Snow Buntings

No noticeable change in the bird life today although I did enjoy 3 Snow Buntings on one of the last snow decked fields in Maridalen but these could well have been around for a while. There was less wind today which I hoped would produce some raptor movement but I hoped in vain.

snow%2Bbunting%2BIMG 0217%2Bcopy — Snow Bunting (snøspurv)

snow%2Bbunting%2BIMG 0333%2Bcopy — buntings have a very specially shaped lower mandible

crane%2BIMG 0090%2Bcopy — The Crane (trane) pair remains faithful to the same field

crane%2BIMG 0349%2Bcopy — note the different eye colour which according to BWP is independent of age or sex

great%2Bcrested%2Bgrebe%2BIMG 0007%2Bcopy — a visit to ØStensjøvannet revealed displaying Great Crested Grebes (toppdykker)

black headed%2Bgull%2BIMG 0063%2Bcopy — Black-headed Gulls (hettemåke) are back on their breeding islands but there are not that many (yet)

canada%2Bgreylag%2Bgoose%2Bhybrid%2BIMG 0030%2Bcopy — a Canada x Greylag Goose hybrid

moorhen%2BIMG 0049%2Bcopy — Moorhen (sivhøne)

pintail%2BIMG 9980%2Bcopy — the regularly returning overwintering female Pintail (stjertand) which will presumably be moving on soon (it has been noted pairing with male Mallards)

tufted%2Bduck%2BIMG 0045%2Bcopy — male Tufted Duck (toppand). 2 days a bird was photographed here with a “nasal saddle” that I have tracked down to Nantes, France but I could not find it today

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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Simon Rix

Simon Rix

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