Sun and absence

Fru Gressholmen has clearly chosen the treat them mean, keep them keen strategy but now I have chosen to follow the absence makes the heart grow fonder strategy and see if she will show me some kindness when I next give her some loving.

 

We have 4 days of sun now so I feel can ignore her and shift my focus away from waders and #Oslo2024 to butterflies and breeding raptors, but only until Monday…when I will undoubtedly be rejected and wet but stronger for it😇

The Honey Buzzards continue to incubate and will not be finished for about another 10 days. At the same time Goshawk young have already left the nest - why would a species that migrates to equatorial Africa nest so late whilst one that is a resident species breed so early? I have also finally found the Hobby nest which had at least one large although still downy young and also found a Sparrowhawk nest (my first ever!).

Butterflies have been dominated by hairstreaks with all three of the Norwegian autumn species showing very well nectaring which for Purple is the first time I have seen this. I had 3 Purple and 4 Brown at Fornebu today.

White-letter Hairstreak (almestjertvinge) - my second nectaring individual

my first Brown Hairstreak (slåpetornstjertvinge) of the year and my earliest ver by 10 days. Even though it can only be a day or two old it has already survived a bird attack

another freah individual

and another

a Purple Hairstreak (eikestjertvinge) - the first time I have seen one nectaring. Unfortunately none of the ones I saw opened their wings

this individual has been attacked by a bird and lost its tails

Swallowtail (svalestjert)

Brimstone (sitronsomerfugl)

Comma (hvit-C)

not often Ringlets (gullringvinge) show their upperside

my firt, and a very early, Brambling (bjørkefink) of the year

and this juvenile Wood Sandpiper (grønnstilk) is the first migrating juvenile wader I have noted