Summing up the December birding in Southeastern Norway is basically about one single species: the Pine Grossbeak (konglebit).

This charismatic finch belongs to the taiga forests of Northern Eurasia and North America, but every now and then – in years with rich crops of Roven berries – the population erupts in influxes far south of their breeding range. This fall have been such an influx year, and in December several flocks of Pine Grossbeak have been feeding on Roven berries near our house on the coast of Vestfold.

The adult males are pinkish red while the females and immature birds are grey with yellow breast and head. In young males the yellow parts turn more into orange as redish feathers mix into the yellow.