Continuing signs of spring

Small signs of spring continue to show themselves although it is pretty quite generally. Yesterday the first flocks of Pink-footed Geese migrated north over the Dale and were a very welcome sight indeed and today there was also a small group feeding with Greylag Geese on one of the fields. The first Barnacle Goose of the year was also on the lake and along with Canada Geese meant there were 4 species of geese in the Dale. In the afternoon a low flying Crane was also my first of the year in the Dale.

I have been seeing butterflies/moths this week but have not been able to identify them although have suspected that all have been Orange Underwing / bjørkevårmåler and today I found one sunning itself and was able to confirm species.

Here is my eBird report from Maridalsvannet today: 

https://ebird.org/checklist/S65998077

Orange Underwing

this photo shows ca.200 (I reckon) Pink-footed Geese

and this definitely shows 19

Crane (trane)

Canada Goose with Whooper Swans 

Tudted Duck (toppand)

Whooper Swans (sangsvane)

Fornebu by foot

A car in for its MOT/EU test was a good reason to give Fornebu much more attention than it normally gets. Weather wise it was perfect to be out and about but birdwise it was slow going. Spring has made its mark though and there are now quite an array of birds singing.
Great and Blue Tits have been "singing" for a while with Yellowhammers, Greenfinches and Blackbirds joining last week. Today Robins also decided to join in and best of all Skylarks and Starlings which are now back on territory. Four Skylarks were singing in Nansenpark but I wonder if this will be their last year?
I had my first summer plumaged Black-headed Gulls of the year (also nice to hear them) and surprisingly three species of wader. Oystercatchers are now back in force and were flying around displaying but nine Lapwings on a small area of open mud were a surprise and I heard a flyover Ringed Plover. I have no way to prove it but I would bet these Lapwings are the Maridalen and Sørkedalen breeding birds waiting for the snow to melt on their chosen fields.

I had given up on the Beardies after no sight nor sound despite over two hours of trying but an elusive Lesser Spotted Woodpecker kept me in the area and then finally I heard one or two Bearded Tits. So still some hope they will stay and breed but looking less likely now I think.

A Small Tortoishell again today and also a day flying moth – an Orange Underwing which in flight looks confusingly like a Small Tortoiseshell.

still not ideal conditions for these Lapwings (vipe)

some nice reflections

Starlings (stær) are pretty smart birds

using its tongue when searching for food

this male Red-breasted Merganser (island) caught and swallowed a fair size fish. The sequence starts upper left

there was lots of Oystercatcher (tjeld) activity today including pairs mating

my first summer plumaged Back-headed Gull (hettemåke) of the year

stunning Stock Dove (skogdue)

A White-backed Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Orange Underwing (bjørkevårmåler)