Whitish birds of the week

 Last weekend a Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans (N=kaspimåke) turned up in the nearby town of Stjørdal. I tried (and failed) to find the bird on Wednesday and again on Friday. Today (Saturday 17th February) I finally saw the bird, resting on the mud at the mouth of the Gråelv river (Gråelvosen). A bit tricky to pick out, but when seen alongside other large gulls it sticks out a mile. The bird is in its 1st winter plumage (2nd calendar year).

Whilst searching for the Caspian Gull on Wednesday, I had reasonable views of another intersting gull, this time a hybrid between Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus (N=polarmåke) and Herring Gull L. argenteus. Not easy to pick out for the untrained eye, but basically it looks like a pale Herring Gull with white wing tips with faint markings. This individual has returned to the area for the second winter in a row, and is a bird in 2nd winter plumage (3rd calendar year).

Closer to home, I went a walk down to the beach below the house this afternoon. Three Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis (N=snøspurv) sunning themselves and preening on the rocks before feeding on seeds along the shore line. 

Caspian Gull (2nd calendar year), Gråelvosen, Stjørdal 17th February 2024

Hybrid Glaucous x Herring Gull (3rd calendar year) (left) with Herring Gull (2nd calendar year) (right), Gråelvosen, Stjørdal 14th February 2024

Snow Bunting, Sandbukta, Midtsandan 17th February 2024

An afternoon by the feeders

 I spent a couple of hours this afternoon watching the birds by my garden feeders. Tried my hand at photographing birds in flight, with mixed results. Some of the photos are not too bad. I hope to try from another position / angle soon to see if I can get more pleasing backgrounds.

Great Tit Parus major (N=kjøttmeis)

Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus (N=blåmeis)

Another Blue Tit

House Sparrow Passer domesticus (N=gråspurv)

Tree Sparrow Passer montanus (N=pilfink)

Mealy Redpoll Acanthis flammea (N=gråsisik)

Mealy Redpoll, Arctic Redpoll and Snow Bunting

 There have been up to 70 Mealy Redpolls Acanthis flammea (N=gråsisik) in our garden (Midtsandan, Malvik) for the past couple of weeks. A careful scrutiny of the flocks reveals that there are some Lesser Redpolls Acanthis cabaret (N=brunsisik), and up to three Arctic Redpolls Acanthis hornemanni (N=polarsisik). There have been sporadic sightings of Snow Buntings Plectrophenax nivalis (N=snøspurv) since December along the beach at Midtsandan, Malvik, a bird we rarely see here during winter.

Below a few photographs of Mealy Redpoll, Arctic Redpoll and Snow Bunting.

A very confiding Mealy Redpoll, Midtsandan, Malvik 3rd February 2024

Mealies squabbling over food, Midtsandan, Malvik 3rd February 2024

Arctic Redpoll Midtsandan, Malvik 3rd February 2024

Snow Buntings Midtsandan, Malvik 9th & 10th February 2024

 

Purple Sandpipers up close

 Last weekend a little flock of five Purple Sandpipers Calidris maritima (N=fjæreplytt) were feeding at Midtsandtangen, Malvik, just a short walk from the house. When I arrived, they were a little distant for photography. I sat down on the ground and watched them for a while. Eventually two birds flew past me, and landed around 3 meters from where I sat. Despite the cold weather (-15C) both myself and the sandpipers stuck it out, and after a couple of hours I headed home, cold yet happy.

Photos below taken with OM-Systems OM-1 camera, with 40-150mm f2.8 lens and 2x teleconverter, shutter speed 1/320 sec., f5.6, ISO 3200.

2023 - some of my favourite photos

 Hi everyone!

Well, 2023 was as hectic as 2022. I took an awful lot of photos, but never got round to posting on this blog, despite my good intentions. I am posting some favourites from 2023 here now, and hope that I will find time for more regular posts in 2024.

Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus (N=sangsvane), Vingebukta, Stjørdal, December 2023

Greylag Goose Anser anser (N=grågås), Sør-Herøy, Herøy May 2023

Eurasian Wigeon male Mareca penelope (N=brunnakke), Nidelva, Trondheim, February 2023

King Eider male Somateria spectabilis (N=praktærfugl) with Common Eiders S. mollissima, Hommelvik, Malvik March 2023

Grey Plover juvenile Pluvialis squatarola (N=tundralo), Tenna, Herøy September 2023

Common Ringed Plover juvenile Charadrius hiaticula (N=sandlo), Tenna, Herøy September 2023

Little Ringed Plover juvenile Charadrius dubius (N=dverglo), Tenna, Herøy September 2023

Common Redshank Tringa totanus (N=rødstilk), Tenna, Herøy May 2023

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola (N=grønnstilk), Nedalen, Tydal, July 2023

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima (N=fjæreplytt), Storsand, Malvik, January 2023

Red Knot juvenile Calidris canutus (N=polarsnipe), Midtsandan, Malvik, September 2023

Ruff juvenile Calidris pugnax (N=brushane), Midtsandan, Malvik, September 2023

Woodcock Scolopax rusticola (N=rugde), Sundsvoll, Vega, May 2023

Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla (N=krykkje), Rørvik, Trøndelag, July 2023

Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum (N=spurveugle), Mostadmarka, Malvik, November 2023

Common Wren Troglodytes troglodytes (N=gjerdesmett), Hestsjøen, Malvik, August 2023

Goldcrest Regulus regulus (N=fuglekonge), Slettås, Trysil, April 2023

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor (N=varsler), Midtsandan, Malvik, August 2023

Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus (N=sidensvans), Søbstad, Levanger. October 2023.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis (N=snøspurv), Storsand, Malvik, Februar 2023

My favourites from 2022

 Due to a multitude of reasons, this blog has not been updated for a whole year. At last I have had a chance to plough through tens of thousands of images, and selected a few of the ones that i particularly like. So here goes....

Greylag Goose Anser anser (N=grågås), Stjørdal, Trøndelag, September 2022

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopis (N=hvitkinngås), Tenna, Nordland, May 2022

Common Eider Somateria mollissima (N=ærfugl), Muruvik, Trøndelag, March 2022

Hazel Grouse Bonasa bonasia (N=jerpe), Malvik March 2022 

Slavonian Grebe (juvenile) Podiceps auritus (N=horndykker - årsunge), Malvik, July 2022

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus (N=tjeld), Midtsandan, Malvik, Trøndelag august 2022

Ruff Calidris pugnax (N=brushane), Tenna, Nordland, May 2022

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima (N=fjæreplytt), Storsand, Malvik, Trøndelag, November 2022

Sanderling Calidris alba (N=sandløper), Vingebukta, Stjørdal, Trøndelag, September 2022

young Long-eared owl Asio otus (N=hornugle), Malvik, Trøndelag, July 2022

Spotted Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes (N=nøttekråke), Midtsandan, Trøndelag, September 2022

Siberian Jay Perisoreus infaustus (N=lavskrike), Jøssåsen, Malvik, Trøndelag, October 2022

Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyoppsittacus (N=furukorsnebb), Midtsandan, Trøndelag, October 2022

European Beaver Castor fiber (N=bever), Malvik, Trøndelag, june 2022