Mid-March till Mid-April was spent in Southern Norway. The period came with cold and clear weather – night temperatures often below zero – and the bird migration was slow. However, a good handful of rear species was around – never a boring moment!
The returning Ring-billed Gull (ringnebbmåke) was back in Porsgrunn for the third spring in row; no a handsome bird in full adult plumage.
A real mega was found on Jæren, a drake Lesser Scaup (purpurhodeand), only the eighth record for Norway!
Another mega was a female Pine Bunting (hvithodepsurv) near Tønsberg. The bird – a female – was ringed but still hanging around the same garden for more than a week.
A stunning Hoopoe (hærfugl) was found on a farm north of Tønsberg, also this bird was around for several days.
In Hamar the returning Yellow-legged Gull (gulbeinmåke) showed up again in April.
It seems to be a good year for rodents in Eastern Norway, and rodent-specialists like Kestrels (tårnfalk) could be seen frequently. This male is from Dovrefjell.
A good number of breeding Great Grey Owls (lappugle) were reported. This one has occupied an old Goshawk nest in Innlandet county.
Around our local spot by the coast of Outer Oslofjord, things were as usual. However, a pair of Stonechats (svartstrupe) was a pleasant surprise in late March.
The Dipper (fossekallen) is usually found along inland streams, but occasionally they are seen along the rocky shorelines on migration.
The early regular breeding birds were all in place by mid April. Among the first are the Lapwing (vipe)…
…and Skylark (sanglerke).
Then follows White Wagtail (linerle)…
… Reed Bunting (sivspurv)…
… and Ringed Plover (sandlo).
Despite being one of Norways most common birds, the Meadow Pipit (heipilerke) is quite anonymous and has excellent camouflage.
The Teals (krikkand) are small compared to the massive Greylag Goose (grågås)
A shy Grey Heron (gråhegre) disappears behind the reeds
