December guiding

Yesterday I was guiding for the first time in ages and it was a good day. Temperatures were down to -14C so it was a cold day and as is often the case at this time of the year there were few birds to see but I had some target birds to go for and it was a success. First down were Bearded Tits and then “my” Hazel Grouse showed well above our heads although he seemed more interested in sleeping that anything else. Maridalen then produced swimming Dippers, Great Grey Shrike and Crested and Willow Tits before our half day session ended.

I then returned later to Maridalen and picked up Pygmy Owl and Grey-headed Woodpecker which would have been great to see earlier but you can’t get everything in one short session.

Pictures are from both yesterday and the end of last week.

male Hazel Grouse (jerpe) feeding on alder catkins

when it is -14C it helps to blow up the feathers and trap bubbles of air to insulate you

Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett) - the female with a few red feathers

not sure if this is the same bird

Pygmy Owl (spurveugle)

looks like it has blood on its bill

female Bearded Tit (skjeggmeis)

the Great Grey Shrike (varsler)

Maridalsvannet froze over completely on Friday night but these 2 Cormorants (storskarv) are hanging on where the river enters at Hammeren

as was this Grey Heron (gråhegre)

ice water lillies forming in an eddy of a river

an ice covered Maridalsvannet on Sunday