Kiting

The weekend ended up being very memorable. Birding outings to Maridalen and Nordre Øyeren were not particularly productive other than twitching a Green-winged Teal but a strategically planned long drive to Sweden for Jr to practice her driving ahead of her test and also to do some cheap shopping allowed me to stop at Gjølsjøen and hopefully put to bed my search for Red Kite in 2025. Me going to a place to see them is of course not the same as finding one unexpectedly close to Oslo but as we saw 4 which is the second highest count in Norway (the highest being 5 on 9 April 2023) I think we can say it was an outstanding day. After I had spotted one bird and we preparing to leave Jr then asked “what is that big bird?” and pointed at something through the windscreen. It was so distant that she had to help me find it but it turned out to be Red Kite #2. We then raced off to try to get closer which worked like a charm then it was joined by #3 and #4!! There have been many published records of up to 2 birds in the area this spring but the species would seem to be very well established and being so close to the Swedish border it is perhaps no surprise. It is a great area with breeding Marsh Harriers and I also had a female Hen Harrier and a very distant ringtail that seemed more like a Pallid.

Red Kite (rødglente) #2 which was the bird that showed best

#2

#2

#2

and #3

and #1. #4 was more distant did not get photoed as I was too interested in #2 and #3 that were closer

ringtail Hen Harrier (myrhauk)

Green-winged Teal (amerikakrikkand) at Merkja. This is where I last saw the species and it is very likely the same, returning, bird

the vertical bar of the Green-winged and the horisontal bar of the European Teal

a quick stop at the Black Redstart (svartrødstjert) was very successful and he was actively singing

in Maridalen a pair of Three-toed Woodpeckers seemed to be searching for a suitable tree to excavate a hole in and were moving from tree to tree tapping very loudly. Here the female has sent some splinters of bark flying

the male

there are quite a few Wrynecks (vendehals) in Maridalen now. The original male now has a mate and I saw them checking out old GS Woodpecker holes to choose where they will nest and there are also two currently unpaired singing birds

being out at dawn allows one to see Beavers too