Engerdal 08-14 October 2023 - Inland Autumn

After the excitement of the coast it was time to head up to Engerdal for a week, I managed to get out and about a few times but as always time was too short to cover all the localities I wanted to.

Arriving in the late afternoon of 08 October I headed straight out for a quick check at Heggeriset. Best bird was a Great Grey Shrike varsler with prey. Among the birds mobbing it was a female Blackcap munk. Also in the area a couple of Waxwing sidensvans flocks, a Chiff-chaff gransanger, a female Goosander laksand and plenty more. A great start in other words.

Heavily cropped record shots of the Great Grey Shrike varsler

Waxwing sidensvans eating berries in next door's garden

The following day I did my usual round covering some of the freshwater sites in the area. LOTS of thrushes in the lowlands - no doubt forced down by recent snow above the treeline. A Black Woodpecker svartspett at Volbrenna was a nice bonus.

Galtsjøen was almost devoid of birds with just a single Whooper sangsvane present, Isteren held 35 Goldeneye kvinand, 4 Dipper fossekall and several Wigeon brunnakke. The lake at Drevsjø held nothing at all. Vurrusjøen, however, made up for all this with over 20 Wigeon brunnakke, a Common Scoter svartand and six Scaup bergand among the birds seen. Highlight was a female Shoveler skjeand - the first I have seen in the area and only the second recorded in Engerdal in the national database.

Scaup bergand now moving down from their breeding sites

Shoveler skjeand with Wigeon brunnakke

Unfortunately this flock of duck were scared up by a fisherman rowing his boat right past them. They flew around a few times and disappeared

Some flight shots as the duck flock passed having been spooked

A walk at Hyllsjøen / Liseter on 09 October was predictably quieter although a few Siberian Jays lavskrike put in an appearance and I saw a rather distant male Black Grouse orrfugl. The most surprising find though was a Cormorant storskarv - I didn't expect that so high up - at least not at this time of year.

Cormorant storskarv resting at Hyllsjøen

The next day I wasn't really out but did pick up a singing male Parrot Crossbill furukorsnebb at Heggeriset.

A bit of driving on 12 October was largely disappointing - a very cold northerly wind blasting in off the lakes made things difficult. Drevsjø and Vurrusjøen saved the day with a roadside Hawfinch kjernebiter and a small selection of duck. Still flocks of Waxwing sidensvans about along with good numbers of thrushes and finches.

Work took priority on 13 October and all I managed was a short walk in the rain at Heggeriset where the best birds were a Snipe enkeltbekkasin and a flock of 60 Waxwing sidensvans.

We had to leave on 14 October but two Goldfinch stillits in the garden were a decent parting shot:)