Winter blues

My lack of blogging can be blamed on a lack of new birds to write about. January is not a month when you expect many surprises or new arrivals but this year it has been exceptionally quiet. There are just very few birds around Oslo. There are hardly any finches, the fjord has very few birds (and is now frozen over), raptors and owls are very scarce and it is getting so desperate that I am considering a visit to the recycling plant to look for gulls….

That said, the “cool but sensitive species” I mentioned previously has taken up much of my time but as it looks like it may have moved on now so I may be able to post about it soon.

The Bearded Tits are still around and the largest flock have been attracting insane numbers of photographer as they feed by a footpath in a 5 meter wide reedbed. The Hawk Owl has been also been surrounded by photographers whenever it is a sunny day and some clowns have taken to throwing out (dead) mice on fishing lines and reeling it in to get the “ultimate” photo…..

The weather these last two weeks has been very variable but we have hd some lovely days with new snow and no wind

the trees in the forest have also been laden with snow and apart from walking on prepared ski tracks (a criminal offence in Norway) it is not easy getting about

moose have become more obvious with the deeper snow forcing them out of the forest

there are very few Redpolls (gråsisik) around and this one was suitably pale to seserve a second look

sunset at Fornebu

Two Little Grebes (dvergdykker) in Oslo

Tufted Duck (toppand) in a red sea due to reflections from shipping container

Goldfinch (stillits)

Grey Heron (hegre) which are scarce now with most waterways being frozen

singing male Hawfinch (kjernebiter)

Reed Bunting (sivspurv)

And now an obscenely large number of Bearded Tit pictures as I think back lighting is cool...😀 And if you make it to the bottom there a are a couple of videos of them feeding

Butterfiles 2022

Butterflies deserve their own post for 2022 and I will also use the opportunity to summarise the total number of species I have seen in Norway.

I added 7 species to my Norwegian list which now stands at 67 species out of a total of 101 species seen in Norway (as reported in Artsobservasjoner). One species that is on both these lists is the Long-tailed Blue I found in 2021 and which is the only record that may be a wild individual but I do not think it has been officially added to the Norwegian list yet (although I must admit to having no idea who keeps the official list and how this is done). I am quite proud of my butterfly list as I have made few visits to sites purely for specific butterflies and most of my records come from local sites such as Maridalen, Fornebu, Beitostølen and around the cabin in Bodø. I have photographed every species bar one and that species, Poplar Admiral (ospesommerfugl), is perhaps the most distinctive species we have in Norway and one that is regular around Oslo so should not evade the camera for long.

The 7 species I added in 2022 were

1.   Northern Chequered Skipper (svartflekksyyger) in Oslo at a known site

2.       Norse Grayling (nornens ringvinge) near the cabin in Bodø at a new site

3.       Alpine Grizzled Skipper (polarsmyger) near the cabin in Bodø at a new site

4.       Pale Arctic Clouded Yellow (polargulvinge) near the cabin in Bodø at a new site

5.       Northern Clouded Yellow (mjeltgulvinge) near the cabin in Bodø at a known site

6.       Thor’s Fritillary (tors perlemorvinge) near the cabin in Bødo at a new site

7.       Apollo at a known site whilst driving home from Bodø

 

My other species are as follows:

8.   Silver-spotted Skipper (kommasmyger)

9.       Large Skipper (engsmyger)

10.   Dingy Skipper (tiriltungesmyger)

11.   Grizzled Skipper (bakkesmyger)

12.   Purple-edged Copper (purpurgullvinge)

13.   Small Copper (ildgullvinge)

14.   Scarce Copper (oransjegullvinge)

15.   Cranberry Blue (myrblåvinge)

16.   Alpine Blue (fjellblåvinge)

17.   Northern Brown Argus (sankthansblåvinge)

18.   Holly Blue (vårblåvinge)

19.   Small Blue (dvergblåvinge)

20.   Mazarine Blue (engblåvinge)

21.   Geranium Argus (brun blåvinge)

22.   Green-underside Blue (kløverblåvinge)

23.   Long-tailed Blue (no Norwegian name)

24.   Silver-studded Blue (argusblåvinge)

25.   Idas Blue (idasblåvinge)

26.   Amanda’s Blue (sølvblåvinge)

27.   Common Blue (tiriltungeblåvinge)

28.   Green Hairstreak (grønnstjertvinge)

29.   Purple Hairstreak (eikestjertvinge)

30.   White-letter Hairstreak (almestjertvinge)

31.   Brown Hairstreak (slåpetornstjertvinge)

32.   Silver-washed Fritillary (keiserkåpe)

33.   Cranberry Fritillary (myrperlemorvinge)

34.   Pearl-bordered Fritillary (rødflekket perlemorvinge)

35.   Mountain Fritillary (fjellperlemorvinge)

36.   Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (brunflekket perlemorvine)

37.   Lesser Marbled Fritillary (engperlemorvinge)

38.   High Brown Fritillary (adippeperlemorvinge)

39.   Queen of Spain Fritillary (sølvkåpe)

40.   Dark Green Fritillary (aglajaperlemorvinge)

41.   Poplar Admiral (ospesommerfugl)

42.   Peacock (dagpåfugløye)

43.   Small Tortoiseshell (neslesommerfugl)

44.   Heath Fritillary (marimjellesommerfugl)

45.   Camberwell Beauty (sørgekåpe)

46.   Comma (hvit C)

47.   Red Admiral (admiral)

48.   Painted Lady (tistelsommerfugl)

49.   Ringlet (gullringvinge)

50.   Pearly Heath (perleringvinge)

51.   Small Heath (engringvinge)

52.   Large Heath (myrringvinge)

53.   Arran Brown (fløyelsringvine)

54.   Dewy Ringlet (fjellringvinge)

55.   Grayling (kystringvinge)

56.   Large Wall Brown (klipperingvinge)

57.   Wall Brown (sørringvinge)

58.   Baltic Grayling (juttas ringvinge)

59.   Speckled Wood (skogringvinge)

60.   Swallowtail (svalestjert)

61.   Moorland Clouded Yellow (myrgulvinge)

62.   Brimstone (sitronsommerfugl)

63.   Wood White (skoghvitvinge)

64.   Orange-tip (aurorasommerfugl)

65.   Large White (stor kålsommerfugl)

66.   Green-veined White (rapssommerfugl)

67.   Small White (liten kålsommerfugl)

What will I see in 2023? There are two species that I have previously had on my list but have now removed and both of these are relatively common so I should manage to see them: Meadow Brown (rapssommerfugl) and Northern Wall Brown (bergringvinge). Otherwise I have hopes to find some more scarce northern species around Bodø and Lapland Fritillary (iduns rutevinge) still tops my wish list.

 I am still avoiding moths except for large day active ones and Hummingbird Hawk Moth was added to my Norwegian list with two very cooperative individuals seen in what was perhaps a record invasion.