A quiet week

After last weekends snow we have generally had warm weather although cloud free nights have meant the mornings are cold. Thursday was an exception with strong southerly winds and cloud which led Jack and I to sea gaze from Krokstrand. A single Kittiwake and a few Razorbills which outnumbered Guillemots about twenty to one were the only indications of birds driven in by the wind.

Maridalen has seen a small arrival of mountain breeding sea ducks which is typical for mid to late October and their arrival follows winter coming to the mountains which forces them off their breeding lakes. Common Scoter are to be expected but single Velvet Scoter and Long-tailed Duck are far more exotic. We just need a Scaup now to complete the set.

There has been little to record on the passerine and raptors front but single Common Buzzard, Great Grey Shrike and Pygmy Owl keep up the hope that we will have an owl(y) winter.

A Long-eared Owl at Fornebu yesterday which I was able to twitch acted like a migrating bird that was having a layover but it would also be a bonus if some again spent the winter there.

Long-eared Owl (hornugle) - could almost have described this meeting as a reunion

it was discovered first by Magpies and then Hooded Crows and Jackdaws causing it to fly off

and Pygmy Owl (spurveugle) in Maridalen

Maridalen 14.10.26

and on the 16th when it was cloudy