Yesterday was cloudy and warm(ish) but clear skies overnight with a resulting heavy frost were going to cause a big change in bird activity this morning. The fields and marsh areas in Maridalen were covered in ice and there was hardly a thrush to see. With the clear skies any viz mig was so high that it was only mig.
During the course of a morning and afternoon visit though I did chalk up a fair few species. I heard my first Dunnock of the year, a flock of 12 Twite flew over, 3 Meadow Pipits were feeding on the stubble fields at Kirkeby and rarest of all two Rock Pipits flew low over calling whilst heading north.
It clouded over during the afternoon and there even was a flurry of snow but this didn’t stop Pink-footed Geese migrating with 6 flocks totalling 880 during the course of half an hour. I also had three Buzzards up in the air and a 2cy Goshawk hunting Wood Pigeons (this was different to yesterday’s bird as it was not missing a primary).
I also revisited Østensjøvannet and connected with the male Pochard this time – probably helped that the frost had caused a significant reduction in the areas of open water.
Simon Rix
Simon Rix is an English Birder who has lived in Oslo, Norway since 2001. Birding has been his passion since primary school and after an education as an economist and career within oil and gas and then drinks industry he turned his attention full time to birds as middle age approached. He is particularly interested in patch birding and migration and is an active guide, blogger and photographer. He is a member of the Norwegian Rarities Committee (NSKF).
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