Oslo 27.06-03.07.2026 - Summer in the city

I was greeted in Oslo by a nice flock of Swifts tårnseiler screaming in the skies over the flat in downtown Oslo.

Predictably the next morning I visited Gressholmen where there were lots of birds with young, starting with a Merganser siland as I got off the ferry. Eiders ærfugl, Barnacle Geese hvitkinngås, Wheatear steinskvett, Shelduck gravand, Oystercatcher tjeld, various gulls and more had young on the go. The only migrant was a lone Greenshank gluttsnipe feeding out on the mud - a sign that autumn migration is underway.

Barnacle Goose hvitkinngås "BTT".

This bird has been reported a lot from the Oslo area since 2015 and seems to have bred on Gressholmen since 2022.

Just some of the Common Terns makrellterne breeding on a small island off Lindøya

Female Red-breasted Merganser siland with young

At least two pairs of Ringed Plover sandlo still present

Several young Wheatear steinskvett on the island indicated a successfull breeding season

The next day I visited Østensjøvannet almost before it got too hot. Marsh Warblers myrsanger were the best bird here but also nice to see Great Crested Grebes toppdykker, Coot sothøne and more with young.

Great Crested Grebe toppdykker

A couple of walks in the nearby Botanical Gardens during the week didn't produce anything exciting but still nice to see Hawfinch kjernebiter, Stock Doves skogdue, Garden Warbler hagesanger and large numbers of Fieldfare gråtrost so close to the city centre.

Stock Doves skogdue in the Botanical Gardens

Following thundery rain during Thursday and into the early hours of Friday I managed a pre-work trip to Gressholmen. Unfortunately it was high tide and thus no waders were dropped but the local Ringed Plovers sandlo seemed to still be in breeding mode despite failed attempts earlier in the year. Good numbers of Common Terns makrellterne breeding on some of the islands in the fjord including a couple of pairs on Gressholmen itself. A Common Sandpiper strandsnipe was also present but not sure if this was a breeding bird or on migration.

Hernar 25 June 2026 - A chance at last

After not having been to Hernar for way too long there was finally a chance to visit Hernar. With overcast conditions and some very light drizzle I felt the island might produce something.

This was not the case but I did manage to add a few new species to my Hernar year list in the form of a singing Whinchat buskskvett, a singing Lesser Whitethroat møller, Sedge Warbler sivsanger and more. Otherwise it was very much the usual suspects with several pairs of Twite bergirisk, Snpe enkeltbekkasin, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and so on. A little over 30 species seen.

Snipe enkeltbekkasin

Twite bergirisk

I popped in at Hjelme on the way home where the usual suspects showed including a Common Sandpiper stransnipe pair.

Common Sandpiper strandsnipe

Meadow Pipit heipiplerke

Øygarden 04-21.06.2026 - Back to the grindstone

Work, house maintenance and the garden took almost all my time with very little effort spent birding. Nevertheless still some stuff to be seen.

The 4th June should have been spent elsewhere but a few House Martin taksvale at Kollsnes and  Twite bergirisk in the garden made it into the notebook.

At the weekend I made it out of the house for a bit. On 6th June Curlew storspove had young feeding at Husvatnet and other places. Herdlevær gave several Twite bergirisk, a Great Northern Diver islom and a fly-over Black-headed Gull hettemåke as the best birds in a local context. White-tailed Eagles havørn were daily, mostly seen from my terrace.

Curlew storpsove chick at Tjeldstø

Lapwing vipe at Breivik - some young seen in the fields too:)

Redshank rødstilk at Breivik

Twite bergirisk

On 7th June I made it to Skogsøy for a short seawatch, the highlight here was a pod of Atlantic White-sided Dolphins actively feeding just offshore. A Great Northern Diver islom on the sea, a couple of Puffins lunde passing and small numbers of most of the usual suspects turned up.

Mergansers siland

Redpoll gråsisik

Shag toppskarv

Atlantic White-sided Dolphins

White-tailed Eagle havørn

On the way home from Skogsøy I stopped briefly at Tjeldstø where the autumn migration was officially started by an adult Spotted Redshank sotsnipe. All the usual breeding waders were also present.

The next time I made it out of the house was 14th June - once again to Skogsøy where the dolphins put in an appearance again. A small movement of Gannets havsule and Arctic Terns rødnebbterne heading north, a Red-throated Diver smålom, several Puffin lunde and a couple of Arctic Skuas tyvjo were the best sightings.

Dark morph Arctic Skua tyvjo

And as almost always - a White-tailed Eagle havørn.

On 20th June I drove a few kilometres to Blomvåg to see the Walrus that has been seen locally

Walrus at Blomvåg

Recently fledged Wheatear steinsvkett at Breivik

The next day I once again took things easy doing my usual round at Herdlevær which produced little but several Arctic Tern rødnebbterne and a couple of Common Tern makrellterne fishing. Four male Tufted Duck toppand and a male Wigeon brunnakke on Husvatnet - a sign that autumn migration is starting with ducks as well as waders....

White-tailed Eagles havørn at Breivik

Gullfjell, Bergen and Øygarden 03 June 2026 - Still guiding:)

Today was a different kind of guiding with Andy. We did Gullfjell first and although the hike was wonderful the only target species we managed was a couple of singing Ring Ousel ringtrost. A Dipper fossekall and most of the usual species showed up, but disappointingly no Ptarmigan fjellrype and very few Golden Plover heilo compared to usual. A distant White-tailed Eagle havørn also showed here.

View from Austrerinden

Redningsytten

Next up was a female White-backed Woodpecker hvitryggspett which gave great views back on my old haunts below Gullfjell.

After this we picked up Hawfinch kjernebiter in Bergen before heading out to the coast.

Øygarden produced a few nice target birds including a close up Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, two roding Woodcock rugde (possibly out early due to the rain?) and the real target of Bullfinch dompap - a nice, if rather wet, male visiting my feeder. White-tailed Eagle havørn also showed up along with the usual Redwing rødvingetrost etc. Best bird in a local context was my first Swift tårnseiler in Øygarden this year.

White-tailed Eagle havørn flying past my terrace around 0500 in the morning....

Guiding 29.05-02.06.2026 - Road trip 2

Another road trip! This time again not really birding far from the car but a good number of species were amassed including some specialities / target species.

I picked up in Olso on 29th and predictably headed north to Engerdal. We stopped at Hamar along the way where we kicked off with a few Common Crane trane, at least three Little Ringed Plover dverglo, Osprey fiskeørn, Grey Wagtal vintererle and a nice selection of wildfowl, waders and woodland birds. 

A pit stop at Trysil was made to view a herd of Whoopers sangsvane where we also saw Goldeneye kvinand with very newly hatched young and a variety of waders.

A few drive-bys in Engerdal gave six Little Gulls dvergmåke, a couple of Velvet Scoter sjøorre, several Common Scoter svartand, Black-throated Divers storlom, Whinchat buskskvett, great views of Golden Plover heilo, lots of Arctic Hares and a nice female Marsh Harrier sivhauk (a new species for me in Engerdal).

30th May was spent covering more localities in Engerdal picking up a few Siberian Jays lavskrike, brief views of a Hawk Owl haukugle, Mistle Thrushes duetrost, Whimbrel småspove, Curlew storspove, Green Sandpiper skogsnipe, Bramblings bjørkefink and more. 

Siberian Jay lavskrike

The next day was essentially spent on the road but we picked up Norway's National bird - Dipper fossekall before we left along with rarer sightings (in a local Engerdal context!) which included Lesser Black-backed Gull sildemåke and Herring Gull gråmåke.

A roadside Moose elg was a nice bonus, a very regular occurrence in Engerdal

We ate lunch at the wetland centre at Dokka where a female Marsh Harrier sivhauk was the best bird. Other new species for the trip here included several Great Crested Grebes toppdykker.

Birds seen along the road included a Goshawk hønsehauk and some "interesting" Canada Geese kanadagås sightings at much higher altitudes than normal.

We arrived at Halne in the evening and were treated to Bluethroats blåstrupe and most of the usual suspects.

On 1st June we spent the morning on the Hardangervidda where highlights included Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin, more Bluethroat blåststrupe and Shorelarks fjellerke. The usual selection of waders were seen along with several Willow Grouse lirype and a single Ptarmigan fjellrype.

The day ended in Øygarden where we had a pair of Stonechat svartstrupe with at least one recently fledged young, Sedge Warbler sivsanger, Lapwing vipe with young and a flock of 30 Pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås heading north.

Most of 2nd June was spent birding around Øygarden with highlights being multiple White-tailed Eagles havørn, a Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett, Crested Tits toppmeis, a flock of three Crane trane (best bird in a local context!), a 2cy Rook kornkråke (another good local find, probably the same bird as earlier). Lots more new species for the trip were added here too including Shag toppskarv, Red-throated Diver smålom, Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and Common Crossbill grankorsnebb.

Common Cranes trane at Tjeldstø

Female Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett