A lot has happened since my last post. Firstly, the weather
forecast for Friday became mouth wateringly good with rain starting at dawn and
continuing through the day and I was now thinking I was going to decamp to
Gressholmen and experience an Oslo wader fest the likes of which haven’t even
been dreamed of. But then the next time I looked the forecast had changed to
only a slight chance of rain so we will have to wait and see.
Secondly, and most importantly, I spur of the moment decided
to listen for any nocturnal activity in Maridalen yesterday and was royally
rewarded with not one but two Nightjars, Oslo #174. This was a new Dale species
for me, #208, and comes after the first record last year which seemed to only
be a one night bird and which I could not find the following night. With all
the forestry work over the last few years which has created far more open
forest and clearings it felt like only a matter of time before the species
colonised. I heard a very distant bird at 23:10 and couldn’t work out exactly
where it was and attempts to get closer did not reveal it again. But at 23:50
in a different area I had another bird which churred and flew over me and even
allowed itself to be photographed 😊
Unfortunately, as I was not expecting this encounter I did
not have the camera settings right but hopefully I will be offered another
chance and will be better prepared. Other than the Jars I could only muster up
3 Woodcock. It is still very early in the season but a good showing of night
singers in Oslo will be vital if I am to break my record.
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| Nightjar (nattravn). Not too shabby a picture for 23:56 and handheld using a headtorch |
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| I saw it first in flight |
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| before it landed |
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| most of my shots were "arty" like this |
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