Some urban birding

The last week has continued along well trodden paths with Maridalen’s current specialities showing whenever the Bird Gods deem me to be deserving. On Thursday I was out with Jack who was hoping to finally see Grey-headed Woodpecker which was a potential lifer. Jack’s well won reputation for keeping the birds away made me unsure as to whether to join him but I did and the pecker also showed. This needed celebrating and we decided to then head for town for some urban birding along the seafront before heading for a Christmas beer or ten. We were hoping to see an Iceland Gull that had been seen and then ringed last weekend but couldn’t find it. A bread eating Eider that clearly thought it was a Mallard and a couple of Wigeon were the best we could come up with.

In Maridalen I have also visited one of my old Hazel Grouse sites and found birds were still present (always good to have more than one site for this species) and at home a flock of over 200 Waxwings has been gorging on apples in the neighbourhood.

the small beach by the Opera is a great area for waterfowl and gulls in this winter

this is the Cormorant (storskarv) that was asleep in the above picture which was clearly not very healthy

this young male Eider (ærfugl) clearly thought it was a bread eating Mallard

it had been ringed at the same place on 21 September and has been there ever since

Mute Swans (knoppsvane)

Two male Wigeon (brunnakke) both of which were also ringed

this young male had been ringed on 22.11 nearby on Akerselva

and this is the male that was ringed in 2016 and has been in Oslo since

Blue Tit (blåmeis)

Coal Tit (svartmeis)

Crested Tit (toppmeis)

Great Tit (kjøttmeis)

Willow Tit (granmeis)

Nutcracker (nøttekråke)

a Groundcreeper (bakkekryper)

Waxwing (sidensvans)

this bird was ringed

Grey-headed Woodpecker (gråspett)

this bird with the red crown feathers seems to be account for all the current sightings in Maridalen and can move a few kilometers in under an hour

Great Grey Shrike (varsler)

and Pygmy Owl (spurveugle)