A day without snow

The weather this week has been a challenge. Winter came early and Monday and Tuesday were windy, from the NE, with lots of snow. Today was the same and tomorrow is forecast to be even windier although the snow will turn to rain – marvellous!

Yesterday though was a smashing day with no wind, temperatures a couple of degrees below zero and some sun. I was determined to make the most of these conditions and decided first to try to relocate the Baikal Teal at Nordre Øyeren. Just one night without wind had been enough for all the bays to freeze over including Svellet and the ducks that remained were relatively to find. I found many hundred Mallards but the Baikal Teal was not to be found amongst them. I still reckon it will turn up again though as the winter, and its plumage, progresses.

A flock of Snow Buntings feeding on a snow covered stubble field was mighty fine though and to honest more than made up for the lack of exotic plastic. The day kept on getting better though. With the snow I thought it worth looking for displaced snipe and succeeded with two Jack and a single Common Snipe. The Jack Snipe were interesting as I found a single bird standing in water and thought I must have disturbed it whilst feeding. I then went back to the car to get my tripod with the aim of remotely filming it as it resumed feeding. When I returned though there were now two Jack Snipe standing there! I set up the camera and moved out of view but unfortunately the birds just stood frozen to the spot and did not start feeding.

After this I went into Maridalen and a gaggle of photographers were on the heels of the Grey-headed Woodpecker who finally showed herself to me (I had heard her the day before) and then one of the Pygmy Owls put on a good show. Rather a good day!! The woodpecker seems to prefer looking for food on telegraph poles and old buildings rather than trees or the food I put out but must be finding enough.

 

Whilst Maridalsvannet is still ice free and will probably be so for at least a month Østensjøvannet has already completely frozen over and this must have occurred very quickly as soon as the wind died down yesterday. Normally there are lots of water birds that keep a large, but forever shrinking, area of water open but with the absence of water weed and therefore the usual large flocks of swans, coots and wigeon this has not happened this year and there are just two tiny ice free areas where the birds are fed. Six juvenile Mute Swans remain and are still unable to fly and with only bread on the menu and no parents to guide them I do not expect them to survive the winter.

WARNING!! Lots of photos 😂

the female Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett) in Maridalen - a less than annual guest

another entry to my photos of birds with a famous Oslo landmark in the background.... this time with Linderudkollen skijump

a flock of Snow Bunting (snøspurv) at Nordre Øyeren with the newly frozen Monsrudvika in the near background

males have white forewings which are lacking females. The majority of these birds are therefore male

very at home in the snow

there are still quite a lot of Waxwings (sidensvans) around

the first Jack Snipe (kvartbekkasin) I found

and then when I returned with the tripod there were two!

Pygmy Owl (spurveugle) in Maridalen

stretching its wing but a shame it wasn't facing me at the time

at one point it flew about 20m and was very alert with its tail moving from side to side

A frozen Østensjøvannet with 3 juvenile Mute Swans looking very sorry for themselves. Their parents have left as there is no food leaving the young who cannot yet fly. Nature can be cruel