Thursday, March 22, 2012

Tjeldstø 22 March - Mud wrestling birds

Calm and fairly dull.

A quick stroll at Tjeldstø produced a variety of displaying waders - Lapwing vipe, Curlew storspove and Oystercatcher tjeld all setting up territories as are the Herring Gulls gråmåke in their colony within the reserve. The first Teal krikkand in Øygarden this year turned up on Husvatnet.

A big flock of noisy corvids brought my attention to a female Sparrowhawk spurvehauk rolling around in the mud with a Magpie skjære. As I approached to take some photos the rest of the Magpies and Hooded Crows flew off - but up to that point at least the Magpies had been mounting a concerted common defence effort - many of them having a go at the struggling raptor. More than twenty minutes later the Sparrowhawk was finally victorious (but had in fact started eating its victim whilst it was still very much fighting back!).

 Finally some blood but the Magpie is still not dead
Both bird look to be in an absolute mess


 Ripping out feathers in order to be able to strike a fatal blow.
 Rolling around in the mud
 Go for the face is the best defence....



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