Tripping with Dotterels

Last Friday an observer had some great birds on what at first glance is just unassuming farmland but previous records (same observer) such as last years Pallid Harrier show that this is clearly a well placed piece of unassuming farmland just south of Oslo. The birds found on Friday were a female Montagu’s Harrier and a trip of 10 Dotterel. Unfortunately the news took a long time to be shared but luckily for us others the Dotterel were still present on Saturday and their numbers rose to first 13, then 16 and finally 18 which is a local record for a species that is barely seen annually.  I visited in the evening with Jack and Sonu and we found “only” 17 but got to see them really well without too much heat haze. They were in the corner of stubble field and not on a recently sewn field which I would have thought to be far more to their liking. Dotterel would be a dream bird to find in Maridalen and rain forecast for Monday and Tuesday may make that dream come true.

In Maridalen I have only been seeing a couple of Lapwings but the farmer ploughed the field on Friday and I saw he had marked and saved some nests. Speaking to him he had saved 7 nests! A very important job by him and a very high number and poor of me to only have 2 two adults…..!

Østensjøvannet also had some good birds on Saturday morning including a very photogenic adult Little Gull. By the time I visited on route to the Dotterel the gull had gone but a pair of Gadwall were nice as was my first Wood Warbler of the year. There are few summer visitors left for me now with just Cuckoo,!Swift, Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Common Rosefinch and Honey Buzzards remaining of the regular local breeders.

In the garden the Pied Flycatchers are now finished with their nest even though I have only noticed them entering with nesting material once - everything goes so quickly! I expect the first egg to be laid tomorrow and will follow them closely and with much interest.

12 Dotterel (boltit)

pair of Gadwall (snadderand) at Østensjøvannet. The male should have an all black bill so I am not sure what is going on with this bird - maybe a young bird

this Great Crested Grebe (toppdykker) was nest building

and the foundations were just piling water weed around some reeds

and then a big stick

female Pied Flycatcher (svarthvitfluesnapper) taking in nesting material

the male

and the nest - a far browner affair than Blue or Great Tits

a family walk around Fornebu today revealed a minimum of 17 Common Terns looking like they were settling down to breed. Black-headed Gulls seem to be having a disastrous season though with previously used islets (including this one) completely empty of birds

In Maridalen this winter has been one where Parrots Crossbills are almost the only species of crossbill seen. When I had a pair on Friday that were visiting an area of mud for minerals I initially assumed that they were also Parrots as the male (see pictures below) had a fair sized bill. The female though had a tiny bill and could be nothing other than a Common. A week previously I had a pair of definite PArrots in exactly the same area and although I hadn't worked it out at the time they must also have been visiting the mineral lick (see picture of the female further down). The birds allowed for very close approach and were not scared by passing cars. I have previously had Common Crossbills licking minerals from the church ruins in Maridalen and it seems to be important for them. Surprsisingly for an early nester I have seen no juveniles of either species yet

a large billed male Common Crossbill (grankorsnebb)

and a small billed female

a female Parrot Crossbill (furukorsnebb) in same place a week earlier

the male licking

the pair