pictures of the Red Kite (glente) but it does at least count as a record shot

one of 3-4 young Hen Harriers (myrhauk) last week

2 together

same bird

and with a Great White Egret (egretthegre)

Hen Harrier, Kestrel (tårnfalk) and adult White-tailed Eagle (havørn). There were another harrier and eagle in the scame thermal!

young (juvenile?) and adult White-tailed Eagle

this is definitely a juvenile

2 young birds. There were at least 5 and probably more White-tailed Eagles in the Nordre Øyeren area

adult Hobby (lerkefalk)

young Buzzard (musvåk)

young Black-tailed Godwits (svarthalespove) of the icelandic race

bugling Cranes (trane) including 2 juveniles

Bramblings (bjørkefink) are now coming through in good numbers

and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (dvergspett) are quite vocal

a flock of Pintail (stjertand)

in Maridalen the water levels are falling and there is still time for that Dunlin but so far only Snipe are attracted

Common Snipe (enkeltbekkasin)

this one tried to hide by submerging itself