Overnight frosts mean that spring is progressing very
slowly. I have visited Maridalen for a pre-breakfast trip the last two mornings
and whilst there are things afoot there are no obvious movements of passerines
or waterbirds.
The dawn chorus is now getting quite varied with
Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Starlings and today Lapwings.
There were 5 Lapwings on the field and one was most likely a female as the
males were suddenly displaying and chasing each other.
A pair of Cranes was the undoubted highlight. They were initially
circling low over the valley and may well have roosted here before they gained
some height and headed north. Very few Cranes have so far arrived in Norway
this spring so it was surprising to see them in Maridalen so early.
Until last year I believed that woodpeckers excavated a new
nest each year. Seeing a pair of Black Woodpeckers nesting in the same hole two
years running taught me that this was not the case and today I found another
Black Woodpecker entering another hole that was used last year so it would
appear that Black Woodpeckers at least regularly use the same hole two years
running. I initially heard today’s bird singing (not drumming) close to where I
knew they had nested last year. I went to the hole and a male flew in and
immediately started investigating the hole. He then went in and I could hear
him hacking away inside the hole presumably doing some renovation before
showing it to his mate.
Last night I heard a hooting Long-eared Owl at Årnestangen.
As far as I can remember this is only the second time I have heard this species
hooting but it was a very distant bird and not particularly satisfying. The
moon was full and very large making it an atmospheric night.
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male Black Woodpecker (svartspett) |
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pair of Cranes (trane) over Maridalen with the communications tower at Tryvann in the background (ca. 6km away) |
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the Great Grey Shrike (varsler) is still present |
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and Starlings (stær) are increasing |
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yesterday's full moon |
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Jupiter is also visible towards the top, right of centre |
Beautiful photos! :)
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