Oslo 05-09 January 2026 - Urban Birding continues

 Not the best week for various reasons so it was especially good to be rewarded by the bird gods in some way or another almost every time I was out of the house:) Not quite the Azure Tit asurmeis currently present further north but worthwhile anyway:)

The cold and snowy weather continued throughout.

On 5th January a short walk in the Botanic Gardens followed by a quick stroll along the river in rapidly fading light gave some nice results - a 2nd year Goshawk hønsehauk hunting thrushes (it even had a go at the Nutcracker nøttekråke) was the best sighting and gave some nice photo opportunities, other things included a couple of Hawfinch kjernebiter, a Treecreeper trekryper and a Wren gjerdesmett that was feeding under the snow.

Goshawk hønsehauk in the Botanic Gardens

The river produced a female Goosander laksand and a nice flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis.

Female Goosander laksand on the river close to the city centre

The following day I was in another of the city parks briefly without much of interest but a couple of Common Gulls fiskemåke, two Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis and two Treecreeper trekryper were nice to see.

Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis in Frognerparken

Treecreepers trekryper in Frognerparken

On 8th January the sun was shining and we took a walk in the Botanic Gardens. Highlight was watching a male Sparrowhawk spurvehauk eating a Robin rødstrupe. A small flock of Siskin grønnsisik were the first I've seen this year. Otherwise two nice Hawfinch kjernebiter and smaller numbers of thrushes.

Male Sparrowhawk spurvehauk eating a Robin rødstrupe

Siskin grønnsisik in the Botanic Gardens

We covered a slightly longer stretch of the river and saw a total of four Goosanders laksand.

On 9th January it was time to head to Gressholm again. It was not as good as my previous visit but there were still some birds to see. Common Scoter svartand and a few Guillemots lomvi were the first I've seen in 2026. Thrushes obviously struggling more and more in this prolonged cold spell. Most of the Blackbirds svarttrost seen were feeding on the shore.

Herdlevær 04 November 2014 - Another excellent day in Øygarden

Light winds today, started off more or less SE with some light drizzle. Ended up NE and sunny - but not until after I got home.

Guillemot lomvi 

Started the day at Herdlevær where there was quite a bit to see. Not that much in the way of passerines on the ground but there was some movement overhead before it started to drizzle - largely thrushes and Starling stær but also a few Redpoll gråsisik.

Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis

The sea was rather quieter than yesterday but there was still a noticable passage of gulls. Best birds were a first year Glaucous Gull polarmåke, a Black-throated Diver storlom and a couple of Great Northern Divers islom. Auks were limited to a several Little Auk alkekonge flying past and a Guillemot lomvi on the sea.

A party of four Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis were the only passerine migrants of note.

The above four pictures are of the same bird

tristis / abietinus type Chiff-chaffs gransanger

A very short and limited look at Sæle produced at least three very not-green Chiff-chaffs gransanger. One might think they were good for tristis but three together sounds just daft.... Also a few Blackcap munk and another flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis also present here.

Back home at Nautnes the best bird of the day flew over the house as I watched two Otters fishing. A Stock dove skogdue - number 99 for the house and a new species for Nautnes. 

Hernar 11 October 2012 - Long-tailed Tits

Light easterlies and sunny - ideal conditions!

Quite a lot of movement today but little in the way of rarities. A fly over Richard's Pipit tartarpiplerke being the best bird. Frustratingly another fly over pipit may have been Tree Pipit trepiplerke but given the time of year Olive-backed pipit sibirpiplerke is almost as likely.

 Male Blackcap munk

 Part of a flock of Common Scoter svartand

 Garden Warbler hagesanger with an earwig

 Above and below - Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis - a new species for Hernar

New for the island were a couple of small parties of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis - and the first of the year in Øygarden. Loads of Blue tit blåmeis on the move again.

Other birds included a Merlin dvergfalk, a Garden Warbler hagesanger, several Blackcap munk, a few Chiff-chaff gransanger - one of which sounded (and looked!) like a tristis.

Good numbers of Brambling bjørkefink, thrushes etc and still 30 Twite bergirisk present.

Back at Tjeldstø the Buff-bellied Pipit myrpiplerke performed well for several birders who tried for it and a Jack Snipe kvartbekkasin was the first of the autumn.

Øygarden 15 November 2010

Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke
Long-tailed tit stjertmeis in the garden

Things obviously a lot quieter today.

Little at Herdlevær other than a Red-throated Diver smålom feeding on the sea. Otherwise just the usual White-tailed Eagles havørn, Tree Sparrow pilfink etc.

A Tjeldstø a small flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis in the early morning almost made us late for school - first for Tjeldstø this year. Also a couple of late Meadow Pipit heipiplerke, a Rock Pipit skjærpiplerke and a Skylark sanglerke were the best finds.