Little Auk

Little Auks have been difficult birds to see around Oslo the last few years. Previously I would consider it an expected species in late autumn/early winter but a lack of southerly storms at this season has not seen many birds being blown in the last few years. I did not see one at all last year in Oslo so when a bird was found offshore downtown at the weekend and was still there yesterday then I had to go look for it. It was a particularly confiding bird that had a clear clockwise circuit that it followed and would regularly dive long distances. It would also swim underneath the edge of the dock making it at times impossible to see although one could be standing on top of it.

Otherwise, we have quite a bit of snow which is very scenic but has, especially in Maridalen, resulted in birds seemingly disappearing and birds can be few and far between.

Little Auk (alkekonge) - it came a bit too close!

it would swim around the edge of a bay and then cross back over to the otherside

before swimming under the docking

and would occasionally pop into view but would always continue its clockwise circuit

before suddenly revealing itself on the otherside

there are still quite a few Waxwings (sidensvans) about

I bumped into the adult (ringed) Wigeon (brunnakke) again today

there are still 10 Bearded Tits (skjeggmeis) at Fornebu and there are at least 7 in this picture

a Roe Deer in a snowy Maridalen. I had 5 mammal species today, with in addition Red Squirrel, Fox, Common Seal and a Dolphin sp