Garden birds, woodpeckers and ducks

I woke up this morning to find a fresh fall of snow. So the first thing I had to do was to get the shovel out. Just as I was finished the sun shone. Which was a good sign, as I had been planning all week to take today off work. So, after a leisurely breakfast it was time to pack my gear in the car and go off exploring the local area. As I was packing, a small flock of fieldfares appeared in the garden. Here is one of them:

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris (N=gråtrost), Midtsandan; Malvik.

There was also a small flock of mixed house sparrows and tree sparrows in the garden of one of the neighbours:

House Sparrow Passer domesticus (N=gråspurv). Male below right, female above. Midtsandan, Malvik.

Tree Sparrow Passer montanus (N=pilfink). Midtsandan, Malvik.

Once I was finally finished birdwatching and photographing in the garden (and the neighbour's garden) I headed inland to Hønstad, an area I spend a lot of time during the summer months but rarely in the winter. The sun shone, there were lots of birds around. Highlights of the day were two pairs and a singing male Common crossbill Loxia curvirostra (N=grankorsnebb), and three woodpecker species (Great Spotted, Grey-headed and Black). 

Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius (N=svartspett). Hønstad, Malvik

Record shot of Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus (N=gråspett). It's the bird on the right, with Black Woodpecker on the left. Hønstad, Malvik.

I left Hønstad rather satisfied and headed back to the fjord, which is my "usual" birding habitat. The light was absolutely amazing in the middle of the afternoon. Had a look at the ducks in the outer part of the bay at Hommelvik before I continued east to Muruvik. Here are some of the better photos:

Male Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (N=stokkand). Hommelvik, Malvik.

A group of three female Mallard, same place as above.

Common Eiders Somateria mollissima (N=ærfugl). Muruvik, Malvik.