Feeling really birdy in Maridalen

The last 3 days have been grey and often wet but have yet again been rich with migrating birds. On Wednesday I squeezed in what might well be my final trip to the Taiga Beans as they will surely be heading north quite soon. The fields they have chosen now make it very difficult to get a full overview but I was able to note a minimum of 80 birds and this did not include one of the GPS birds plus two other collared birds. X4 was present who a week earlier had been seen on his own further north showing how these birds frequently move north to check on conditions before returning again south. The 5 White-fronted Geese were still present and amongst the Pink-footed Geese I found a single Tundra Bean Goose. This was a tricky individual and had it been amongst the Taigas then I would not have called it but one thing I have noticed with these geese is that Tundra Beans and Taiga Beans do not mix and that Tundras will always be amongst flocks of Pink Feet rather than with Taigas. With Canada and Greylag Geese also present I had 5 species of geese on the same field which feels like a record.

Maridalen has also delivered with especially raptors putting on a good show although the hoped for (expected) Red Kite has yet to show itself. I have had migrating Hen Harriers on each of the last 3 days although in their usual style they were at loooong range using the ridges on both the east and west of the valley. I have only ever seen a hunting HH once in the Dale although Marsh Harriers have often been low over the fields.

Whooper Swans have been increasing all the time with 23 birds a very high count and Lapwings peaked at 12 which is also very high. The first Snipe, Osprey, Black-throated Diver and Curlew have also appeared and it is finally feeling REALLY birdy out there.

migrating ringtail Hen Harrier (myrhauk) on Wednesday at 3km range along the eastern ridge to Maridalen

and Fridays bird along the western ridge at a much closer 1.5km range. I did not even attempt to photograph Thursdays bird..

my first Black-throated Diver (storlom) of the year flew north over Maridalen and what was presumably the same bird flew south again 10 minutes later after I guess having seen that all lakes were frozen and it was best to wait it out on the fjord

Cranes (trane). I was unfortunate to miss the 2 Great White Egrets that were reported flying over at the same time

Curlew (storspove). I was woken up by one calling as it flew over the house on Friday morning which was a garden tick and a great way to wake up.

female Grey Wagtail (vinterere) finding food on the snow

the same field held 50 White Wagtails (linerle) which were nearly all males. It seems strange that they find most food where there is snow

Kestrels (tårnfalk) have been unusually numerous the last days in Maridalen

and this pair were even calling

can you see what this is?

like this you may think Snow Bunting

it was together with these birds though and had the same call as them

leucistic Reed Bunting (sivpsurv). Without hearing it call I would have been very unsure as to its ID. Notice how it has pale legs whereas the normal Reed Buntings in the previous pic have dark legs

Merlins (dvergfalk) have been very and unusually noticeable this week

here a male behind the church ruins

my first Osprey (fiskeørn) seemed to be a bird checking out conditions and eventually returned to the south and presumably will wait it out on the fjord

a flock of Pink-footed Geese (kortnebbgås) passing appartment blocks at Fornebu. I try to take a photo of every flock I see to study later for any rarer interlopers - none in this flock as far as I can see

the Lapwing field at Skjerven in Maridalen on Wednesday had become a wildfowl mecca

the two scarcest thrushes together - Mistle Thrush (duetrost) and Ring Ouzel (ringtrost)