Today I had the pleasure of guiding Mathieu from Belgium to see the best that Oslo could offer in 4 hours. Mathieu got three lifers: Hawk Owl, Pine Grosbeak and Three-toed Woodpecker so the session was an undoubted success but rarest bird was a Starling! I dismissed the bird (sitting distantly in a tree) as a Blackbird as Starling is not at all on my radar at this time of the year in Oslo but Mathieu who did not have that “knowledge” thankfully pointed out the error of my assumption.
male Three-toed Woodpecker (tretåspett) drumming 
a very unseasonal Starling (stær) 
Pine Grosbeak (konglebit), unfortunately they only showed in the tops of spruce trees 
we did see the Hawk Owl closer than this but I like this shot
Yesterday there were possible reports of both Iceland and
Caspian Gull by the Opera. I was nearby and managed 10 minutes without finding
them before I had to leave. This rases the prospect of reaching 210 for
#Oslo2024 but I feel that I have hung my bins up now so don’t think I will
spend anymore time looking for them. Many of the local Herring Gulls have
exceptionally orange bills and legs at the moment. The reason is unknown but
must be diet related and they look quite freaky.
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| this bird was ringed as a chick on one of the Oslo islands and was registered as a Herring Gull. It looks more like a Lesser-black Back (which is very rare in winter in Oslo) but has caused debate and its ID has not been agreed up (hybrid is of course a possibility). Better photos can be seen here |
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