Stuck on the mainland again

The end of September is when I should be on a far flung island finding birds with stripes or touches of red and blue. Unfortunately 2025 is yet another year where that hasn’t happened but I haven’t given up on an October trip to Værøy. It doesn’t seem that I have missed that much though as September hasn't been that productive with hardly a Yellow-browed Warbler reported although Olive-backed Pipits have been more numerous than usual. A few good birds have of course been found along the coast but not enough to make me jealous, yet…

Local birding is, no surprise, rather boring. I have had three owling trips so far which have yet to pull in a Tengmalm’s (although it is still early days) but I have heard Tawnies and a Long-eared came to inspect us one evening.

My only sense of rarity hunting came with an acro at Fornebu which turned out to be only a late Reed Warbler but it did get me in island mode for a few seconds.

And some photos from a visit to Østensjøvannet in the week.

a Moorhen (sivhøne)

and up a tree

Mute Swan (knoppsvane) family. Just a single pair bred succesfully this year due to lack of food and they have done well to raise 6 young although they cannot fly yet. Bread does seem to be an important part of their diet

a Shoveler (skjeand). There are up to 4 birds present but they are masters at hiding away