A day for photos

If yesterday felt quiet in Maridalen then today was silent. It was a lovely day to be out with sun and little wind although after an overnight frost it never got that warm (8C). During the course of yesterday afternoon the ice broke up and melted and today I was greeted by an ice free but also pretty much bird free lake. It wasn’t just the lake that was bird free, the fields were too and there was no viz mig that I noticed. It is on days like this that I go on the less trodden paths and search out some of the Dales harder to find birds plus take photos of the more photogenic ones.

So today saw me taking photos of Black-throated Divers and Long-tailed Tits and then seeking out woodpeckers with both Lesser Spotted and Three-toed found.

Oslo #133 was also noted with my prediction for once being correct and a singing Blackcap heard from the front doorstep as I got home from walking the Beast.

when I saw that the Black-throated Divers (storlom) were swimming my way I found a good, concealed spot and waited for them to come closer

which they thankfully did

male Three-toed Woodpecker

female

male spitting out a piece of wood

I don't think this is the start of a nest hole but rather an attempt to reach a tasty bug

a Great Spotted Woodpecker (flaggspett) caused a bit of consternation

male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (dvergspett). There were 2 birds "singing" but not drumming in the same area although I could not determine whether it was a pair or two rival males

Long-tailed Tit (stjertmeis). This bird has some dark marks on the head suggesting a southern influence (and I have seen such birds in the area in previous years)

whereas this bird is a proper white headed one

female Black Woodpecker (svartspett). She spent a lot of time in the hole and could be heard banging away. This is, surprisingly, the third year running that this hole is used

there were only four species of duck on Maridalsvannet and all of them posed for a group photo. Can you see what they are?

this Greylag (grågås) has had to raise its nest to deal with the very high water levels