Spring, summer and autumn all in the course of an hour

Even though the weather today was quite challenging with rain storms I am actually talking about the bird seasons.

I ended up at Fornebu this morning after having had to drop Jr Jr off nearby. A report earlier in the morning of a small flock of Brent Geese flying over the suburbs and the fresh southerly winds had me thinking a sea gaze may give something although this late in the spring (or summer as it officially is in Norway now) there was never going to be much but it could be a case of quality over quantity.

My first scan revealed a Brent Goose standing on an islet – very nice - and then whilst watching it in a scope a Sandwich Tern flew over – very, very nice! The tern quickly moved off and I managed no pictures but this was only my second ever Norwegian record so the day was definitely delivering. Further scans of the fjord did not reveal any skuas or large divers but I did pick up a flock of 20 Brent (which tallies with the flock seen over the suburbs) resting on the fjord, then 5 Common Scoter (late migrants) and 5 summer plumaged Guillemots that looked to be displaying to each other. The Brents were Pale-bellied hrota on their way from wintering areas in Denmark to breeding grounds on Svalbard. They are traditionally one of the very latest movers and normally fly up the west coast of Norway but a few always take a wrong turn and fly up the east coast before always and obviously getting confused when the fjord narrows and then stops in Oslo. Sometimes the birds carry on over land but other times seems to turnaround and go south again. Today’s birds were still to make a decision.

So two species – Brent Goose and Common Scoter – that were still on spring migration.

part of the flock of 20 Pale-bellied Brent Geese (ringgås). Later in the day a single Dark-bellied was found with them. I did not see this bird or am able to find it in my photos so it presumably arrived some time later

and the initial single bird. The lack of an obvious neck collar ages it s a 2cy

A visit to Storøykilen had me hoping for Broad-billed Sandpiper but instead there was a Greenshank and Green Sandpiper. The sandpiper would definitely have been a returning so therefore on autumn migration but I am unsure about the Greenshank which I think could have been on either.

And summer? Well, there are loads of breeding birds but best of all was seeing the Ringed Plover family again. I was able to watch them closely from the car and the male was sheltering and guarding the two young whilst the female was nearby and calling and running in the opposite direction trying to distract me. I don’t know how usual it is that the male takes responsibility for the young in this way but see from my photos the other day that it was also the male caring for them.

In Maridalen there was only one hybrid Canada x Barnacle Goose today, the dark one but another small goose looked like a pure Canada or Cackling but I am unsure and it is almost certainly a backcross hybrid and perhaps a mixture of three different species. Whatever it is it will certainly have a feral origin, probably in Holland.

the dark breasted hybrid Canada x Barnacle Goose and a new bird which would also seem to be a hybrid but one without a white forehead or a dark breast

here the chest looks pale

in this shot there is maybe a shadow of a dark chest

the obvious hybrid has (in this picture at least) a very stubby bill and steep forehead suggesting Cackling rather than Canada Goose genes

A hunting 1^st summer male Marsh Harrier and possible a new and second singing Sedge Warbler were also notable in The Dale.

1st summer Marsh Harrier (sivhauk) - note the new grey feathers in the wing and tail