epic invert day (20150610)

Crambus lathoniellus proved to be common in the long grass at both sites visited today.

With the car in the shop being sorted out ahead of our summer holidays I was released into the neighbourhood on a glorious sunny day. With my net in hand and a few hours to spare I did not waste any time in getting to nearby Petersberg. The micromoths here were fascinating and included my first Crambus lathoniellus, Cochylis dubitana and the stunning Nemophora degeerella. Birds here included a few singing reed and marsh warblers and a single grey wagtail.

Crossing the road I checked out the Makadamfabriken, an old quarry that I thought might have potential for Lepidoptera. I was not wrong and over the next few hours the moths and butterflies just kept on coming. It was nice to see some fresh painted ladies here but the big shock came when I discovered a tiny colony of small blues clinging to the grassland at the top of the quarry. Also here more new moths in the shape of cinnabar black-veined moth, yellow shell and the micromoth Crambus pratella. Birds here included a five long-tailed tits, a pair of little ringed plovers and perhaps 25 active sand martin burrows. An epic session.

Nemophora degeerella - just stunning.

Cochylis dubitana was new for me too today at Petersberg.

The quarry was amazing for invertebrates. First up was the first BK cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae), one of three or four during the session here.

Another new moth - the yellow shell (Camptogramma bilineata). New for BK too.

The grassland at the top of the quarry was home to a small colony of black-veined moth (Siona lineata). New for BK...

The biggest surprise in the quarry though was the discovery of BK's first colony of small blues (Cupido minimus).

sylvias (20150505)

Hit the coast today trying to catch up on the flush of migrants that have come in whilst I was away. First up was a wander around Öllövsstrand, where I quickly mopped up the three common Sylvia warblers and got a bonus pair of grey partridge to boot.

Påarps mal next and the expected pair of little tern were available and a greenshank flew past. Also here a few yellow wagtails and a common sandpiper.

In the afternoon either side of a meeting with my accountant I checked Klarningen (nice female merlin and 13 wood sandpipers in 15 minutes) and Petersberg (low water here produced a single green sandpiper and the what's left of the reedbed had a singing reed warbler).

breezy

Got out this morning and tried to add black-throated diver to my year-list again and failed again too. Checked out Yttre Kattvik first, no divers on the sea but a few red-throated divers, gannets and guillemots going west in a strengthening westerly wind. Kattvik was likewise quiet and a quick look at Båstad produced a gannet and the over-wintering white wagtail. The latter starting to look a little worse for wear. Eskilstorpsstrand proved a little too exposed so I moved on to see how the destruction of the Petersberg wetland was getting on. The main pool is now half empty - they could have done it during the wader season if they really cared! Sad to see this site going under the bulldozer's blade. Last stop was a chilly Klarningen, here three red kites suggested a slight return movement of raptors might be happening. There was definitely a touch of spring in the air but the westerly wind was now really strong so I headed home.

After lunch we all went out for a foam party at Hovs Hallar. A few gannet and kittiwake evident going past the bunker. Elemental.

Wildfowl count - Torekov to Hovs Hallar

Had a great session doing another wildfowl count today. Snow was on the ground but the temperature barely dropped below zero, we might get a winter yet though. Torekov harbour had seven coot (!), 25 over-flying and very noisy twite (year-tick) and I nearly saw a black redstart I think...

The rev produced another noisy flock of 35 twite and at least two purple sandpipers. Rålehamn next and pretty routine here although the mirror calm sea produced the first three razorbill of the day. Out on Tjällran it was pretty quiet, something to do no doubt with the two large white-tailed eagles in residence.

Norra Ängalag produced another year-tick in the shape of a red-necked grebe (finally!) and there were at least ten twite feeding in fields here too. The final Ripagården leg delivered another year-tick (black guillemot), as well as 12 common crossbill and a dunnock. Not a bad count.

Afterwards I checked Klarningen for rough-legged buzzard and scored one. A few thrushes going past south included a single redwing. Checked Petersberg next and discovered that machinery is on site to level the reedbed and pit for development. I never really found anything amazing here over the last seven years but I always enjoyed poking about here for birds and other wildlife and it was one of the few bits of deep, open freshwater in the municipality. It will make reedbed birds harder to find, and destroy one of only two of the municipality's red-necked grebe breeding sites. Why the kommun is building houses in a floodplain is anyone's guess but no doubt money talked.

last day of the storm and more seabirds

 Fulmar on the year list at last

With a borrowed car I was able to get to Yttre Kattvik early in the morning and birds were going past still. Good numbers of red-throated diver (56+) were on the move but I could not spot any other diver species. Highlights here in three hours were Slavonian grebe (5), fulmar (4), gannet (3), little gull (1), razorbill (1) and a fantastic close little auk.

Little auk scuttling past Yttre Kattvik

I checked Petersberg before lunch for some year-ticks; green woodpecker (1) and a little grebe. After lunch the team all headed for Axeltorpsravinen where we quickly connected with a dipper. Then we headed for a walk at Ripagården where a nice 2K little gull was feeding in the bay and we whopped off parrot crossbill (2), coal tit (1) and goldcrest for the year.

Little gull feeding near the harbour at Ripagården

New Year New List

Spent six hours in the field today chasing a few year-ticks. Ended the day on 40 but these included the recently arrived glaucous gull (this time found at Grytskären) and the long-staying male American black duck. Bonus! Not a great deal of excitement apart from these two species, a very brisk westerly put paid to a lot of passerine action along the coast... I did see an unseasonal snipe (1, Ranarpsstrand), starling (12, Grytskären), white-tailed eagle (1, Ranarp), whooper swan (6 south at Torekov) and gannet (3, Kattvik). Finished up at an empty Klarningen before rain stopped play for the day.

grey day

An hour at Båstad late in the day produced no seabirds but got nice close views of long-tailed duck - here a male.

 A female.

Managed to get out for a couple of hours in the afternoon, after a busy morning watching the kids show off their equestrian skills. Båstad was rather quiet and grey but I got close to some long-tailed duck (3) in the harbour. Afterwards checked out Petersberg quickly in the rain for two little grebe - only my fourth record this year in BK.

Common or harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) have started pulling themselves out on the rocks at Båstad. They do this all round the coast but usually in more peaceful locations.

more year-ticks (20140421)

 Not just birds were on the move today, the kids found several eyed ladybirds (Anatis ocellata) at Ranarpsstrand

Another day spent largely in the field produced another crop of year ticks and took me over 150 for the year. First stop was Klarningen. Forty minutes here produced three shoveler and a ringed plover but apparently I missed a wood sandpiper... A short listen at Petersberg produced a demi-squeal from a water rail that was enough to secure it for the year. Eskilstorpsstrand was calm and there were lots of grebes on the sea, 13 red-necked grebes being rather special but also ten great crested grebes were also present. Surprisingly no real sense of a build-up of red-throated divers ahead of the migration spectacle in early May - just seven birds feeding offshore.

We all took a walk later around the Killeröd loop walk. I finally laid coal tit to rest for the year, they are singing well now and I also heard singing willow tit which is always a pleasure. Finally we checked Ljungbyholm en route to Ranarpsstrand, it was quiet. Ranarpsstrand however was interesting with greenshank (1) flushed on arrival and a house martin coming in-off. Also here of note were a pair of shoveler and a male gadwall.

hat-trick (20140321)

Friday saw me bagging a hat-trick of BK year-ticks by chasing down a few glaring omissions. The day started well with a flock of 200 golden plover at Ljungbyholm whilst chauffeuring Mrs B to work in the morning.

After that it was hunting for grebes. The sea off Båstad was rather quiet (just one long-tailed duck and singing chiffchaff) but from here it was apparent that most of the action was to be found off Eskilstorpsstrand, so that is were I went next. Quite a few duck offshore including big numbers of scoters (both velvet and common) and 170 scaup. In amongst them after quite a search I finally found my first Slavonian grebe of the year. Another singing chiffchaff was an indication that this species has now arrived on a broad-front, but still no wheatears???

Last stop of my short session was a look at Petersberg. The tufted duck flock has built to an 280 individuals and my first BK red-necked grebe of the year briefly emerged from the reeds. A jay here was interesting, are they moving at the moment?

stormy weather

A male green woodpecker put on a show for me and the kids this afternoon.

It was blowing a gale through the night and into the morning but I stayed at home. The sea-watching was poor so I made the right decision. Did get out in the afternoon though and checked Klarningen for the reported fulmar (!) - no sign. But did pick up two male shovelers, my first of the year.

Nearby at Petersberg we found a flock of at least 219 tufted duck, a huge total for the site and BK, but no sign of red-necked grebe. A pair of green woodpeckers put on a show for us though and the kids got good looks through the 'scope.

wot no beans

Been trying to secure a bean goose for my BK year-list for some time this spring but no dice again today. Another session at Klarningen this morning failed to deliver the goods but the white-fronted goose flock had built up to an amazing 140 birds. Easily my highest total in BK. In amongst them were nine barnacles but I managed to miss the pink-footed goose reported by others later. The pintail (male) and gadwall (2) remain on site.

Båstad next for a quick look on the sea, somehow I am missing both red-necked and Slavonian grebe this year too. But again no joy, but seven long-tailed duck looked fantastic as they always do. Later whilst shopping I picked up some fly-by crossbills at Petersberg. Finally a year-tick!

green woodpecker

It was wet and miserable this morning but I got out to look for the reported spotted redshank at Klarningen. No sign of it sadly but good numbers of widlfowl on site with teal (50), pintail (1), wigeon (7) and shelduck (6) amongst others.

Eventually the rain moved me on and I walked around Petersberg a bit. A large flock of tufted duck (149) was in residence and I finally heard my first green woodpecker of the year.

In the afternoon I checked out Ranarpsstrand with the kids quickly, plenty of oystercatcher (7) and shelduck (20) but nothing out-of-place.

coot!

Had a quick look at Klarningen and Petersberg in the late afternoon. Klarningen had a big gathering of 200 lapwing and a few duck (shelduck 7, teal 14 and wigeon 3). But otherwise rather quiet. Petersberg produced a surprise male pintail and my first coot of the year. The tufted duck flock here has dwindled to 30. Zoned for housing I will be well pissed off to see this pit disappear some time in the future.

goshawk kill

Highlight of this morning's session was flushing a goshawk off it's breakfast. You have to admire the economy and the systematic nature of this bird when it feeds. The goshawk obviously started at the head of the rabbit and worked it's way towards the rear. The skull (bottom right) when examined had been completely scraped free of flesh and a neat hole cut in the back to allow the removal of the tasty brain!

A bitterly cold southerly wind greeted me at dawn this morning at Klarningen. Not much going on on site, just a lone whooper swan and a fly-through white-tailed eagle of note. Nearby Petersberg produced a brace of year-ticks, first up was a huge flock of 160 tufted duck on the pit and then I flushed a fantastic adult goshawk off a rabbit.

Last stop of the day was Eskilstorpsstrand, the big flock of scaup (182) provided another year-tick and a couple of long-tailed duck and a gannet passed by.

22122013 - shingles complications

Things are not going so well, I have developed the neuralagia that sometimes comes after shingles which may slow me up a bit in the coming months...

Managed a bit of time in the field though today, checking out Klarningen and Petersberg. En route a hunting rough-legged buzzard was present in just outside Grevie. Klarningen was quiet with 12 whooper swans and a kestrel. Peterberg had a good number of wildfowl including 68 tufted duck and also three lesser redpoll.

double dip disaster

BK ticks do not come along very often for me these days but yesterday two were on offer and I managed to connect with neither of them! Overnight Martin Ekenberg had found a singing corncrake at Bränneslätt so that was my first port of call in the morning. No sign.

I drifted towards Torekov rev which had four grey plover (year-tick!) and then checked Flytermossen for dragonflies. No sign of any armatum this time, although the edge had dried up a lot, but quite a few Brachytron. Whilst here we heard that Ulf had seen a serin whilst playing golf at Sönnertorp near Västra Karup. Failed again with this much-wanted target species but at least surveyed the rather poor ponds on the course for dragonflies whilst we were there.

Later on I went for a night-drive but things were quiet. No sign yet again of the corncrake and just a marsh warbler at Klarningen, some young ringed plovers at Petersberg and a tawny owl family at Sinarpsdalen. Rather disappointing.

18 BK year-ticks!!!

Barnacle geese resting at Torekov rev today.

Good to be back in BK. I missed the arrival of the early migrants whilst in Crete but caught up with a lot of the backlog today during the morning. Over breakfast I glanced out the window and got three year-ticks to get things rolling; chiffchaff, redstart and blackcap!

First stop was Klarningen which was looking rather low for breeding birds but good for wader passage. Year-ticks here were everywhere; a pair of shoveler, two noisy common sandpipers, a greenshank, seven wood sandpipers, eight swallows, two blue-headed wagtails and at least three wheatears along the access track. The wood pile had at least eight song thrushes and a wren resting in it, must remember to check it regularly.

Driving through Petersberg I was joined by two goldfinches flying alongside. A quick look at Båstad revealed two cold-looking common terns perched on the rocks near the harbour. Ripagården next, a scout around offshore revealed two adult gannets but otherwise things were quiet. I searched hoping for ring ouzels but without success. Trawling through the wood I was pleased to find my first pied flycatcher of the year and also by the stream was a lesser whitethroat. A preoccupied fox crossed the stream in front of me and sniffed about for ages just 20 metres from me before it finally made eye-contact and bolted. Magic stuff.

Torekov next on my whistle-stop tour. Flytermossen was hosting a good number of hirundines, with 20 barn swallows, five house martins and a single sand martin. The fenceline along the pond, had at least twenty chiffchaff and a few willow warblers feeding along it and later they had been joined by another pied flycatcher. I was hoping for more terns at the rev but had to settle for three purple sandpipers and a shoveler. Redstarts were singing here and a pair of wheatear were on territory.

In the afternoon we headed back out, this time to Ranarpsstrand. Curlew were on the move with 43 either flying through or resting on the rocks. No sign of any whimbrel though, just a pair of gadwall and as we drove away another pied flycatcher and willow warbler. Two more pied flycatchers at Segelstorpsstrand ended the day.

Evidence of a widespread arrival of migrants overnight, nearby Kullen had an estimated 60 ring ouzel!

autumn

Got some pond-dipping in with the team in the afternoon by carefully dodging the downpours whilst driving between sites. We tried the small pond at Petersberg first and caught some water beetles that looked seriously confusing to the untrained eye. Not sure what this one is yet but am going to have to work out a good way of photographing them, I may have to build a small tank for on-site underwater photography. This one is so shiny that you can see a reflection of both me and Number 2 in the photo!

Actually got out early this morning for a look at Klarningen. It really felt autumnal just after dawn and birds were on the move. The access track held yellow wagtail, wheatear and whinchat and a small flock of 21 golden plover was present in the fields. Greylag geese are massing too with over 300 on site this morning. Working through the wildfowl produced a couple of pintail and two shoveler. The spotted crake was still dashing about like a mad thing along the edge of the large Juncus bed. Everything spooked briefly when a sub-adult hobby (2K?) flew down the river. Waders included some dunlin (6), ruff (1), common sandpiper (1), spotted redshank (2), greenshank (4) and 11 wood sandpiper. At least 68 yellow wagtails left the site and headed south during the session perhaps the most memorable event of the day.

Checked out Petersberg and heard what may have been a brief snatch of song from a great reed warbler, I tried tape-luring to confirm but got no response...

Mid-morning saw us all out dodging heavy rain showers whilst doing some pond-dipping. The sunny spells produced some great dragonfly action. At Petersberg we had three Aeshna species bombing about and we turned up a great crested newt and a grass snake. The pond at Frestensfälla was busy too with Sympetrum danae and Aeshna juncea all busy breeding. But more rain threatened so we headed for home a lie-down.

Low-level pan-species listing continues to provide both headaches and enjoyment, this lovely hopper (Cicadella viridis) at Frestensfälla gave itself up pretty easily but many identifications elude me and the list of TBI is growing daily. Just have to hope we get snowed in this winter I guess.

Lestes sponsa are present in good numbers at most waterbodies in BK. Still no sign of a breeding location for Lestes virens though.

night-birding with the family

There was a big common toad (Bufo bufo) waiting for us on the front step when we got back from our first family night-birding session.

Made the most of some afternoon sun yesterday and checked out Petersberg for dragonflies (just Enallagma on the wing). Then tried Klarningen. Still waders here with the best of it being a single whimbrel that lifted off the wetland and went south calling. Also four curlew, at least eight greenshank and the usual 20-ish wood sandpipers.

We were saving our energy for the big event though, a night drive around BK looking for nightjar and the two common owls that have been eluding me successfully so far this year. The kids were very keen and we arrived early at Killeröd, getting eaten by midges as we looked through a bewildering selection of micro-moths. As dusk fell we heard at least two male nightjars and Number 1 and I headed uphill to listen to them more closely. Here we had a very close encounter with a long-eared owl that tried to land on my head and Number 1 spotted the nightjar whizzing past at close range. Returning to the car we did not have to wait long for another very good view of a nightjar, courtesy this time of Mrs B (her first in Sweden!).

The kids did not last long on the drive-round, quickly falling asleep under a pile of sleeping bags. It was eerily quiet, a few roe deer calling and a quick glimpse and a couple of calls from a 1K tawny owl. But mission accomplished - all three potential year-ticks in the bag.

papa's got a brand new camera

Spent most of the day playing with my new camera, things are going to be a bit macro for a while! Syrphus torvus btw.

Spent an hour at Klarningen this morning, plenty of waders about, including three greenshank, a spotted redshank and quite a few wood and green sandpipers. Young waders too with fluffy redshank and little ringed plovers indicating successful breeding. Wildfowl present included a male wigeon and a pair of shoveler. A quick look at Petersberg revealed two great crested newts.

In the afternoon we walked Vasaltheden, hoping for a dragonfly to photograph, no luck there and very few invertebrates about after all the cold weather. The heath at Segelstorpsstrand was better with a rapid grass snake, a few hoverflies and a few idas blues on the wing.

Coreus marginatus

A Sciapus sp. (Dolichopodidae) at Segelstorpsstrand, it transported me back to Borneo watching the antics of this fly on an oak leaf, I may never leave BK again.

A tatty female idas blue at Segelstorpsstrand, several were flying over the small area of heathy vegetation today. Only my second record in BK, presumably I am overlooking them.