The winter so far has been rather quiet birdwise, but the mild weather has produced a few unexpected birds.

A woodlark (trelerke) rested for a few days at the beach at Moutmarka near our home base in Vestfold.

A bit further south, a great egret (egretthegre) visited Larvik a few days under rather harsh winter conditions.

The first days of February, a female black redstart (svartrødstjert) was a pleasant surprise near our home base at Hvasser.

Among the passerines, bramblings (bjørkefink) have been numerous.

Bohemian waxwings (sidensvans) also showed up in small flocks, feeding on what was left of berries.

A black woodpecker (svartspett) was already preparing the nest at Hvasser in February.

A single oystercatcher (tjeld) challenged the winter conditions at Moutmarka.

A female smew (lappfiskand) has been present with goldeneyes (kvineneder) in Tønsberg all winter.

The first shelducks (gravand) were in route as the first migratory ducks at Moutmarka the last days of January.

A fast trip to Lista and Jæren in the very south is always rewarding in wintertime.

Great northern diver (islom) at Lista.

Slavonian grebe (horndykker) at Lista.

Male and female velvet scoter (sjøorre) at Lista.

A flock of white-fronted geese (tundragås) at Jæren.

Wigeons (brunnakke) at Jæren.

Lista also provided some nice raptors, like this female hen harrier (myrhauk)…

…and a couplke of rough-legged buzzards (fjellvåk).