May 1st 2023 was obviously the exception to prove the rule. I did not see any sign of new birds having arrived and that despite the night starting with clear skies before clouding over early this morning before snow and sleet started falling. That, in my book, should have resulted in lots of grounded migrants. My expectations were so high that I was in Maridalen by 05:45 but had left an hour and a half later and visits to Fornebu, Bygdøy, Østensjøvannet and Maridalen again could not dispel the unmistakeable reality that this May 1st was a damp (and cold) squid.
Mammals were perhaps the highlight of the day with a
massive 6 species recorded: Roe Deer, Beaver, Fox, Common Porpoise, Harbour
Seal and Water Vole.
 |
| looking out over the bay at Kirkeby at 06:56 - the amount of ice free water is expanding slowly but over 90% of the lake is still frozen which is as far as I remember a record for 1 May |
 |
| looking the other way and snow was falling over a decidedly brown landscape |
 |
| the female Smew (lappfiskand) at Østensjøvannet |
 |
| I had 5 Ringed Plovers at Fornebu today. A group of three were feeding and displaying and a pair had a nest! Here the female is running towards the nest - the eggs can be seen just to the right of her head |
 |
| about to sit on the eggs |
 |
| snuggly incubating |
 |
| urban birds |
 |
| the simple nest and eggs after I discovered it. The adult returned to the nest just a minute after I discovered them |
 |
| Skylarks (sanglerke) are also hanging on my the skin of their teeth at Fornebu with 3 birds seen including a singing male |
and some dodgy mammal shots:
 |
| Beaver |
 |
| Fox |
 |
| Water Vole |
 |
| Water Vole (same animal) |
No comments:
Post a Comment