Hazel Grouse again

On Friday the forecast was for sun so I decided to pay the Hazel Grouse a visit again in the hope that the light in the forest would be a bit better than previously. Of course, the forecast was wrong and it was cloudy but as a someone else pointed out to me, it was sunny above the clouds…

The male again showed well (is he paired yet?) and even sang briefly in profile but I left him after a short while as I worry that he will grow tired of my presence and make him harder to find in the future.

In Maridalen a Grey-headed Woodpecker and the Great Grey Shrike both showed are avoiding the radar for a week or so and a Starling that briefly stopped before heading north was a very late and confused bird.

Reports of Great Grey Owls to the north and south east of Oslo give a slight hope that this species is wandering in search of food and just might grace us with its presence again this winter, the Bird Gods willing.

male Hazel Grouse (jerpe) on a snowy forest floor. He is still bale to eat the buds and shoots on blueberry plants but once the snow becomes too deep he will start feeding on catkins in the alder and birch trees

I managed to sneak up to him when he was in profile and singing but it only last a few seconds

the Great Grey Shrike (varsler) was hunting right by farm buildings and caught a mouse whilst I was watching

Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett). This was the female without any red in the crown and she spent a lot of time feeding (unseen) on the ground

most unexpected bird of the day and one I initially failed to identify was a Starling (stær)