#184

Birding is getting in the way of blogging at the moment and I still have more 1000 pictures from the weekend to go through.

Yesterday, Jr and The Beast joined me for a drive around Maridalen at 11pm. If I am going to add more species to Oslo 2024 then I need those nocturnal singers - any of Corncrake, Quail, Grasshopper Warbler, River Warbler or Blyth’s Reed Warbler will do. 

Junior’s younger eyes again did the trick for me with Oslo #184 being added when she spotted not one of the aforementioned species but a Long-eared Owl that was quartering a field.

This is also a new species for me in Maridalen and becomes my #209 on the patch. Given the seemingly suitable habitat in the valley it is surprising I have not had one before but there have only ever been a handfull of sightings in the last couple of decades although a report from 1993 described it as a breeding species.

I assume they are breeding and hopefully I will have a chance to document them better than this video.