Wintering Scaup in Oslo

Scaup is only seen very occasionally in Oslo in winter with only three January records of single birds in 2004, 2013 and 2021. That was before 2025 though when a small flock was discovered on 18 Jan on the fjord. The site is, as far as I know, rarely visited so the birds may well have been present a while. There are 7 birds and they have the company of up to 5 Tufted Ducks. They are diving to find food quite close to shore and keep returning to the same spot so there is clearly a rich but small (in area) food source. There are three males and four females. All the males are clearly 1^st winter birds and while I assume that the females are also 1^st winters I am not sure and there is some variation in how they look especially the extent of white around the bill.

That these birds are present and clearly find food is together with the huge numbers of Velvet Scoters, Goldeneyes and Eiders a sign that something is good in the Oslo fjord despite the repeated assertions that the fjord is either dead or dying. Populations of many fish are critically low but mussels would seem to be present in great numbers which is I think the main reason for all the seaducks this winter. There are quite a few Common and Cormorants and the newly arrived Shags but other fish eaters are very scarce with just a few auks and no divers or grebes.

From the same spot I could see in the telescope good numbers of Velvet and Common Scoters, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and 10 Razorbills and 4 Long-tailed Ducks so this was a very bird rich Oslo fjord and also a spot that I will have to visit more often.

7 Greater Scaup (bergand), 3 males and 4 females. The smudges in white flanks and grey backs show the males to be 1st winters. Of the females the one at the top has a sizeable and clearly defined white patch around the bill which may mean she is an adult but the other three are I believe 1st winters 

here seemingly dabbling for food

with 3 Tufted Ducks (toppand)

and with 5 Tufties

with a female Tufted at the bottom

female Scaup and female Tufted. Here the white area around the bill is a clear difference but some Tufted also have this which is when you need to look at other differences such as the head shape, over all size (Scaup is larger), the paler cheeks of the Scaup and a smaller black "nail" on the bill of the Scaup

Hawkie survives in Maridalen but can go AWOL