Trip to southern Norway, 2 new lifers

Day 1

The trip started on the 6th of July 2025 from Valkeakoski, Finland, from where I drove to Helsinki with my family. Next step was the boat trip by Silja Symphony ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm, Sweden. During first day I didn't see many mammals, only some roadkills on Highway 3 to Helsinki i.e. Eurasian Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and couple of Raccoon dogs  (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and from the ferry I spotted the Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) on Gulf of Finland, close to Porkkala, at Kallbådan seal reserve area.

Day 2

During the drive from Stockholm to Oslo, we saw few Roe Deers (Capreolus capreolus) in the fields of Sweden, and some roadkills, of which the only identified one was the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles). In Oslo, we had rented an Airbnb apartment for one week. So, this trip was not a full mammal watching trip, but anyway, during a week, I had a enough time to spend outdoors in the nature.

Day 3

During the third day, on the 8th of July, we started very early in the morning and drove about 350 km north, to Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjell national park. During road trip, we saw a Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) in two places, a single one in a field and propably a pair in another field. I had hoped to see a Red Deer, but no luck this time.

We arrived to Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjell national park at 9:30, signed in to the Muskox Safari and at 10:15 we started the hike up the mountains near Kongsvoll Botaniske Fjellhage.

The weather was fine, not too cold nor too hot. While climbing up to Nystugguhøa, my younger son Roni heard a rustling from the downy birch forest. There was some vole, possibly a Tundra Vole or Norway Lemming, but unfortunately we did not see it.

We continued the climbing and finally one of my mammal dreams came true, when our guide spotted two Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) resting in the snow - almost on the top of the Nystugguhøa mountain. A lifer for me! After that we found more of them and the final count was 16! A small surprise for me was the size of Muskox, it's much smaller than I thought. The Muskox stands at 1.1 to 1.5 m (3 ft 7 in to 4 ft 11 in) high at withers.

The first Muskoxen, cool off in the snow at Nystugguhøa.

A solitary Muskox lower at the slope of Nystugguhøa.

Muskox herd a bit further away at the slope of Nystugguhøa.

While driving back to Oslo in the evening, we chose another route, a bit further east. During evening hours, we saw one Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) running over the road. Also, one Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus), but unfortunately, it was a roadkill. There were no Red Deer in sight that evening, but Roni probably saw two Elks (Alces alces) for a few seconds in a roadside forest near Oslo.

Day 4

This day was spent almost entirely recovering from the previous day's relatively strenuous mountain hike. Still, during late evening, I started a new hike, a couple of kilometers walk along the river Akerselva, from the lake Maridalsvannet downstream to the Nydalen. Near Kjelsås, there was a sign which claimed that there lives Eurasian Beavers in the river. But... I must say now that it's a false information. I didn't see any beavers, nor any recent signs of them nesting or feeding along the river. Only some very old signs in trees, probably from many years ago. 

I tried to also find the Wood Mouse, but no luck with it. Actually, I did not see a single rodent during evening, maybe they have a bad year in southern Norway?

But... the bats surprised me! There was a lot of bats along the river and many species of them! Here's the complete list of the 5-6 bat species, that the Echo Meter app identified and some screen shots from the app.

• Northern Bat (Eptesicus nilssonii)
• Daubenton's Myotis (Myotis daubentonii)
• Brandt's Myotis / Whiskered Myotis (Myotis brandtii / Myotis mystacinus)
• Brown Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus)
• Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus)

In addition to the list above, Echo Meter app provided three more species; Western Barbastelle, Natterer's Bat and Pond Myotis. It seems that the Western Barbastelle and Natterer's Bat were false positives but the Pond Myotis recording is still possible and under investigation, especially because the species should not exists in Norway i.e. it would be a new species for Norway! I will update this blog article, when the species is clear.

Day 5

This day was spent in downtown. Still, one mammal observation, the Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), this time in Slottsparken, which is the park surrounding the Royal Palace of Norway, with ponds and statues.

Red Squirrel at Slottsparken

Day 6

At midday, we went to the Natural History Museum in Oslo. Very interesting place, highly recommended for all mammal watchers. The museum is surrounded by Botanical Garden. While walking around the garden, I suddenly noticed two Roe Deers (Capreolus capreolus) - a small surpise in a fenced park in the middle of Oslo.

A Roe Deer pair at Botanical Garden.

In the evening, I spent again about three hours in the forests along the river Akerselva, walking slowly around, listening for possible rustlings and watching for possible moves of grass and flowers. I had almost given up, when I heard a rustling sound. I stopped and crouched down, the rustling sound moved closer. And suddenly, from behind a tree, a Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), walked to the path, right in front of me, it was about 70 cm away from me. A lifer for me! We stared each other about 15 seconds, and I was able to see it really nicely; small size, pure white chest and belly, small ears an eyes and brownish gray back. No photo though, I didn't want to scare it so I just stayed on my site like a statue.

Day 7

The last day in Oslo, no wild mammal obervations. A note about the House Cats: it seems that it's legal in Norway to let them be out without any control. Around our Airbnb apartment, there was at least four House Cats wandering around.

Bengal Cat at Kjelsås.

Day 8

The travel back to Finland started in the morning. While driving from Oslo to Stockholm, we saw again many Roe Deers (Capreolus capreolus) in the fields - but that's all. No Red Deers anywhere during this trip, even though they exist in Southern Norway and Sweden. I just wonder whether they are so nocturnal, that they are hard to see?

Another species that was totally missing in this trip, was the European Hare. Why, I'm not sure, perhaps the grass in the fields was already so long that all smaller mammals disappeared there.

Day 9

When I woke up in the Bay of Finland, there was a thick fog i.e. very poor visibility. Luckily the fog faded away after an hour and I managed to see again Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus), at Kallbådan seal reserve area, this time three of them. 

While driving back to home from Helsinki, there was again several roadkills on the Highway 3, all identified mammals were Raccoon dogs  (Nyctereutes procyonoides).

This was my third visit in Norway - but not the last. I have plans to go to a whale trip in Andenes and to another trip further north to Svalbard island, to see Polar Bears and other arctic mammals and birds.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Writer

Olli Haukkovaara
Valkeakoski
Finland