Vestfold vandering

Today was spent in Vestfold with Rune today braving snow, icy conditions and a biting northerly wind. My target today was to find our own Water Pipit (vannpiplerke) amongst the Rock Pipits (skjærpiplerke) that usually winter on the beach at Moutmarka, Tjøme. As it turned out the snow and ice had covered the rotting seaweed that they feed on so all we found was a single Rock Pipit feeding on an offshore rock and looking very sorry for itself. Incredibly little else here although a total of six Wrens was heartening given how badly they suffered due to the cold winters a couple of years ago.

The sea had some life though with five Black Guillemots (teist), 2 flyby Little Auks (alkekonge) and a single Slavonian Grebe (horndykker) the highlights.

We tried various other places around Tjøme and Hvasser but there was little to find with the weather not making things easier for us. At Dalen we knew that some Little Grebes (dvergdykker) were wintering. We found a single bird easily and wondered why we couldn’t find anymore. Then I noticed something hiding under a small abandoned floating jetty. Putting the scope on I eventually saw 7 Little Grebes hiding here and there could well have been more. Goldeneye (kvinand), Goosander (laksand), Eider (ærfugl) and Red-breasted Merganser (siland) were encountered all around the coast.

We tried for a Hawk Owl that has been seen close to the E18 motorway but failed to find it although did have two Great Grey Shrikes in the area.

distant Slavonian Grebe (horndykker) off Moutmarka, Tjøme

More Grosbeaks in Maridalen

One of Østfold’s finest, Per Buertange, made a visit to Maridalen today for some Grosbeak action so it was only polite (as well as enjoyable) to join him and try to find some. We began in the area where I had them yesterday but after an hour and a half had nothing to show for our efforts other than a Pygmy Owl and Green Woodpecker which isn’t too bad but not the target species. As we made our way back to the cars and were passing Maridalen School what flew over our heads? A flock of Pine Grosbeaks (konglebit) of course! 22 in total and they called softly as they flew low over the forest and seemed to land but we were unable to relocate them despite searching. Per seemed fairly happy with this brief encounter but I know that Maridalen can do better than this. We split up and searched different areas of Maridalen. As I drove down the snow covered road to Sandermosen train station what flew over the road? I think you know the answer! I rang Per and he came with Rune Z who was also now in Maridalen. We enjoyed good views of a flock of 9 Grosbeaks feeding in spruce about 30 metres from the road. These birds moved quickly from tree to tree and after 15 minutes disappeared away into the forest leaving three happy birders in their wake.

By now the sun had come out so I again set out to see if I could find a photogenic Hawk Owl. Today I only located the bird at Frogn School but it was even more distant today. I tried to of the other regular birds without luck although I suspect they are still present and yet again had to be content with a Great Grey Shrike (varsler). I got my fix though :-)

a rather lazy Coal Tit that likes to sit down to eat

5 of the 9 grosbeaks we saw feeding. Three red adult males, one orange young male and a female

The weather forecasters don't perform but the birds do

Yesterday was supposed to be sunny but was grey and cloudy and today ended up being the reverse. I therefore didn't plan much birding today but thought I would check out a couple og sites around Oslo. A drive around Sørkedalen failed to reveal any owls and at Sandvika the river was frozen and there were hardly any gulls (I had hoped to refind the Glaucous).

At this point the sun started to burn through the clouds so I thought a trip south of Oslo might give me some photogenic Hawk Owls at the regular spots - I am still hoping for an even better picture than the 1000+ I have taken in the last couple of months. On the way I stopped at Oslo Harbour where the only ice-free water is now at Kongshavn and today the Little Grebe (dvergdykker) showed to me. Not visible at first amongst the 400 or so Mallard (stokkand) and handful of Goldeneye (kvinand) and Tufted Duck (toppand) it eventually flew out of the tunnel, which I was standing on top of, where the river enters the fjord.

The Hawk Owl at Frogn School revealed itself to me for the first time but was in no way within photo range and it wasn't possible to get closer. The bird at Furu was also still on show but again it was not possible to get close. I hoped that the bird at Kroer would save the reputation for its species but it was not to be refound although the Great Grey Shrike (varsler) showed. I realise that my addiction is complete as I just need to “get” some Hawkie, I’m no longer bothered about enjoying the experience!

The obligatory drive around Maridalen turned up trumps big time. As I approached the stretch of Gamle Maridalsvei between Turtermarka bus stop and Maridalen School I saw some birds sitting on top of spruce. This is the same area where I had my first Grosbeaks back in October, where flocks of 25 & 45 were seen just before New Year and where I had 25 last week. Sure enough my birds were also Pine Grosbeaks and this time I had at least 40 in the same spruce tree. As usual it isn’t easily counting them but I could see at least 20 in the tree and estimated 40 when they flew out. A couple of the birds also perched in a deciduous tree (ash?) and looked to be eating the buds here.

This stretch of road therefore seems to be the most reliable site for the species in Maridalen (and maybe the whole of Norway) at the moment. The birds were not that close for good photos although the light was good. However, I did not check my camera settings before firing off 50 pictures which was a mistake as the camera was set for over exposure. A shame....

Near Tønsberg a Great Grey Owl (lappugle) was seen by a non-birder yesterday – hopefully it will be pinned down.

male Mallard (stokkand)

this Goldeneye (kvinand) pair were courting but it was the female doing the chasing

a fine male Goosander (laksand)

Little Grebes (dvergdykker) always try to find a corner to hide in

4 overexposed Piune Grosbeaks (konglebit) high in a spruce

a male in the sun

the closest I got to Hawkie today - this one at Frogn School

and here is the one at Furu, honest...

Great Grey Shrikes (varsler) were my target last winter - they seem rather dull this winter

-20C

A walk around Maridalen in -20C is not necessarily an enjoyable experience and today I found that my gloves were not really up to the job. Although I didn’t suffer any damage to my extremities I have to say that taking a leak wasn’t a particularly comfortable procedure ;-)

The Hawk Owl from Saturday seems to have moved on looking for richer hunting grounds but Pine Grosbeaks are still present. This time I had a rare heard only record with at least four birds giving the “let’s move on” call about 30 metres away from me in the forest before then flying off although away from me such that I didn’t see them. Good numbers of Bullfinches (dompap) around the valley with at least 35 including a singing male.

Surprise of the day was a Dipper (fossekall) which flew twice over my head looking very lost. I was not near open water and assume that the recent drop in temperature had frozen it out of its winter territory and it was looking for somewhere new.

Medium Scaup

Yesterday I fell on the ice (while trying to impress the kids and “surf” down a small icy slope) and badly bruised my ribs making me into a bit of an invalid (it’s an age thing). I just about managed a drive to Oslo Harbour this morning though where I hoped that I would be able to go through the duck flocks and find the Greater Scaup (bergand) that has been reported from here recently. Not surprisingly (it was -17C) most of the fjord was frozen but there was some open water where a stream enters at Kongshavn and here there were quite a few ducks. Mostly Mallard (250)(stokkand) but also 20 Goldeneye (kvinand), 9 Tufted Duck (toppand), a male Goosander (laksand), a pair of Mute Swans (knoppsvane), a single Coot (sothøne) and a good candidate for Scaup. 

I really struggled with this bird though as its jizz didn’t seem right for me. It was a 1^st winter male so must have been the same bird as reported by others but it I found it to be an atypical bird. It spent most of its time sleeping and was always to be seen with the sun behind it and with it being so cold it was a struggle in the field but I managed to fire off many pictures. In the field it was noticeably no larger than the accompanying Tufted Ducks and indeed appeared smaller than some. Also I felt that the head profile was not quite round enough but this definitely depended on its posture. I also detected no green in the head (although with it being a 1^st winter male this is not necessarily a problem). My thought in the field was that is was a hybrid, probably Scaup X Tufted Duck but checking my pictures I can’t really back this up. I also considered Lesser Scaup (purpurhodeand) but can’t get the head profile in most of the pictures to fit. The bill pattern which is normally a clincher with hybrids seems to be OK for a Scaup with a small black nail and the head profile doesn’t seem that odd in most pictures. As Scaup is such a rare winter bird in Oslo it could well be that this is a runt or ill bird that has not migrated with its kin which could explain it being so small.

When I saw the bird like this I was definitely thinking hybrid or Lesser Scaup as the head seems to have crown at the back

Here though itlooks OK for Scaup

and whilst asleep also looks OK for Scaup

Add the black on the bill tip is limited to small black nail as would be expected on Scaup

The small black nail can be seen again here but note the head profile again appears to peak at the back

Direct size comparison with a male Tufted Duck - the Scaup is no larger

With two female Tufted Ducks. Comparison of the bill pattern is possible with the smaller nail of the Scaup visible

another comparison with Tufted Duck. The broader black on the tip of the Tufted Duck is obvious. Notice again how small the Scaup looks