another spotted crake!

No wildlife photos today, the most exciting object that strayed into the view-finder was the Danish Royal yacht Dannebrog, anchored just off Båstad.

Checked out Klarningen this morning hoping for yesterday's reported knot. No sign of that unfortunately but compensation came in the form of an adult spotted crake. A different bird to the 1K seen two days ago and you have to wonder whether they did not quietly breed at the site this summer. Waders included ruff (2), snipe (a massive 43), spotted redshank (2), greenshank (2) and wood sandpiper (8). Passerines included at least four yellow wagtails and a whinchat.

On the way home checked Eskilstorpsstrand which briefly hosted a flock of ten sanderling - the first double figure congregation of that species for me in BK. Checked Båstad briefly too but just a few common sandpiper knocking about.

In the afternoon Mrs B and I headed for Sandön and Rönnen for a wander. The water was high at Sandön and wader numbers were low but included a single turnstone. It was all happening at Rönnen though, with a huge collection of greylag and barnacle geese that we did not have time to count. The coastline produced three avocet and three sanderling. But it was Lilla Viken that impressed, it was heaving with stuff; little ringed plover (2), knot (84), dunlin (21), broad-billed sandpiper (1 1K), ruff (1) and a collection of Tringa. Superb.

birding!

Managed to get up this morning and checked out Yttre Kattvik for a couple of hours. Still medium-strength westerlies going on and a few waders were still passing by. The best birds were a single fulmar and a nice adult Arctic tern.

In the afternoon Mrs B and I checked out Klarningen; little stint (1) and Temminck's stint were the best birds here and I finally caught up with the little grebe (I think a pair actually bred this year but this is the first time I have seen one on site this year!).

Next stop was a rare trip outside BK to look at waders at Rönnen and hopefully connect with the reported broad-billed sandpiper and red-necked phalarope. Things were really happening here and we had a pleasant time going through the stacks of waders present along the shore. Managed some impressive totals; knot (20), sanderling (7), little stint (7), Temminck's stint (3) and curlew sandpiper (27), but the two target waders eluded us somehow. Excitingly overhead we had a nice adult white-tailed eagle and a hobby dashed through chasing swallows.

On the way home we checked out Sandön which was quiet and then a little later I went back to Rönnen for half an hour at dusk and connected easily with the phalarope and a nice adult broad-billed sandpiper!

01062012

Busy with the kids most of the day on a shopping run to Hyllinge, but we managed a quick look at Hasslarps dammar in appallingly windy conditons. Number 1 found a nice sheltered spot with four species of damselfly but nothing unexpected. Rönnen next where we quickly coshed off a summer-plumaged little stint but should have checked the new top pool. A pec was found there this morning, together with two broad-billed sands...

Last stop was Klarningen, not much doing here but three whooper swans flew in. It was so cold and windy they did not seem out of place. Are we heading for another dreadful summer?

Swedish tick - pallid harrier!

Those of you who read this blog regularly will know that I stray out of BK (my beloved recording area) grudgingly and with some trepidation. But the area just to the south of me in Skåne is very good birding and it would be churlish not to have a look occasionally... The problem is I occasionally find birds I would give my eye-teeth for in BK. Today was one of those days...

Team logistical reasons suggested a trip to work the coast between Farhult and Sandön today and the sun shone for the first time in ages. Happy days. I kicked off at Farhult just after nine o'clock and this proved to be inspired. Within ten minutes I was watching a juvenile harrier. Picked up as a rufous ringtail coming in-off - I got excited. The bird was heading away in the scope and I prayed for it to thermal and show itself well, which luckily it quickly did. Check out that boa! Pallid! Great bird, a Swedish tick and one of my most wanted BK birds. Shame I wasn't there! But mustn't grumble, I have not been troubling the scorer's much this year, so I was just glad of the find. I forgot to photograph it though, being too busy enjoying it through the scope! Quite a large number of waders here too, in amongst the 175 dunlin were; knot (2), sanderling (6), little stint (10) and curlew sandpiper (4).

Next stop was Rönnen. A huge flock of barnacle geese in here - at least 2200, and all up in the air at one amazing point. Never found the culprit, but a peregrine appeared just afterwards. Waders much in evidence here too with knot (3), little stint (15), curlew sandpiper (14), a massive 16 spotted redshank and two woood sandpipers.

Adult peregrine at Rönnen.

Sandön provided more raptors with two white-tailed eagles and my first merlin on the autumn. Osprey and marsh harrier on the move too. Waders here included nearly 50 knot and six more sanderling. Two juvenile black terns hunted just off the boardwalk.

Osprey and white-tailed eagle over Sandön.

One of two juvenile black terns at Sandön.

Decided to check Halsarevet next, a site near Jonstorp that I have never visited but that has been hosting a few red-necked phalaropes lately. The birds were apparently present earlier but I dipped badly. As I arrived a sparrowhawk did a pretty comprehensive number on the place and every wader was up and off. A few things returned including seven little stints, a wood sandpiper and a turnstone. Great site though and one I will return to.

It was time to guiltily speed-thrash a few sites in BK, quickly worked the coastal stretch from Vejbystrand to Ranarpsstrand but with little effect. Just one migrating osprey at Lervik of note.

virens!

Sandön is always good for an osprey or two.

Number 2 and I headed out to work the coast between Sandön and Rönnen this morning. Sandön was packed with birds and very exciting. Ducks were few and far between but did include five pintail. Waders held my attention for longer with a large flock of calidrids including a number of great birds. Two sanderling darting about quickly caught my attention and skulking in amongst a huge flock of over 100 snipe was a single dark and mysterious adult broad-billed sandpiper. It stuck out like Johnny Cash at a Hari Krishna get-together. Amazing numbers of little stints too with 17 counted and probably more. Just six curlew sandpipers and a small flock of 35 knot rounded off the action. Overhead two ospreys searched for fish and a 1K black tern hawked about.

Rönnen in a quick look produced more waders, notably a single avocet and eight curlew sandpipers.

After lunch we all went for a quick look at the sedge-mire at Gånarp. Fifteen minutes here was enough to secure Lestes virens for the year-list. Plenty of Aeshna juncea flying here too despite light rain and overcast conditions. A pleasant end to the day.

Lestes virens is a smart little damselfly. I just need to find a colony in BK...

Mmmm... stunted lower appendages!

Sun at last

My mate Sam rang me yesterday excited about the sand martin colony in the gravel pit at Förslöv. So the first thing Ma B, Number 2 and I did today was drive down and check it out. It was bustling with activity and there must have been 350 nestholes in the sand-face. Nice one!

Next we went for a short walk around the Killeröd loop, not much bird action here just plenty of singing tree pipits and goldcrests and a single siskin.

Today's sun brought out the insects again, a morning walk aroud the Killeröd loop track produced a few grizzled skippers.

Small coppers are commonly encountered at the moment.

I still find the dubia/rubicunda species pair hard to call, this is dubia (black pterostigma, goodish size black spot in base of forewing). Other good pointers I have noted are the shape of the antehumerals and the distribution of colours on S2 and S3, and the hind wing patches are blunter on dubia (at the trailing edge).

In the afternoon we all checked out Rönnen, hoping for broad-billed sandpipers. We skunked out, despite 16 being reported earlier in the day. We did connect with a pair of garganey, recently hatched lapwings, three Temminck's stints and single bar-tailed godwit, common sandpiper and greenshank. Nearby Sandön was really quiet with just a curlew and three Sandwich terns.

Klarningen garganey drought breaks

Migration in Sweden has been ongoing since the end of February, but we are now entering the exciting phase (at least for former UK birders like me). The later arriving migrants such as honey buzzard, red-backed shrike and icterine warbler all having a special cachet for me. This honey buzzard spotted from the car today was my first this year.

I always try and spend my birthday in the field and today was no exception. Kicked off early morning at Klarningen and finally found a pair of garganey at the site, these should be regular spring birds from now on I reckon. Also here were eight rather elusive Temminck's stints, nine ruff, one common sandpiper, at least 40 wood sandpipers and three whinchat. Cuckoos have arrived in force now, with singing birds or females at all today's sites.

After picking up the team and dropping Number 1 at school we headed to Hasslarps dammar. Birdsong filled the air, with grasshopper warbler (1), reed warbler (2) and sedge warbler (4+) singing away. Overhead two swifts added themselves to the year-list. Waders included common sandpiper (1), greenshank (1) and wood sandpiper (15). Driving away from the site we stopped just north of Hasslarp village for a migrating honey buzzard - another year-tick.

We just had time to check Sandön and Rönnen before picking up Number 1 from school. Sandön was very low, with plenty of exposed rocks and sand. Highlights in 40 minutes of spotting included; bar-tailed godwit (10), spotted redshank (5), greenshank (5) and an immaculate adult little gull.

Rönnen was even quicker but we just had time to look at Lilla Viken - six Temminck's stints stole the show here, otherwise quiet with just one ruff and one wood sandpiper.

After picking up Number 1 we headed for a birthday picnic at Ranarpsstrand. Sitting in the sun, sheltered from the SE wind it was all very pleasant. Out on the rocks sat an untidy huddle of nine ruff, also here one gadwall and one shoveler. Lounging back and relaxing, I occasionally scanned the skies and the approaches. I was delighted to pick up two black terns, that drifted down to have a look at the rocks before slowly gaining height and drifting north. Superb and a great end to our time in the field today. The last few days has seen a huge movement of black terns, just glad to have cashed in on it - only my second BK record!

A brace of year-ticks

Nipped out early this morning to search for both ring ouzel and wryneck recorded near my house on the 1st. No joy but did get grey wagtail at Sinarpsdalen, they obviously breed here, but no sign of any black redstarts this morning.

Spent an hour at Torekov rev too, where my first turnstone of the year was strutting up and down the jetty, other highlights here; the flighty little ringed plover again, purple sandpiper (2), a wood warbler and another grey wagtail.

In the afternoon, I managed an hour-and-a-half divided between Sandön and Rönnen. At Sandön I was oblivious to a nearby stonechat and so did not see it, but that kept things pure at least! Some good birds here as usual with a fine osprey struggling with a large sea-trout, four bar-tailed godwits, five greenshank and three excellent little gulls. Rönnen was better with a nice pair of garganey, little ringed plover (1), Temminck's stint (1 - another year-tick), dunlin (2), spotted redshank (1), greenshank (2) and wood sandpiper (1). Five or six blue-headed wagtails looked superb tripping about on the short sward.

In which the Circus finally comes to town and the wind keeps blowing

Number 2 and I headed out to do a little more sea-watching this morning. En route we picked up a migrating male marsh harrier at Troentorp, ending a personal four-month harrier drought that was beginning to get me down. It remains to be seen if I can actually see a hen harrier this spring. Nils Kjellén was already on site and reported 320 common scoter and a reasonable 'passage' of red-throated diver. I packed Number 2 into the car with her toys and she passed drawings and comments out through the window at regular intervals.

The wind was strong but had backed westerly again and the scoters were passing a little further out. Things slowed down a lot for my two hour stint, I logged just 89 common scoter but 31 red-throated divers was a reasonable effort until these too started to pass less frequently. The main difference from yesterday was the absence of gannets and the replacement of great crested grebes (1) with red-necked grebes (9). Two sandwich terns flew past and a small flock of 13 barnacle geese went west. Today's other year-tick was a brace of black-throated divers flying west in glorious plumage. Nils pointed out a migrating osprey that whilst ostensibly flying south did a nice easterly vector past our position, driven by the strong westerly wind. After two hours we had to leave and run some errands and then had time for 15 minutes at Klarningen, where there was nothing new to report.

In the afternoon I was down south so I checked out Farhult, water levels were very high and the only stuff picked up was flying by, the highlight being 7 bar-tailed godwit. Rönnen next were at least there was sone shelter and many more birds around Lilla Viken, including a flock of 50 avocet and seven gadwall. Three Sandwich terns roosted with the gulls and then I staggered back against a wind that was increasingly strong. Sandön was barely worth the effort, not an inch of mud or sand exposed and the spray flying, just two goosander! Meanwhile back in BK a northern fulmar and more gannets had been spotted...

Cold easterlies and vanishing avocets

We had this monster visitor to the feeder this morning, my first hawfinch this month.

Over breakfast this morning we scored a superb hawfinch at the feeders. I love seeing these monsters in the the garden.

The kids finally got tired of me after being stuck at home ill for a week and requested a transfer to their grandparents. This allowed me to slip out to work the area between Sandön and Mjöhult. I was hoping to catch up with the recently arrived avocets reported this week and also have a go at the unseasonal (early) bar-tailed godwit. Neither could I find, perhaps the easterly blow and chilly conditions have sent them south again?

Sandön did produce calling bearded tit and reed bunting. The sandflats were fully exposed but few waders were present apart from a handful of curlew and oystercatcher and 17 ringed plovers. Rönnen was even cooler in the wind and apart from a hunting white-tailed eagle had little to recommend it. At Farhult I felt that I would surely track down the errant avocet but it really was not to be. Here though a pair of pintail and a single dunlin were some consolation. Both redpoll and bullfinch called from the trees.

Driving home through Lönhult and Stureholm I found 55 whooper swans and connected with the golden eagle again. A great end to the session.

Last bird of the session was the 2K golden eagle at Stureholm, a nice way to end the day.

Snow, rain, hail, sun and repeat

A mixed day weather-wise, classic spring stuff. A strong SW wind throughout made the whole thing a bit unpleasant. But I did spend most of the day outside which was nice. In the morning I checked out Yttre Kattvik, winds were supposed to shift westerly but it never happened... A few things were moving though including red-throated diver (2), crested grebe (7) and guillemot (2).

Next stop was Ripagården were I was swiftly engulfed in snow and spent most of my time sheltering behind a bunker. Not much noted in these conditions unsurprisingly and I left with four coot and a collection of recent arrivals (shelduck, oystercatcher and starling).

In the afternoon, Mrs B and I headed out to look for geese around Lönhult, we found just one substantial flock of greylags (250+), but could only find two white-fronted geese. The light and distance were poor though and frustratingly a neck-collared bird evaded a protracted reading attempt. A check of Farhult for geese revealed that the sea had risen, driven by the gale force southerlies. Few birds about, especially waders, as a result.

Rönnen was better with a reasonable flock of eider building, which included two smart-looking long-tailed ducks. Will this be the location for the annual spring king eider this year? Other notables here included smew (3), white-tailed eagle (1) and ringed plover (4).

Last stop of the afternoon was Sandön where we found a huge total of six smew, as well as three scaup. Again high water levels meant few birds close in, but 75 oystercatchers were roosting on the Själrönnen offshore rocks.

Goldie!

Spent the afternoon looking quickly at the sites between Lönhult and Sandön, en route picking up two rough-legged buzzards. First stop was a quick look at Farhult to check if the gyr falcon was sitting around. No luck but three curlew looked out of place in a break in the sea-ice. Next stop was another favourite of the gyr (Lönhult), I worked the fields and eventually spotted a dead thing being picked apart by gulls and crows. Sitting nearby was a very fat young white-tailed eagle. Widening the search I found a tree with two more eagles, one of which was a splendid 2K golden eagle. I have done really badly finding this bird during the winter so this was a great moment. Just round the next bend a big gang of greylags got me working but nothing else apart from a few Canadas. As the sun broke through the low cloud skylarks soared into song. Nice - perhaps spring may come after all... Hard to beat.

A quick look at Rönnen produced another white-tailed eagle and four lapwing flying by. Last stop was Sandön, which had more curlew (10) and two smew at very long range. Only three weeks till the cranes start moving, hope it warms up for them.

Blue skies

The return of the cold weather brought the sun back out for the first time in ten days so out I went to enjoy it. Checked out some off-patch sites in the morning. Sandön was first, pretty quiet here but a male smew gave a nice flyby (year-tick), a white-tailed eagle (2K) flew in and 12 velvet scoter headed west. I never see enough smew in a year...

Rönnen was also quiet but ten curlew were new in and there were two more white-tailed eagles perched up and looking naughty. No sign of the gyr so I moved on to Farhult. Here another male smew flew past (surely the same one?) and there were three more curlew here. A cruise around for long-eared owls failed to produce the goods.

Last stop of the morning was a quick look at Lönhult for the merlin. There has been a regular bird here all winter, which I caught up with last month. There was a raptor perched distantly in the field on arrival, it looked good but then flew - a sparrowhawk. A single lapwing and a flock of 45 goldfinch were good - the latter another year-tick.

In the afternoon driving in the village produced four more lapwing - they really are moving early this year. Three wood pigeon in the garden were new in and proof of more movement. At the end of the day I managed an hour at Ranarpsstrand but had to settle for four wigeon, rather quiet to say the least.

Foggy

No birding over the weekend, just a short walk along the beach between Hemmeslövsstrand and Eskilstorpsstrand on a rainy Saturday that netted 33 tufted duck - whooo!

Today I spent the morning in the field, more fog and rain and mushy underfoot. Went off patch to look at Farhult. No sign of the reported oystercatcher, but two curlew were year-ticks. Also here my first Canada geese (30) of the year, a nice adult white-tailed eagle and a calling bearded tit.

Rönnen next hoping for the gyr falcon but had to settle for two more white-tailed eagles, the best birds were three lapwing. The first sign of a thaw and they come back - too early in my opinion!

Last stop of the day was Vejbystrand, just metres off-patch this time and still hosting a female pintail amongst a sizeable flock of mallard, teal (9) and wigeon (60). Also here four starlings - another year-tick. The year-list stands at 79 - hard work this year.

Gyr!

Had a few hours in the field with the team today and elected to search for the regular wintering gyr falcon south of the patch. We headed for Farhult first, picking up seven grey partridges scratching about in the snow at Ranarp in BK on the way. Farhult was ice-bound and gyr-free but we did get close looks at two rough-legged buzzards.

Our next stop at Rönnen produced the goods within minutes of arrival, a superb adult gyr resting on the west end of the island. We drank it in and then it flew a short distance west (mega!) and landed on the ice out at sea. Nice encounter! We left it there to go to Sandön to find people twitching a gyr falcon... Are there two, or had it flown round to Sandön, or was it a late reaction to an earlier report? We could not stay to find out sadly and moved on with our non-birding chores.

The adult gyr on the sea-ice off Häljaröds hamn today. My digi-photography is appalling as usual. This was my best encounter with this bird at Rönnen by far. The underparts are always a good tell for this species when perched, like a peregrine whose bars have slumped downwards collecting at the flanks. Superb!

The bridge may be dismantled but the sea-ice is thick enough to allow access onto Sandön. Grytskären next and then Hallands Väderö!

Off-patch in the snow

We had our heaviest snowfall of the winter overnight and it lasted well into mid-morning, which effectively scuppered my plans to search out the gyr falcon today, the backroads would have been a bit dicey before the ploughs got out I reckon. But with a trip to Ängelholm in the morning, it was only natural for Number 2 and I to get out along the coast between Farhult and Sandön before lunch.

We had a quick look at Rönnen, no sign of the gyr at roost, but inevitably we had a couple of bullfinches and a handful of bramblings at the feeder near the KOF shed. Next stop was Farhult, hoping again to catch the gyr at another of its regular haunts. No dice. Highlights here were a single dunlin, four redpoll and a reed bunting.

Last stop of the tour was Sandön where we were treated to a close flyby by a ringtail en harrier, had two kestrels heading south together (never too late to migrate) and another reed bunting.

Later on in the day caught up with nine wood pigeon (heading south) at Karstorp (on-patch), a red kite over the garden (scarce at the moment) and two starlings in Laholm.

Off-patch snapshot

Got a couple of hours birding in the afternoon after a relaxing morning with Mrs B. Headed straight for Farhult; scanning the bay at the start produced at least 25 Slavonian grebes. Also offshore nine whooper swans and four great crested grebes. Waders were few and far between, one disappearing grey plover was nice, otherwise just four snipe and 27 curlew. Walking the beach produced a single snow bunting and the reedbed I had at least 10 bearded tits and a single reed bunting. Jumping the fence into the wet field behind resulted in my first wellyful of water in many years. I squelched along after that and failed to add materially to the list; I was hoping for a jack snipe. Back at the car a big flock of redpoll (65) left the nearby alders flying off east and I could hear a bullfinch in there too.

My schedule allowed half an hour at Rönnen. Notable birds noted in this short time-frame included brent goose (5) and ten butch-looking twite. I wonder if the gyr falcon is going to make it back this winter? Lastly I stopped for four minutes to look at Sandön from the main road. More grey plover here (3), a single bar-tailed godwit and the village had a dozen waxwing. Out on Själrönnen a cluster of 50+ dunlin were roosting. Like many birders in southern Sweden I am looking out for the Norwegian stilt sandpiper, which left it's last known location two days ago. You gotta dream!

Dirty twitcher!

Addictive stuff this twitching, instead of thrashing the patch this morning I let myself down gently after Öland by going to see the pectoral sandpiper at Rönnen. Had to do the school run first though and had five waxwing new-in on patch at Förslöv.

The pec was a great bird. Also here a lone shelduck, one dunlin, two greenshank and four curlew. Pretty quiet. Checked Sandön on the way home for hen harrier (1), grey plover (3), waxwing (15) and bullfinch (2). Managed 20 minutes on-patch at Ranarpstrand before the DIY beckoned. Very quiet here with just teal (5), wigeon (30), snipe (4) and linnet (1).

Sandön calling!

Limax maximus - the leopard slug, out during the day at Hasslarp.

Panic on the streets of Sandön.

The culprit, a 2K+ white-tailed eagle.

If these SE winds keep blowing we will be able to walk to Denmark soon. I have never seen Sandön so low.

With errands to run off-patch it was time to hit the coast between Farhult and Sandön in a flurry of flying visits. Also managed to squeeze in a short look at Hasslarps dammar first off. Pretty quiet here despite a good number of wigeon (185), as well as shoveler (10), gadwall (1) and little grebe (1). A few song thrushes knocking about and small flocks of chaffinch were often spotted flying south.

Tried Rönnen first, lured by tales of the flock of little stints that have taken up temporary residence. Six! Fantastic. Also here white-fronted goose (2), ruff (1), spotted redshank (2) and greenshank (1). As I walked back to the car a slow procession of an eventual total of 8 migrating jays drifted west just inland.

Farhult was fabulous. On arrival a very close 1K hen harrier appeared over the dunes and fought with the local crows. All the geese went up - white-tailed eagle and before I could look at it, I noticed a migrating short-eared owl going west offshore. Spoilt for choice, I opted for the owl (a year-tick) and watched its leisurely progress abruptly interupted by a group of greater black-backed gulls. Meanwhile the eagle was casually checking through the geese for the odd lame duck. The geese included a further 12 white-fronts. Plenty of waders here too with oystercatcher (10), avocet (1), ringed plover (3), grey plover (10), knot (2), dunlin (150) and bar-tailed godwit (1). As I trudged back to the car, my peripheral vision noted an Arctic skua harassing a common gull, it quickly gave up and flew off south and inland. Not a bad 55 minutes.

Last stop of the day on this whistle-stop tour was Sandön. The place was packed with geese, all up in the air, as the same white-tailed eagle did the rounds. Fantastic numbers and if I learnt one thing in Norfolk it was how to go through geese. The majority were greylags, but with perhaps 2500 barnacle geese in attendance. It did not take long to get to a count of 23 white-fronts and more diligent searching unearthed two tundra bean geese, a cackling goose (plastic) and best of all a single pink-foot. Gone are the days of the easy pink-footed goose year-tick. Each one is lovingly appreciated and enjoyed nowadays. Other notables here included; water rail (1), grey plover (4), knot (1) and coal tit (1). As I drove back home, the white-tailed eagle followed me into Ängelholm, a huge companion on a great day of local birding.

Day out with Mrs B

Had a day out with Mrs B after an appointment in Helsingborg. We did Hasslarp first but high water levels (after all the rain) had put most of the waders off. I got unreasonably excited when I realised that for once Klarningen was better value than Hasslarp for waders and ducks! The easy highlight was a gang of 3 honey buzzards drifting south with a sparrowhawk.

Sandön next, reasonably quiet here too though a 1K Caspian gull was briefly spotted before it flew north perhaps to Själlrönnen. Also here water rail (1) and calling bearded tits.

We saved the best for last though with a couple of hours at Rönnen. Lilla Viken was fantastic. First up was a fine 1K red-necked phalarope, and then closer examination revealed a superb broad-billed sandpiper, a little stint and a Temminck's stint. All at close range in splendid light, no hide, no other birders. Just superb! It was so good we had a snooze on the grass in the sun.

Geography and geomorphology have conspired to create an excellent wader pool, Lilla Viken at Rönnen. If there is a more exciting wader location in NW Skåne I would be amazed. I just wish it was in BK! It had a mouth-watering array of waders this afternoon.