The last day of October was surprisingly good in Maridalen
and I added 3 species to my Oslo 2025 year list. With 178 species so far 2025
is a completely average year (at least according to my eBird stats) but is way
behind last years record haul.
First up was a flyover Parrot Crossbill. There are as good
as no Common Crossbills left in Oslo’s forests so any crossbill is a good bird
at the moment and get perhaps more attention than it would have last year.
Second up was a real Oslo rarity and one I didn’t see last
year – Marsh Tit. A pair had been seen on Sunday so I have had them on my radar
but it was first today that I heard their characteristic pitchuu call
and then got to see them (they look very similar to the far commoner Willow
Tits and call is by far the easiest way to tell the two species apart). They
didn’t hang around for long as they continued on their travels looking for food
but will hopefully be here all winter and maybe breed next year. Marsh Tit is a
proper and surprising rarity in Oslo despite there being established populations
only a few kilometres beyond the county line in for example Lørenskog. These
are only my third record in Oslo after a bird at Østensjøvannet in October 2017
and then a bird that spent the winter of 2018/19 in Maridalen at the exact same
spot where I saw today’s birds. It does look like the species was commoner in Oslo
in the past although I can find only a single breeding record from 2000 but
there is also a big problem interpreting the many undocumented reports many of
which I would suggest should be accompanied by a helping of salt. On that note
though I do have to admit that my attempt to document today’s sighting was extremely
poor and is barely a record shot. My excuses are that I was
walking the Beast and only had the superzoom but most embarrassingly I have now
found out that the (good) video I thought I had taken which included the call
does not exist because in time honoured fashion I clearly only pressed the
record button when I was finished so have some useless video as the camera swung from shoulder….
The current birds could of course just have wandered from
one of the close populations but given that all other species of tit are irrupting
this year then it would be no surprise if Marsh Tits are also on the move so
these could well have come from far away.
Last up and also an addition to my Norwegian 2025 lists was
a female Grey-headed Woodpecker. I initially saw her quite close but had my usual series of camera problems so didn’t manage to do her justice but with luck she
has already chosen to spend the winter in Maridalen and will turn up on some
feeders.
the pictures I got of the Marsh Tits (løvmeis) probably do count as a record shot as the one that is in focus where the bird is looking at me does show the pale spot at the base of the upper mandible and that the back of the cheek is not white but rather creamy
my best pic of the Grey-headed 'pecker is a little bit better but hardly good
my flight shots are of their usual dismal quality but it is IDable
perched a long way away where it did also call
picture of a Jay (nøtteskrike) are much better and it is also a much smarter bird
Long-tailed Tits (stjertmeis)
autumnal reflections
the Pink-footed Goose (kortnebbgås) is still with the Whoopers (sangsvane) but is a master at disappearing in the stubble
and here some footage of a pod of at least 5 Harbour Porpoises that I saw in the fjord whilst auk watching on Wednesday
a Harbour Porpoise (nise)
and 5 of them that just floated on the surface for a few seconds
On Wednesday I had that much anticipated and rarely occurring
event that is an Oslo tick. Never-the-less it didn’t leave me feeling in an
especially celebratory mood because the views were not that great and the
photographic evidence leads much too be desired. The bird in question was my
first Oslo Brunnich’s Guillemot. This is a species that breeds in the far north
of Norway but is a very infrequent sighting anywhere in the country away from
the breeding sites as its wintering areas are far out in the Arctic Ocean. On
Wednesday the fjord was very calm off Huk, Bygdøy and lots of ice had formed.
The result was that birds were easy to see on the sea and also concentrated in
a smaller area than normal. The recent southerly winds had pushed in quite good
numbers of Guillemots which were now easily outnumbering the Razorbills which had
previously (and unusually) been the commonest auk this winter. Most of the auks
were resting in small groups on the open water but a few were feeding on their
own amongst the ice. One of these birds, and a relatively close one,
immediately caught my eye as it had a lot of black in the face. I had already
noted an adult Guillemot in summer plumage (most of the birds that get pushed
in are immatures that do not acquire summer plumage) but this bird was
different. It was a stubbier, more angular bird than a Common Guillemot and
seemed to have cleaner, white flanks. This was interesting and my thoughts went
immediately to Brunnich’s. I cranked up the magnification on the scope and
immediately felt able to confirm that it was one even though range and lighting
were not the best. I could just about make out the diagnostic white line over
the short bill but in the only picture I managed that shows the bird in any way
that might approach a record shot it is not visible. It started diving and
swimming away from me and joined a small group of Common Guillemots on the open
water. This group contained an adult in summer plumage and he Brunnich’s was
clearly separable even at long range due to its different jizz with a shorter
bill and more angular head. Also the white flanks (lacking obvious barring)
were visible.
So, a tick but not of the “here look at my great picture of
it” variety.
In Maridalen Brambling was a new bird for the year and the
Grey-headed Woodpecker turned up again after an absence of 3 weeks or so and
finally showed in nice sunlight. I also saw my first Green Woodpecker of
the year (had previously only heard them calling) with a “singing” female. With
all the snow I have been looking for mammal tracks in the snow. I have seen
numerous Moose and Roe Deer, Red Squirrel, Beaver, presumed fox and Pine
Marten. Pine Marten is a species I have only ever seen once but I think is a
reasonably common species around Oslo and perhaps even in the city.
Brunnich's Guillemot (polarlomvi)...
Maridalen's female Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett) with the red feathers in the crown is still here
and a female Green Woodpecker (grønnspett)
my first Brambling (bjørkefink) of the year
and some Bullfinches (dompap) which seem to be very numerous this winter
Today we have had a mini heat wave in Oslo which rather
surprisingly arrived on the back of northerly winds. From temperatures in
Maridalen of -27C less than a week ago the thermometer showed +5C today!
Interestingly it was also warmer the higher up one came. We will return to
below zero tomorrow and after forecast to once again have double digit minus next
week.
I paid a visit to Huk, Bygdøy early in the morning and was
entertained by the flock of overwintering Purple Sandpipers running around on
the frozen rocks nearly at my feet. On the sea there was more variety than my
last visit with Shag, Little Auk, Razorbill, Guillemot and both scoters.
Maridalen gave a duo with Pygmy Owl being the missing trio
member.
Purple Sandpiper (fjæreplytt), 1 of 9 I saw
the rocks on the shore above the high water line were all covered in ice
I am seeing the Great Grey Shrike (varsler) in Maridalen far less often but when I do see it it is always in the same area. With all the snow it must be difficult for it to find food
Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett)
adult (female) Peregrine seen yesterday at is usual winter spot on the top of a mobile mast
If you can withstand the cold then it is fantastic to be out
at the moment with blue skies and no wind. It is slightly warmer now with temperatures
staying above -20C and we are forecast to have a brief period with plus
temperatures on Thursday before it gets cold again.
There are still very few birds to see though and a long walk
in the forest today in perfect listening conditions was very poorly rewarded
although I did hear my first Black Woodpecker and Hazel Grouse of 2024. I also
finally had a Pygmy Owl in Maridalen and with both Great Grey Shrike and
Grey-headed Woodpecker yesterday then the trio of interesting birds remains.
A visit to Fornebu yesterday gave fantastic views of the
Bearded Tits but again Wrens were absent and it wouldn't surprise me now if I don't see or hear one until the spring,
the Bearded Tits (skjeggmeis) were feeding on the edge of the reedbed and often went into bushes
this female had darks stipes on its back
here she has been eating snow
Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett)
in addition to the red feathers there is a piece of peanut skin on her crown
Pygmy Owl (spurveugle) and an angry Coal Tit (svartmeis)
a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (dvergspett) was a welcome sight in Maridalen
the setting sun reflecting off windows south of Maridalsvannet and a sky with a lot of pollution from wood burning stoves adding to the colours
