Late spring in north Norway

The were persistent northerly winds blowing over the mountain forest bogs in northern Norway during April and May this year, holding back the thaw and spring growth. There was a week of warm dry weather early in June, which brought some life into the area, but the winds reverted to north and continued to hold things back. Consequently, the plants were late in coming into leaf, like the Mountain Birch Betula pubescens var. pumila above, insects were late to emerge and the numbers of breeding birds, which are mostly migrants in that area, were low.

Likewise, the Dwarf Birch Betula nana was only just opening its leaves and catkins in mid June. And spiders were spinning their first webs of the year.

Then when the sun came out one day in late June the flowers opened. White flowers of Cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus swept across the heath, and they held onto their delicate flowers for several days. In most years their petals fall quickly. Perhaps they are dropped after pollination, and as there were fewer insects about, that process was slow.

The main ground colour on the drier sandy ridges came from Blue Heath Phyllodoce caerula, which also was flowering all at once, creating a spectacular show.

Although the sun was shining, the air temperature was still cool, which was good for me as the mosquitoes were scarce and I could study the birds without their incessant attentions. Although, this meant that the butterflies were also slow to fly, like this newly emerged Arctic Fritillary Boloria chariclea which was basking in the sun to warm itself up. The caterpillars of this butterfly take two years to develop into adults.

Damselflies were very scarce. This recently emerged Northern Damselfly was one of very few that I saw until the end of June, when I left. As it was still in its teneral, not yet fully dried and adult-coloured stage, I was uncertain of its sex.

This White-face Darter Leucorhina dubia was very recently emerged. It was still perched on the stem of sedge it had climbed up from the water, where it had lived in the bog pool during its larvae stages - there can be up to fifteen such stages. The wings were still closed, slowly stretching out as they dried.

Other White-faced Darters were farther advanced, but still in their teneral form, the perfect clean edges of their wings and lustrous shine were very evident on this specimen.

Spring was very late.

North Norway

I have recently returned from a trip to north Norway, well within the arctic circle, but still within the northern treeline. The higher hills are above the altitudinal treeline have long-lying snowbeds and where the snow has melted are covered with heath.The lower ground is largely covered with birch forest, only a few metres tall, with other areas covered with dwarf birch and willow scrub less than a metre tall.  The dominant ground cover in the heath and forest floor is lichen, often referred to collectively as reindeer lichen as that is the traditional food of the vast herds of semi-domestic reindeer that are held the there.  

The landscape as a whole is a complex mosaic of birch woodland, scrub, heath, mires and lakes. The winter snow is late to thaw and a cold north wind held the spring growth back this year.

The sky was often grey, but carried very little rain, most of it falling as showers, the clouds lit pink in the low midnight sun.

And midnight rainbows ran over the horizon.

Then as the wind turned to the south the air warmed and cleared, and the low sun cast soft backlight through the birches.

Although much of the lichen-heath has been heavily grazed by reindeer, there are still some carpets of reasonable size and depth, and they give a hint of the thick intricate growth of numerous species of lichen which should cover most of the dry ground.

The lichens are fragile, and crunch when trodden upon, it seems tragic to destroy so much art.

But the lichens are prolific and do grow back, to spread over twigs, leaves, branches and cast reindeer antlers.

Even a reindeer skull.

So when, or if ever, the reindeer herds are reduced enough, the lichens will return their former glory.

However, attractive as the woodlands and lichens are, I was there to study birds like this male Bar-tailed Godwit and other species of wader which come to these lands for a few months each year to raise their young. More of which I shall describe in further posts.