Oslo 18-19 April 2026 - An urban weekend

 After another period of work I finally had the weekend off, this time in Oslo.

An early morning trip to Gressholm proved very successful - and I even met some other birders which made the morning even better:)

A whole bunch of new species for the year were amassed with Common Crane trane probably the best from my western Norwegian perspective. A couple of Wheater steinskvett, a Twite bergirisk, a fly over Black-throated Diver storlom, a Green Sandpiper skogsnipe and a Brambling bjørkefink were all the first I've seen this year.

Seven Ringed Plover sandlo were present including one female sitting on four eggs. A few Linnet tornirisk, several Reed Buntings sivspurv, a singing Chiff-chaff gransanger, Stock Doves skogdue and more were seen here too.

The next morning a rainy walk in the Botanic Gardens gave a singing Blackcap munk, Hawfinches kjernebiter gathering nest material and a generally high level of bird activity which led me to try Østensjøvannet.

This proved a good choice with the first Swallows låvesvale and House Martins taksvale of the year as well as an early Common Sandpiper strandsnipe. For a western Norwegian birder the numbers of Great Crested Grebes toppdykker, Moorehen sivhøne and other species were a welcome sight. There had been an obvious arrival of birds with five singing Chiff-chaff gransanger, over 30 White Wagtails linerle (including a single flock of 20+), a flock of Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, Siskins grønnsisik and more. Two Hawfinch kjernebiter here too:) Goosander laksand numbers had increased a lot since my previous visit a few weeks ago with around 30 present.

Great Crested Grebe toppdykker

Teal krikkand

Skogsøy 29 April 2018 - Loonatic season

Calm and sunny to start with. Increasing northerly winds later.

Spent almost six hours seawatching today. The rarest sighting was SEVERAL OTHER BIRDERS.

Apart from this the best birds of the seawatch were two Cranes trane and a pair of Shoveler skjeand heading north - both the first of the year for me, although both have already been reported from Øygarden this year.

Migrating Cormorants storskarv

Gannet havsule

As usual many of the Red-throated Diver smålom flocks went high - especially later in the morning

There are 10 Red-throated Diver smålom in this picture - not that easy to see.

White-billed Diver gulnebblom

But today it was all about the divers - a total of six White-billed Diver gulnebblom, a single Great Northern Diver islom and around 200 Red-throated Diver smålom headed north. Amongst the other sightings there was also a relatively good number of auks passing - though most were quite distant. Black Guillemot teist, White-tailed Eagle havørn and most of the usual suspects also put in an appearance.

At least four Orcas spekkhoggere fed offshore. Fantastic.

Later in the afternoon I dipped on an adult Little Gull dvergmåke that was seen rather briefly at Husvatnet, Tjeldstø.

Engerdal 16-21 September 2016 - Migration update from the hills of eastern Norway

Fantastic weather almost constantly! Rather warm for the time of year too.

Whilst many birders head west to the coast and offshore islands I headed in the opposite direction and spent a week in Engerdal in eastern Norway.

Part of a flock of migrating Crane trane over Heggeriset 21.09

Hawk Owl haukugle

Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis

Red Squirrel ekorn

Reed Bunting sivspurv were very common and widespread

Three-toed Woodpecker tretåspett - I finally connected with this species in Engerdal!

Waxwings sidensvans

Wheatear steinskvett - one of a number of migrants still on the high ground

White wagtail linerle

Highlights included Three-toed Woodpecker tretåspett, Hawk Owl haukugle, Great Grey Shrike varsler and a flock of almost 80 migrating Common Crane trane.

There were still a lot of birds about - sometimes in large numbers. Flocks of Fieldfare gråtrost, Redwing rødvingetrost and Mistle Thrush duetrost were "all over" and feeding on the plentiful berries in the area. Waxwings sidensvans were also very obvious but were still feeding largely on the many flying insects. I saw my first flock of Long-tailed Tits stjertmeis in the area - this is at the exact time I used to see this species migrating in Gullfjell.

Finches were also very plentiful with Brambling bjørkefink perhaps the commonest followed by Siskin grønnsisik and Common Redpoll gråsisik.

Some tropical migrants were also still hanging around including Wheateat steinskvett, Swallow låvesvale and Willow Warbler løvsanger.

Other stuff worth mentioning were lots of Reed Bunting sivspurv (though mostly lower down now), Grey Wagtails vintererle and a decent variety of wildfowl including both Velvet Scoter sjøorre and Common Scoter svartand (the latter still on their breeding lake high in the mountains), good numbers of Black-throated Diver storlom still on the breeding grounds too.

Predictably almost all the waders had left with just one small flock of Golden Plover heilo seen on the tops.

Other sightings worth mentioning were Capercaille storfugl (common in Engerdal) and Grey-headed Woodpecker gråspett (rather hard to find in the area).

Also worth noting and very commendable was that I heard grouse hunting has been stopped this season over much of the district and where hunting is still allowed it has been very much reduced - the quota in the limited area where hunting is allowed at all is one bird per hunter per day,

Engerdal 22-26 May 2015 - Not birding Øygarden - but no regrets!

I recently spent a few days in Engerdal in Hedmark county and would liked to have spent more time there. This area is much larger than Øygarden and with a lot fewer people living there. It is a municipality with a massive potential and in many ways an inland version of Øyarden - wild and untamed and even more under-watched.

Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin

Migrating Red-necked Phalarope svømmesnipe

Highlights this time around were a resting Great Snipe dobbeltbekkasin, Red-necked Phalarope svømmesnipe, Little Gulls dvergmåke, Capercaille storfugl, Cranes trane and Waxwings sidensvans. All this in addition to the usual selection of waders and wildfowl as well as some personal Engerdal "firsts" such as Buzzard musvåk. All almost without trying.

I had similar problems that Rixy experienced recently with closed roads and a lot of snow - should have been there in a couple of weeks time.....

Here are few images from my latest visit to my second favourite municipality in Norway:

Common Sandpiper strandsnipe

Common Scoter svartand with Velvet Scoter sjøorre in the background

Crane trane

Above and below: Little Gull dvergmåke

Semi-tame Reindeer

Roe Deer

Above and below: Waxwings sidensvans getting settled in

Male Whinchat buskskvett

Whooper Swans sangsvane

Wood Sandpiper grønnstilk back on an almost ice free breeding ground

Above and below: More Wood Sands grønnstilk at lower altitude...

Dunlin myrsnipe feeding along the icy edge of an still frozen pool - note the snow / ice in the lower image

Nuthatch spettmeis

Tjeldstø 26 April 2012 - Crane!

Calm and overcast with light rain.

 Record shots of Common Crane trane flying over

Undisputed highlight today was a Common Crane trane that flew over heading south west.

A couple of singing Willow Warbler løvsanger were the first of the year at Tjeldstø as was a Lapland Bunting lappspurv. A Common Sandpiper strandsnipe and two Swallow låvesvale were the first I've had in Øygarden this year but both had been reported earlier in the month.

The Ring Ousel ringtrost was present again - unusual for them to hang around like this in Øygarden.

Tjeldstø 04 May 2010 - Crane again!

Common Crane trane at Tjeldstø



Below are some pictures to prove that some common species are also seen occasionally at Tjeldstø....

Golden Plover heilo

Pair of Herring Gull gråmåke

Magpie skjære

Stuck inside the last couple of days. Frustrating to work for a living in early May!

Nipped out for a quick stroll and the first bird I saw a Common Crane trane in the reserve. The fourth record for Øygarden hot on the heels of the third at the weekend. This was the first bird I've seen on the ground rather than flying over. Wicked!

Images are just a random selection rather than the best of the lot.

Even managed to get it onto the house list thanks to a telescope in the living room and an understanding wife.