RELUCTANT STEPS TOWARDS SPRING AT 70*N
Since I last reported from here, two weeks ago, we have had a resurgence
of winter in Tromsø, with two snow storms, the last one a fierce one
causing damage on the coast, and a lot of fresh snow so that we were back
at 4 feet of snow again here in the lowlands,. But April 'does what he
wants', as the Dutch proverb says, and the last week we are back at milder
weather, southwesterly winds, and rain instead of snow. It is as yet not
all that warm, from 4 to 7*C, but with the rain a lot of the snow is
melting, and even in our garden the ground is visible a very few places
(And the gulls do land there now!). The southwesterly air streams also are
very favourable for returning migrants, and we are all awaiting them
eagerly. But as yet it goes slowly slowly; later this week warmer
high-pressure weather is expected, and maybe then....!
On Saturday I was at the airport and at the Tisnes wetlands, and both
places, immediately on the coast, most of the snow had disappeared,
although on Tisbnes the flooded meadows were still largely ice-covered,
and thus not as yet suitable for the many ducks that nest here. But the
Common Gulls were back in full on their territories in the colony here (I
later even saw a few already sitting on their 'nest boxes,' open boxes on
poles set up for them, and also used by Oystercatchers), and I also saw
several pairs of Greylag Geese, a few on the meadows----no new grass to
graze here as yet---, but most in fact floating offshore- Also the
Lapwings were back, but not yet displaying---a chilly drizzle while I was
there--, while I looked in vain as yet for Redshanks, Snipe and Ringed
Plovers. Nor did I find those at the airport, where the fields emerging
from the snow were yellow and 'dirty' (like coming home to unwashed dishes
in the kitchen), and the only signs of spring were the intrepid flowers of
the Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara, sticking up as soon as the snow is gone,
and now and then even before that, flowering in the melting snow
(Coldfeet?). A lone Red-necked Grebe was a surprise here, they usually
keep to the bottom of the fjord, 100km inland.
On Sunday I drove the Andersdalen loop, i.e. the same as two weeks ago,
although the steadily increasing rain prevented me from driving on to he
bottom of the fjord. The Ramfjord is still completely ice-covered, with
northern Ravens checking out the holes made by the many ice fishermen, but
also the secondary roads are now mainly ice-free, and in spite of frost
heaves and potholes, easier to drive. At the hill forest outside
Andersdalen I parked (very gingerly, as this was where I got stuck two
weeks ago), and walked the traditional stretch along the road. The forest
here was still almost completely silent---or rather, without bird song--:
the gurgling of melt water below the snow was audible everywhere and maybe
the strongest sign of soon arriving spring of the entire day. Also, a
small circle around almost every tree had become free of snow, showing
that these trees do generate warmth, otherwise there is at least 2 ft of
snow left here. Towards the end of the walk I finally heard a single bird
sing. the exuberant positive statements of a Chaffinch, a bird here close
to its northern border of its distribution area. But that was all, and it
more or less accentuated the silence of the forest otherwise.
Back in the car after a while I saw a single silent and despondent-looking
bird in the top of an alder tree: the first Redwing of the year. looking
as if he was sorry he had decided to migrate so early. No signs of the
Waxwings that were here two weeks ago.
I next parked at the farm that lies near large fields sloping down to the
fjord, and always early snow-free, because of their southern exposure.
There are always lots of Starlings here, and the farm also has House
Sparrows, a very patchily distributed species here (there are horses being
fed outside all winter on this farm, and that may be one reason for the
small sparrow colony here). But this time there was also a sizeable flock
of thrushes, mixed Redwing and Fieldfare on the fields, and a few of the
redwings even tried out some tentative song phrases. Meanwhile the drizzle
was morphing into steadily increasing rain, and after a while I chickened
out and drove home again. Two small birds with white rumps flying away
from me in the rain may have been 2009's first bramblings, but I'll never
know. A majestic adult sea eagle was easier to recognize.
At home the thaw has uncovered the rests of the spilled sunflower seeds
below the feeders, and this has brought the Redpolls back in the garden.
Very cozy birds!
Wim Vader,
Tromsø Museum
9037
Tromsø, Norway
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