Nightjar becoming «common» and some terns

Male Nightjar (nattravn)

The Nightjar pair I mentioned in my previous post were not to be seen at the same site again although I did have a pair nearby and believe they were moving around and prospecting for a nest site although it is rather late in the season now. Nightjars proved to be rather common in the area with at least 4 territories along a 1.5km stretch which is in start contrast to up until 5 years ago when I had none on my nocturnal trips from the cabin and it is only 2 years ago that I first recorded a bird along this particular stretch. This is a species which along with Great Grey Owl seems to directly benefit for the surge in forestry work this last decade or so.

I have engaged in some sea gazing whilst having my morning coffee and usually saw nothing but yesterday two Sandwich Terns went south - this will presumably now become a species I bump into «all» the time after having waited 24 years for my first in Norway - and today a Caspian Tern went north😊. Apart from these three quality terns I only had 3 Common Terns in total during the week so definitely a case of quality over quantity.

Sea gazing from the cabin is a very comfortable affair but the area of sea that can be viewed is very narrow however I am building up a good list of birds now with these two scarce terns adding to Pomarine Skua, White-billed Diver and Surf Scoter.

Butterflies have again taken up more time than birds although I have also read a book and gone for walks and spent time with my family☺️. After a couple of days with rain it was sunny on Wednesday and it was noticeable that new species were emerging for the first time with especially Ringlet (gullringvinge) appearing in the area for the first time this trip and being numerous overnight.

Sea gazing with coffee, OJ, The Beast and a minute before 2 Sandwich Terns (splitterne) which I did not manage any photos of.

The Caspian Tern (rovterne) did however allow itself to be recorded for prosperity

A Linnet (tornirisk) flying out of this conifer by the cabin had me suspecting a nest

And sure enough there was one. The parents were very secretive when visiting the nest although the male would be perched nearby singing when the female entered with food

Long-eared Owl fail

I’ve had a few local evening outings already this spring hoping to find singing Long-eared Owls. This isn’t an easy task as their song does not carry far but I have seen there are signs of good numbers of voles in areas where I have previously found nests later in the spring. My first two attempts drew blanks but last night I was successful with a singing male that showed well in the head torch although with temperatures close to +10C he was surprisingly difficult see in the thermal. His song, in typical fashion, was very difficult to hear and even at only 20 metres range was strangely quiet.

this is the video I managed, it should've been SO much better...

I thought I had recorded some good video with both my phone and camera but I did not at all. I had gone out of the car without my glasses and clearly had my usual problem that I was not actually filming when I thought I was and was unable to see that the red light was not on. This is no longer a joke!!

Other than this good but annoying encounter I have recorded the first Twite and Linnet in Maridalen where Lapwings are now up to three bird but surprisingly no Chaffinch or Mistle Thrush yet.

A male Smew on the river near Lillestrøm was a nice little semi twitch.

male Smew (lappfiskand)

the first Twite (bergirisk) of the year in Maridalen

and the first Linnet (tornirisk)

the White-fronted Geese (tundragås) are still at Bygdøy

the gander to the left has a darket bead

the gander has a very well marked belly

6 White-fronts at Årnestangen togther with Canadas

newly arrived Øystercatchers (tjeld) at Huk, Bygdøy

this colour ringed bird was ringed as a breeding bird in May 2014 on an island 6km away and has only been reported a few times since and always around Oslo

a photogenic male Yellowhammer (gulspurv)

Nightjars anno 2023

We are following a much liked and well trodden path and spending the first week of the (school) summer holiday at the cabin at Hulvik south of Oslo. I’ve done a bit of butterflying without seeing anything too exciting and the only birding has been a couple of nocturnal trips. We have been coming here almost annually for around 15 years and I have engaged in nocturnal trips for at least 10. Nightjars were always a species I was listening for but it was only 2 years ago that I discovered them here for the first time. Last year we also had them so I was of course expecting to find them again this year and as always I was hoping to see them before it gets too dark although that never happens as I hope.

The reason for the sudden appearance of Nightjars in the area must be because of extensive recent forestry work clearing away large areas of planted spruce and revealing more natural scattered pine trees on sandy soil which is a great habitat for Nightjars. Hotter, drier summers are probably also helping the species in Norway which is right on the northern edge of the species range.

This year my first trip with Jr on Sunday evening started off disappointingly with only a distant singing bird when we checked the area from the last two years. Finishing our trip though and not too far from the cabin we saw a female hunting along the road and stopping heard a male churrring nearby. We then had good views of the male wing clapping over us although by this time it was gone midnight and rather dark (or at least as dark as it gets in mid summer here).

Monday night it poured down with rain but I was ready to go on Tuesday night at 10pm. I was hoping that the poor conditions the previous night may have left them hungry and would increase the chance of early activity. For once I was right with a bird hesitantly churring already at 22:15 and before sunset! I managed to get my best pictures to date of the species (helped in no small part to the fact that Conor C has very kindly lent me his Canon 5D IV). I was aware that there could be a nest on the ground in the area and scanned with the thermal imager to see if I could locate the female. I didn’t but suddenly I saw an animal and there was badger walking right towards me! Unfortunately it sensed me as I raised my camera but seeing it walking along sniffing the ground highlighted the threats that ground nesting birds expose themselves to. Of course if we didn’t remove all of the apex predators (wolves and lynx) then there would be fewer badgers and foxes and more balance in nature but humans aren’t good at natural balance.

I was a happy man as I headed back to the cabin at 11pm (very early by nocturnal birding standards) but things then got even better. Getting out of the car there were juvenile Tawny Owls begging for food right by the cabin. There were 3 and their begging just got louder and louder during the course of the next hour when they didn’t seem to be fed at all. But that was not the best of it - a Nightjar flew over and then one started churring nearby!! Plus Woodcock and barking Roe Deer (which set the Beast off) and I now realise that tonight I can do my nocturnal birding from the cabin veranda with a glass of wine in hand #glambirding

First the video with Nightjars wing clapping and calling (courtesy of Jr) and churring and then the sights and sounds around the cabin with begging Tawny Owls, barking Roe Deer and Beast, flyover Nightjar (courtesy of Mrs. OB) and moonlight on the water.

Nightjar (nattravn) in silhouette

the light was still good at 22:40  (the sun was still hitting the top of the trees) and these are without doubt my best views of this enigmtic species 

Nightjar flying over cabin

Badger (grevling) after seeing me and turning away

Juvenile Tawny Owl (kattugle) at 23:50 using ISO 12800

High Brown Fritillary (adippeperlemorvinge)

A White-letter Hairstreak (almestjertvinge) from Oslo just before we left. It seems to be a very good and very early year for this species

Male Linnet (tornirisk) with a tick

Heath Fritillary (Marimjellerutevinge) which are very numerous this year

Excitement and frustration

I am filled with both excitement and frustration at the moment. Excitement because we are now starting the absolute best period of the year for Oslo birding but frustration that we continue to have northerly winds and no sign of rain such that we may not get one of those amazing days fall days that happen every now and again and which I long for.

Yesterday I visited Gressholmen and Lindøya with Jack D and we both had high expectations but these were not to be met unfortunately. The northerly wind was just too strong and too cold and there was no sign of any passerine migration. Waders were also in short supply although a small flock of Curlew were surprising as their migration has already peaked. Otherwise the only breeding Ringed Plovers in Oslo were present although do not look to have started breeding yet. The first Common Terns were back and it was a real joy to hear them calling and watch them diving for fish. A few Red-throated Divers and Common Scoter on the sea were clearly migrants although the Velvet Scoters we saw were probably birds that have wintered here.

Maridalen is warming up and today I added Redstart, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank and Tree Pipit to my 2022 list.

I have had two exciting encounters with Goshawks in Maridalen the last two days. Yesterday a (the?) 2cy bird was hunting Wood Pigeons over my head but failed in its quest and today I saw a 3^rd cy female catch a Wood Pigeon and then got to watch it standing over the still moving bird.

Today’s eBird list from Maridalen with a respectable 63 species.

2cy Goshawk (hønsehauk) chasing Wood Pigeon (ringdue) and being chased by a Hooded Crow (kråke)

the pigeon got away

but not this one which ended up being lunch for a 3cy bird

male Shoveler (skjeand) at Østensjøvannet allowed a closer approach

male Gadwall (snadderand) in Maridalen again

male Goldeneyes (kvinand) in Maridalen

male Teal (krikkand) in Maridalen

and male Tufted Duck (toppand)

an 2cy and adult Whooper Swan (sangsvane) in the Dale. In addition to these birds the breeding pair are back on their nesting pool and another adult pair are on the lake

there were lots of displaying Red-breasted Mergansers (siland) on Lindøya

these two males managed to display completely synchronised

Common Tern (makrellterne)

Curlews (storspove)

male Linnet (tornirisk)

I have said that early Common (and Wood) Sandpipers should be documented so here you have it..... a Common Sand with a Green Sand

and a slightly more convincing picture of the Common Sand (strandsnipe)

my first Greenshank (gluttsnipe) of the year

Mistle Thrush (duetrost)

male Redstart (rødstjert)

one of 6 Ring Ouzels (ringtrost) in Maridalen today

Skylark (sanglerke)

Wheatear (steinskvett)