Some stuff from Bergen

One of the best reasons to go on the G.O Sars IBTS cruise is that invariably you get a wee bit of time to spend in Bergen. Bergen is beautiful, and very cool, and as it's only once a year this is just about enough to take the edge off the price of the beer. It's also got a few decent birds. There is not much going on in the city centre, but there seems to be a peregrine in residence (or at least there was while I was there) and the pond in the city centre has attracted interesting gulls. The only gull of any interest while I was there was this common gull with some retained juvenile scapulars - so presumably a far northern, or possibly heinei - not that I noted any other features that point towards that subspecies on this bird. It's worth noting that these 'late developers' have been observed well in western Norway before - e.g. see here

Much more fun, and offering a very rapid contrast of city centre to the wilds, are the woods at the top of the funicular railway. Just beyond the inevitable gift shop, there are a few feeders that attract, among things, mega looking europaea nuthatches, borealis type willow tits,  and very northern looking treecreepers. Unfortunately, being in a forest, in Norway, in winter, in the rain, the light conditions were awful, which had the same knock on effects on my pictures. Still, that won't stop me posting them...

The willow tits were elusive, and very quick (i.e. too quick for me) at the feeders. Look how cold and grey this bird looks compared to British ones.

The male europaea nuthatches look utterly mega - those crisp white underparts contrasting with the rich, almost brick red rear flanks and UTCs. Females are a bit less striking - not sure I'd pick that as being any different if I saw it in Britain - although the breast does have a certain whiteness to it.

An awful shot but check out the frosty appearance, almost pure white underparts and bright white super that flares behind the eye and bleeds onto the hindneck and mantle.

The squirrels were quite confiding too...!