Oslo and Vestfold 19-23 November 2025

On 19th November I spent a couple of hours on Gressholmen. The initial feeling was that it was way too quiet and there was little to see. But a Little Auk alkekonge turned up along with most of the usual seaduck, a Red-throated Diver smålom and the usual suspects on the sea.

Little Auk alkekonge

Treecreeper trekryper - something I see less of than Little Auk alkekonge in my normal birding back in Øygarden

Passerines were a bit thin on the ground but good numbers of Blackbird svarttrost and a Treecreeper trekryper that gave cracking views were among the species seen here.

On 20th November we headed west of Oslo for an impromptu few days away. A short stop at Ilene, near Tønsberg gave a male Smew lappfiskand as the best bird, even though it was distant and against the light. A Red-throated Diver smålom and a nice variety of wildfowl were among the other sightings here. Both the Smew and the diver were new species for this locality for 2025 - never too late to stop trying:)

Next stop was Presterødkilen where there were good numbers of dabbling ducks, including a Teal krikkand, Goosanders laksand and plenty of other wildfowl.

The next day we visited Verdens Ende (the end of the world) which was just spectacular. Insane geology there! Out on the sea were good numbers of Eiders ærfugl (600++), several Little Auk alkeonge, and a variety of other seaduck. A flock of Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt fed among resting seals on an offshore island.

Next up was a walk at Moutmarka where the best birds were a Great Northern Diver islom on the sea, another Little Auk alkekonge and small numbers of pipits, including a couple of Meadow Pipit heipiplerke. A Treecreeper trekryper here was a new species for this locality in 2025 - another reason to not stop trying:)

Great Northern Diver islom

A couple of Meadow Pipit heipiplerke 

A trip to one of Norway's best birding destinations, Mølen, on 22nd November was quite productive with Slavonian Grebe horndykker, Little Auk alkekonge, Red-throated Diver smålom and good numbers of Velvet Scoter sjøorre giving great views. The vegetation along the coast gave Goldcrests fuglekonge, Crested Tit toppmeis and other species. It is obvious why this place works during the migration seasons!

Nevlunghstrand held well over 20 Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke, a couple of Meadow Pipit heipiplerke and more.

Back in Oslo on 23rd I took things easy and spent an hour or so in the Botanic Gardens. Best birds here were a Nutcracker nøttekråke, a female Blackcap munk, Hawfinch kjernebiter and Goldcrests fuglekonge. Over 60 Fieldfare gråtrost fed on the ample supply of berries together with Blackbirds svarttrost and other species. 

Just wonder what it would be like if the vast variety of bushes and trees in these gardens were moved to an offshore island on the west coast.....

Nutcracker nøttekråke in the Botanical Gardens, Oslo

Øygarden 11-16 November 2025 - Back in Black

Conditions on 10th November seemed absolutely ideal but typically I was deskbound for the day.

On 11th I rushed out in an hour between meetings to pick up a lovely Black Redstart svartrødstjert at Sæle. A silent tristis Chiff-chaff showed well too - presumably one of the birds I found last week still hanging around. Otherwise just a couple of Blackcap munk.

Black Redstart svrtrødstjert at Sæle.

In the rapidly failing light in the afternoon I picked up a rather late Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås fed at Husvatnet.

Late Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås at Husvatnet

There was no birding on 12th other than a couple of drive-bys in conjunction with errands. A first year Red-throated Diver smålom at Herdlevær posed quite nicely. Decent numbers of thrushes and Starling stær still around - including 100s at Kollsnes.

Red-throated Diver smålom at Herdlevær

On 13th November I took my lunch break at Hellesøy where flocks of auks were heading north. On the way home I popped by Sæle where there was still a tristis Chiff-chaff sibirgransanger was still present along with a male Blackcap munk.

Male Blackcap munk

tristis Chiff-chaff sibirgransanger

On 14th I spent a couple of hours outside. A walk at Tjeldstø produced a few noteworthy sightings with the best being a couple of female Scaup bergand. A Tufted Duck toppand with them initially got the pulse racing as it seemed to have an interesting head profile - on closer inspection it turned out to be just a tufty....

Two Scaup bergand, a Tufted Duck toppand and two Mallard stokkand at Tjeldstø

Aythya ducks are not always easy - here a nice side-by-side comparison of Scaup bergand and Tufted Duck

Female Scaup bergand

Tufted Duck toppand not showing the square headed look and with no hint of it's crest.

's

First year White-tailed Eagle havørn

Other stuff included a well fed White-tailed Eagle havørn, a couple of Teal krikkand and a nice flock of Redwing rødvingetrost.

Back home the regular Sparrowhawk spurvehauk was having a go at the birds visiting the feeder.

Sparrowhawk spurvehauk photographed through my terrace

The weekend started well with a couple of Otter oter eating a Lumpsucker rognkjeks on the shore in front of my house. 

A walk at Herdlevær gave a distant 1cy White-billed Diver gulnebblom as the best bird. A Great Northern Diver islom headed south and a late Meadow Pipit heipiplerke was present - possibly delayed by the fact it had only one foot.

One-footed Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

Redwing rødvingetrost at Tjeldstø.

A flock of 11 Pinkfeet kortnebbgås fed at Tjeldstø but flew off to the south shortly after I found them.

In fading light a fishing trip gave Common Scoter svartand, a Little Auk alkekonge and Crested Tit toppmeis along with three species of fish.

Skogsøy was the choice on 16th Novmber. Strong winds and protracted hail showers hampered birding somewhat but a few Little Auk alkekonge, several Great Northern Diver islom and small numbers of Kittiwake krykkje meant it was not a waste of time. A nice Goshawk hønsehauk being mobbed by Ravens ravn turned up on my way back to the car. 

A Snipe enkeltbekkasin and 10 Starling stær were at Sture on the way home.

Oygarden 09 November 2025 - Feeling good

Overcast with some spells of very light rain. Things just felt "right" so I was a little surprised to not find much of interest during my usual circuit at Herdlevær, although I did hear a tristis Chiff-chaff sibirgransanger calling repeatedly I did not get to see it very well.

Following this Breivik also failed to produce anything other than the usual Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Meadow Pipits heipiplerke - although it is starting to be a bit late in the year for the latter.

At Hjelme I didn't even bother getting out of the car - too much activity in the best areas to even try.

At Sæle it was a different story and I covered the area quite well resulting in two Firecrests rødstoppfuglekonge as the best of the sightings. Initially picked up at long range I eventually saw them at less than 2 metres - but very active and difficult to photograph resulting in superb documentation of late autumn foliage and not much else most of the time:)

Also present were two probable tristis Chiff-chaff sibirgransanger that kept together but were completely a silent. A normal Chiff-chaff gransanger both looked and sounded right. Two Blackcap munk, 40 Redwing rødvingetrost and 10+ Fieldfare gråtrost were also in the area.

Male Blackcap munk

The two probable tristis often fed on the ground

Above - tristis suspects

This one looks a little greener and may be the bird I heard calling and saw well in the field - a normal Chiff-chaff gransanger

Typical standard of photo if the bird is even in the image at all. Included here to show they were finding plenty of food in the mild weather.

These were as good as I got of the Firecrest rødtoppfuglekonge

This is a more typical view:) Colours show better here though.

Øygarden 03-05 November 2025 - Last Dance?

A short trip out on the afternoon of 3rd November gave a Woodcock rugde, several Snipe enkeltbekkasin and Willow Tit granmeis in addition to most of the usual stuff. 

At Sæle things were quiet with just a couple of Blackcap munk and a Sparrowhawk spurvehauk.

A Goshawk hønsehauk and a couple of WT Eagle havørn were seen from my sitting room/office window during the day.

Other than that just 4 Teal krikkand during a drive-by at Husvatnet.

Work stopped play completely on 4th, I did go out as the sun went down but only managed nice views of an Otter and a White-tailed Eagle havørn before it got too dark.

Otter at Herdlevær

...with White-tailed Eagle havørn in attendence

On 5th I did what may well be my last trip of the year to Hernar. A whole day in early November is something of a gamble as it could be very quiet but after a few days with southerlies and rain I felt it was worth taking the chance.

The best bird was seen very shortly after I arrived although I was not 100% confident of the ID immediately having misjudged the extent of white in the tail during the first views - it turned out to be a male Red-breasted Flycatcher dvergfluesnapper. It disappeared very quickly and despite looking for most of the day I didn't re-find it until 1505 and even then the views were infuriatingly brief and I didn't manage any photographs. Normally I would not spend as much time on such a relatively common bird but now is the time for Taiga flycatcher. As this bird was a male I feel confident it was "only" a Red-breasted. 

A couple of Woodcock rugde, a lone female Blackcap munk, a few Water Rail vannrikse, a Red-necked Grebe gråstrupedykker, a flyover Snow Bunting snøspurv, a Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis, a couple of Great Northern Diver islom flying right overhead and several White-tailed Eagle havørn were among the well over 40 species noted. 

Female Blackcap munk, seen eating both berries and insects today

Still lots of Blue Tit blåmeis on the move - a minimum of 50 moved through during my time on the island.

Goldcrest fuglekonge with prey - unusual to see them catching things this big, normally they eat "invisible" food...

Northern Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis