Norway’s most dangerous bird?

You might be thinking the answer to that question is Golden Eagle or perhaps Eagle Owl. Well you are wrong – it is Hazel Grouse! I discovered this when a Hazel Grouse nearly caused me to lose my eyesight on Monday. You might be wondering how this happened and the precise details of the episode may indeed suggest that I should be asking what is Norway’s most dangerous tree 😉 but to cut a long story short whilst trying to sneak closer to said bird a twig snapped into my eyeball and left me wreathing in pain. It took a couple of days before I could see properly out of my left eye but the damage does not seem to be permanent and the cloud has lifted.

I had a pair of Hazel Grouse feeding in the same alder trees as recently and had another male singing within earshot of this pair so things are looking promising for future observations. A male Three-toed Woodpecker also moved through and showed very well in typical fashion before just disappearing.

 

We have had out first proper cold period (but nothing unusual for this time of the year) and Østensjøvannet has nearly completely frozen over. This caused all the birds to congregate in a couple of areas of open water and the female Gadwall showed very well. This bird is very easy to overlook due to its resemblance to a female Mallard but this resemblance also means that if one is particularly looking for it that one can quite easily string a female Mallard (or two) into being it.

female Hazel Grouse (jerpe) high up in an alder tree feeding on catkins

 

the male proved harder to see this time

female again

as I found them sitting motionless like footballs

male Three-toed Woodpecker (tretåspett)

a Buzzard (musvåk) is set to spend the winter in Maridalen. It looks to be one of the birds from last winter. Here with Fieldfares (gråtrost)

there are still a lot of Fieldfares around and they are finding lots of rowan berries to eat

the female Gadwall (snadderand) with Coot (sothøne)

a noticeably grey rather than pure white speculum

congregation of Coots

the Mallard x Wigeon hybrid

Teal (krikkand)

Tufted Duck (toppand)

 

Whooper Swans (sangsvane) in Maridalen, with 6 young this could well be the local family that has not been seen for many weeks

Smew, Pygmy Owl and of course Piney

Despite feeling the need (the addiction has returned) to see Pine Grosbeaks every day I do try to look at other birds. Since my last post I have seen Smew and Pygmy Owl at close range plus a whole load of Grozzers. The Grozzers are still fairly easy to find but I am far from certain that it is the same birds I am seeing in the same localities each time as their numbers and number of adult males varies every time. Strangely though I have not noted any viz mig birds.

The Pygmy Owl was in Maridalen and is my first sighting for a while and with luck I will be able to pin this bird down.

The Smew was at Østensjøvannet which is still heaving with birds and will presumably be so until it freezes over. Wigeon numbers have now increased to 250 which is an Oslo record and a Scaup is still present although may well be a different bird to that seen previously. Maridalsvannet has also got in on the duck act with some Common Scoters and Goldeneye moving through and with them a Velvet Scoter (very rare here) and a late Red-throated Diver. Two Guillemots also seem to have settled in and may well remain until it freezes over (which usually occurs a couple of weeks after Østensjøvannet due to the much deeper water).

The Grosbeaks are also attracting wider attention with both Birdguides and Ornithomeida writing an articles and using my photos and insights.

Smew (lappfiskand) at Østensjøvannet with some of the commoner inhabitants

distant Common (svartand) and Velvet Scoter (sjøoore) on Maridalsvannet

the white Coot (sothøne) still at Østensjøvannet

as is the Wigeon (brunnakke) x Mallard (stokkand) hybrid

a young male Wigeon coming into adult like plumage

a Pygmy Owl (spurveugle) is always guaranteed to make your day

and Waxwings (sidensvans) come close

But it is Pine Grosbeaks (konglebit) that are a completely necessary part of an addicts day :-) First some in habitat shots and then some close ups including ones taken with the built in flash