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<\/a>The weather today was gorgeous and I was down to a t-shirt before noon. But days with blue skies are generally speaking poor for birds and today was no exception. I stuck to Maridalen where I hoped some raptor migration might save the day but the only I raptors I had (Sparrowhawk, Goshawk and Buzzard) were local birds.<\/p>\n
Of course if you use long enough time then you do see something. I had two patch year ticks in the form of Linnet and a very rare Collared Dove (only my second record on the patch). A flock of 150 Pink-footed Geese headed north and a Crane had joined a flock of 15 Greylags also heading north. There were still two pairsif Black-throated Divers on the lake and they even sang a bit. Another bird flew over calling.<\/p>\n
The good light did bring out the best in the new camera and close brick licking Common Crossbills and a Twite resulted in some pictures and (hand-held) video that I am happy with. I also witnessed a pair of Long-tailed Tits collecting feathers from the remains of a dead (presumably at the talons of a Goshawk) Wood Pigeon which they then flew off with to their nest (which I didn\u2019t manage to locate as the birds flew surprisingly far).<\/p>\n