The leading weather forecasting website yr.no could not have
got the weather forecast more wrong today. They had forecast for it to be
overcast the whole day but the morning was blessed with blue skies and the
first sight of the sun for weeks. It felt like spring and birds were suddenly
very obvious as they were singing and chasing each other around as their
thoughts turned to spring. They will have to get used to winter again as snow
and cold will return later this week. With positive temperatures and rain
yesterday there has been a huge shrinkage of the snow with many bare patches
and green grass showing through today. On paths though where the snow had been
compressed there is now life threatening ice – the joys of winter life in Oslo!
With the sun I thought that I might have a chance of getting
that better picture of Bearded Tits (skjeggmeis) that I know is waiting for me
so headed for Fornebu. Perhaps as a result of the warmer weather, the tits were
much further out in the reedbed and were very dispersed and no longer in a
tight group. They were also calling more often and louder than recently
presumably as they needed to if they were to communicate with each other. I
also heard song (if you can call it that) which is a promising sign. No
pictures unfortunately.
Another possible sign of spring was a Great Grey shrike
(varsler) which has replaced the Kestrel (not seen for over a week) as the tree
top perching predator here. This is the first record of this species here this
winter and could possibly be a bird already heading north. As usual with this
species it was not easy to get close to it but it was easy to see as it always
perched high up. A male Hawfinch feeding on rose hips was also a welcome sight.
A stop at Bygdøy revealed that the Long-tailed Duck
(havelle) flock has increased to 4 birds – a fine male and three females and
also two Velvet Scoter (sjøorre) here. Driving home a flock of 60 Waxwings
(sidensvans) flying over the car was a large flock and shows there is still
some food for them to find.
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| Great Grey Shrike (varsler) |
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| male Hawfinch (kjernebiter) |
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