Hazel Grouse

 Winter has regained its grip on the land and nighttime temperatures in Maridalen are falling to -13C and it remains negative in the day despite blue skies and sunshine. Many of the resident birds are very active singing and displaying but any hope of early migrants has been put on hold.

In the forest I spent some quality time with the male Hazel Grouse that we viewed last Tuesday when guiding but now I have been able to watch him in sunlight. He appears to be unpaired but has a good territory that has held Hazel Grouse in at least the two decades I have visited the area.

Hawfinches have returned to breeding areas in Maridalen and are banging out their squeaky “song” and I was able to see some quite well at a feeding station.

male Hazel Grouse (jerpe)

it doesn't seem right to see such a large bird clambering around on such thin branches

female Hawfinch (kjernebiter)

and a more colourful male

the male with a Greenfinch (grønnfink) that seems tiny in comparison

Crested Tit (toppmeis)

female Greenfinch

and male

female Siskin (grønnsisik)

and male

male Brambling (bjørkefink) - unusually many have wintered in and around Oslo

Bullfinch (dompap) and Bramblings

female Blackbird (svarttrost) - I don't remember so many wintering in Maridalen before

Jays (nøtteskrike) are starting to "sing" and can sound like Goshawk, Buzzard and Tawny Owl

Nuthatch (spettmeis)

Starling (stær)

Hawkie

and some arty shots

an ice butterfly

Multiple Pygmy Owls in the Dale

On Sunday I permitted myself a mid day drive around the Dale and was rewarded with great views of two roadside Pygmy Owls. One was perched on overhead wires staring intently at the (snow covered) verge on the other side of the road and I was able to park the car and watch it up close. It suddenly dived across the road before pulling up and perching at head hight in a bush. I as then able to drive up beside it and watched it dive down into the snow and disappear into a hole at the base of a tree before emerging mouse less. I captured some of this on video but in typical style failed to record the really interesting behaviour. Another bird was seen at a different site so there are three known Pygmy Owls in Maridalen

They are not always easy birds to find though and today only one of them gave itself up for me.

Pygmy Owl (spurveugle) #1

same bird

and #2

the hole she disappeared into

and the most colourful bit of a Nuthatch (spettmeis)

some spectacular clouds

Nocturnal thermals

I have got rather addicted to my thermal imager and am ignoring those who accuse me of cheating 😉

I have had a number of nocturnal trips including with Jr and the dog and have seen Roe Deer, Beaver, mice/voles, Woodcock, Tengmalm’s Owl and roosting Fieldfares plus a great display of northern lights. Daytime use has revealed Jack and Common Snipe.

I have had upto 3 Woodcock feeding in the same field which came as a surprise as I thought they would have mostly left by now but they are a species that is mostly overlooked. A Common Snipe which revealed itself then proceeded to bob away in Jack Snipe fashion which was a new experience for me.

A walk around Fornebu was brightened up by a fly over adult Med Gull but unfortunately the camera was again safely tucked away in my backpack (I don't want to make a habit of that).

Northern Lights

Woodcock (rugde)

Bobbing Common Snipe (enkeltbekkasin)

Jack Snipe (kvartbekkasin)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (flaggspett)

the tiny red fleck shows this to be a male but I don't know why it is so small

Great Tit (kjøttmeis)

Jay (nøtteskrike)

Nuthatch (spettmeis)

this Scaup (bergand) on Maridalsvannet today was the first record in Oslo this year. It was also one of only two ducks I saw on the lake with the other being a Goldeneye

Waxwings (sidensvans)

Grey Herons (gråhegre)

Pygmy Owl (spurveugle) in Maridalen. Here singing

and here checking out a nesting box that is far too big for it