In the capital again, this time to include a Stage Dolls concert at the Rockefeller:)
On 3rd February a walk in the woods behind the radium hospital produced a nice Black Woodpecker svartspett busy working away on a tree:)
Black Woodpecker svartspett
I was confined to barracks with work for the rest of the week but the morning after the Stage Dolls concert I was out and about for the afternoon picking up Oslo scarcities such as Water Rail vannrikse and Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin. I also picked up my first Yellowhammers gulspurv and Redpoll gråsisik of the year.
Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin
Redpoll gråsisik
In the pre-lump days we'd have called this a Mealy....
Water Rail vannrikse
On 8th February I visited Gressholmen briefly where a Peregrine vandrefalk and a Red-throated Diver smålom were the highlights. Generally quiet but Common Scoter svartand numbers were well up on my previous visit there with 18 feeding actively among good numbers of Herring Gulls gråmåke. Still a few auks present in Oslofjord too:)
One of a two Common Seals steinkobbe seen from the ferry
On Saturday 09 March a walk at Bygdøy had a decidedly spring-like feel with flocks of Greylags grågås in the fields, a very vocal Black Woodpecker svartspett, Stock Dove skogdue and Woodpigeons ringdue noted. A flock of nine Purple Sandpipers fjæreplytt at Huk were as always nice to see and a flock of over 50 Oystercatcher tjeld also rested there. Even though the woods were mostly rather quiet it was nice to connect with things like Treecreeper trekryper and Willow Tit granmeis.
The following day I predictably took the boat out to Gressholm where there were more spring vibes in the form of Shelduck gravand and an obvious arrival of Blackbirds svarttrost. Otherwise just the usual Great-crested Grebe toppdykker, Velvet Scoters sjøorre.
The rest of the week was rather hectic at work. On Tuesday all I managed was 20 minutes outside the office at Fornebu which produced a Goshawk hønsehauk as the best bird. Signs of spring here too with displaying Oystercatcher tjeld, Woodpigeon ringdue singing and so on.
Male Goldeneye kvinand at Fornebu
Male Red-breasted Merganser siland at Fornebu
One of several Oystercatcher tjeld outside the office at Fornebu
Displaying Oystercatcher tjeld
On 15 March I took the five minute walk to the Botanical Gardens and was pleasantly surprised by a Grey Wagtail vinterle feeding along the small stream that runs through the gardens - obviously a migrant that has stopped to feed. It was difficult to photograph due to constant disturbance by users of the park. Not a rare bird but this sighting was probably the birding highlight of the week for me.
On Sunday 17 we had a lovely afternoon on Gressholmen in fantastic weather. Hard to choose the best bird among the highlights but a cracking female Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett was absolutely among them. Other nice sightings included three Woodcock rugde - seemingly the first in Oslo this year and a number of other new species for the island this year.
Female Lesser-spotted Woodpecker dvergspett on Gressholmen
I spent a few days up in Engerdal where the weather was mildly put, variable.
Golden Eagles kongeørn
On arrival on 18.02 the best sighting were three Golden Eagles kongeørn circling overhead. The usual Dipper fossekall and garden birds including better numbers of finches than normal in wintertime. Siskin grønnsisik, Common Redpoll gråsisik and a few pairs of Common Crossbill grankorsnebb were also in the garden.
Common Redpoll gråsisik
Parrot Crossbills bånkorsnebb
An afternoon skiing trip in glorious sunshine on 19.02 produced all three species of Crossbill - all in pairs and some singing. I could not remember having seen Two-barred båndkorsnebb in the area before so went into the reporting system to check. It turned out that no-one has recorded the species in Engerdal before. Although not in the reporting system it is highly unlikely that this species has not been seen before here.
I slogged up a hill in a snowstorm on 20.02 notching up more Two-barred Crossbill båndkorsnebb and a nice male Black Grouse orrfugl.
It was a cold and windy day on 21.02 and a walk at Drevsjø in conjunction with a shopping trip produced a nice male Capercaille storfugl flying over.
Female Black Woodpecker svartspett playing hide and seek
Part of a flock of Mute Swans knoppsvane that flew over
Velvet Scoter sjøorre
Back in Oslo on 23.02 we took an afternoon trip to Gressholmen, thinking that we would cover at least one of the other islands but ended up using up our time on a feeding female Black Woodpecker svartspett. Not much else of note other than the first Starling stær I've seen in Oslo this year and a few small flocks of Velvet Scoter sjøorre.
