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.

pinks

One of today's highlights was the huge flock of 30 purple sandpipers that is currently in residence at Torekovs rev.

Got out this morning to search along the coast between Påarps Mal and Ripagården. Plenty of year-ticks to be had, I ended up with five! I had not even got to the coast when I stopped at Slättaröd to check out my first stock dove of the year. Påarps Mal produced a flock of 19 resting ringed plovers and nearby the sewage works had my first oystercatcher. I checked out Svarteskär next for shags but there were none, instead an adult  peregrine offshore on Vinga Skär, four black guillemot on the sea and two razorbill past. The rev produced a fantastic flock of 30 purple sandpipers (my previous best of 17 blown away in the process).

Last proper stop of the day was Norra Ängalag, here a mistle thrush erupted out of the juniper and going through the greylag geese out on Tjällran produced the big surprise of the day - two pink-footed geese. A quick look at Ripagården on the way home failed to turn up anything notable.

100!

Bird of the day, an unseasonal 2K tundra swan, found by Jan and twitched off in the afternoon. Most of our tundra's come through in early spring and late autumn.

Got out early chasing a possible gyr falcon reported yesterday on Gröthögarna. Walked from Norra Ängalag to Ripagården and picked up a few good birds but no gyr. Walkign down to the coast at the start I flushed a common snipe from the side of the track. The big freeze is putting them in strange places apparently. A peregrine was out on Tjällran but there was little else of note until I reached Ripagården. Here on the seaweed bank by the harbour were nine starlings and a song thrush. Back at the car later a 2K female goshawk gave an impressive flyby.

In the afternoon we checked out Ranarpsstrand searching for pheasant (!), unseen by anyone this year in BK apparently... We saw a male! Hearing of a tundra swan found by Jan Skidell we drove up to Torekovs rev and were put onto the bird by a helpful birder. Also here at least one purple sandpiper to round off the day. The year-list hits 102 in record time, perhaps three weeks earlier than usual, although it has helped that I have actually been in Sweden during the whole of the month!

wildfowl count - Torekov to Hovs Hallar

Another morning duck counting, this time in much milder conditions, between Torekov and Hovs Hallar. In between the counting I found a few good birds. A male pintail popped up at Rålehamn. I finally found a raven (!) for the year, one flying noisily around Norra Ängalag. Ripagården produced a treecreeper in a small flock that also included three goldcrest. Tjällran had a roosting peregrine.

After the count I headed for Båstad to have a quick look for the oystercatcher, no sign but 18 whooper swans in the bay. Klarningen next hoping for the great grey shrike that has been reported occasionally over the winter. It was quiet on site but amazingly on the way home I picked up a great grey shrike as I drove up Sinarpsdalen. Year-tick number four for the day but as I opened the door I added another as ten waxwing swept over the front garden.

yesterday

Had a day out in the field with Paul Cook yesterday and we worked the stretch of coast between Dagshög and Norra Ängalag. Paul inevitably got a few Swedish ticks (being the new kid on the block) but generally things were rather slow although we did spend a lot of time chatting...

The day was notable however for the continued slow passage offshore of good numbers of kittiwake and smaller numbers of gannet. Highlights on this stretch included at least one of the water pipits at Dagshög, three adult shags at Torekov, ten purple sandpipers at Torekovs rev and at least one on Tjällran, a big female peregrine in fields at Norra Ängalag and later perched on Tjällran and single dunnocks at Norra Ängalag and Torekovs rev.

Last stop of the day was a quick look around Kattvik, the sea was calm here but rather empty until Paul stunned me by finding a single shelduck off the harbour. Only my second BK January record and certainly my earliest.

april gyr

Despite spending large chunks of the day working I ended up with three BK year-ticks - a great result and a sign that spring has indeed re-started. Working at Knallarp produced a surprise flyover green sandpiper - better late than never. A lengthy lunch at Torekovs rev finally produced crane for the year - a flock of 46 looking glorious as they headed north well offshore. The rev itself produced a nice male linnet - another first for the year.

Just before getting back to work I had time for a quick look at Norra Ängalag and Tjällran. This paid off handsomely when the gyr flew in from the south and landed on the island. Distant views but my first April bird. The big surprise came in the sprint back to the car though in the shape of two coal tits in the juniper scrub - migrants!

gyr!

A close encounter with the BK gyr was the order of the day today, it was reported yesterday sitting on one of the barrows on Gröthögarna, so I headed out that way today. I found it nearby just north of the harbour at Ripagården. You can easily see the contrast between the dark underwing coverts and the pale underside of the flight feathers in this shot.

This is the closest I have got to a gyr in my six years here! BK is hosting both this bird and a hawk owl at the moment - exciting times. It would be nice if this individual became a regular winterer and we got to see it gain adult plumage.

Got lucky with this underwing shot just before the bird flew south.

Nipped out in the morning for a sniff around Gröthögarna and Torekov. The gyr was reported yesterday from Gröthögarna and I was pleased to find it on the beach north of the harbour at Ripagården and get some great images with my P510. Little else of note here although a white-tailed eagle was camped out on Tjällran and another flew north through the site.

With no sign of the hoped-for shelduck, I headed for Torekovs rev, where three shelduck were rapidly added to my BK year-list. A single black guillemot flew north and seaduck numbers are building impressively.This might be the site to watch for this year's king eider?

Last thing I checked Rammsjöstrand, but the NVSA have repaired the sewage leak and I could find no sign of any water pipits or water rail near the stream.

falcon hunting finally succeeds!

Nipped out this morning for a last-ditch attempt to find the elusive BK gyr falcon. Reported just seven times since the first sighting on the 21st October it was not to be expected but somehow our paths finally crossed! I checked out Torekov rev first, it was empty of gyr falcons but did produced a calling dunnock and two purple sandpipers. White-tailed eagles were also much in evidence and I came a step closer to ticking all of BK's regular birders by adding Jonas Holgersson to my list.

Drawing a blank I decided to head for Norra Ängalag for a look at Tjällran. A huge white-tailed eagle was in residence on the island but no sign of a gyr. A year-tick black guillemot scooted north and then my attention was drawn to a panicky-looking group of mallards heading north close inshore. I was not suspicious for long because close behind them was a superb 2K gyr falcon which gave a nice close flyby and looked gorgeous in the 'scope. A BK tick! Will it become a regular fixture in the winter?

05012013

Despite the winter viral load we all headed out on our first day back in BK after the holidays. Påarps mal failed to produce a shag for the year-list but an unexpected water pipit was a bonus. Nearby Torekov rev produced a redshank and at least seven purple sandpipers and on Tjällran at dusk a single peregrine entertained us.

My phone has been acting strangely lately and I decided to re-boot it after dark to find I had missed a BK hawk owl during the day §@$%^&!!... Welcome home!

cake!

It all got a bit Test Match Special here in BK today. The best part of the day was receiving a cake from one of my regular readers. Superb Christmas nut loaf Janice!

Nipped out for a very rapid look at Gröthögarna and Torekov, hoping for the gyr. No joy yet again, but it must be out there somewhere.

Norra Ängalag produced nine gadwall and a peregrine was sitting on the usual rock out on Tjällran. I searched the surrounding fields for sign of the recently reported snow buntings but it looks likely I may miss this species for BK this year! Torekov rev was full of mallard and the single redshank and dunnock remained. No sign of any purple sandpipers today though, they are being rather elusive this winter.

No rain was forecast so we went for a BBQ at Ripagården at lunchtime. It started raining of course and we grilled away in drizzly rain... A short walk revealed nothing outstanding.

Lapland!

After two days of working in the house I broke out today to make the most of a blue sky and almost zero wind. Things got a little chilly (-11 at dusk just off-patch) but it was a glorious day of winter birding.

Kicked off at Norra Ängalag chasing yesterday's dusk report of the 1K gyr falcon (fast becoming my nemesis BK bird). Straight off I spotted a falcon sitting out offshore on Tjällran - a female peregrine... I watched it for some time and eventually it hauled itself off the island and set off purposefully. It had it's eye on a jackdaw and unlike many peregrine chases it was quickly obvious what the outcome was going to be and sure enough after the third attempt the peregrine lightly hijacked the jackdaw and flew towards me to feed on the shore nearby. Superb. It mantled the prey and killed it and almost immediately was fending off a male peregrine (the other half) that appeared from nowhere! It was not going to share though and ate it's prize in a leisurely manner over the next hour. The male sulked over on Tjällran.

In the background during all this was a light passage of red-throated divers south and even a gannet. Walking back through the car park (which was blocked with snow) I disturbed three hawfinches from the farmyard feeders.

Next stop was Torekov rev. Stomping about here produced a few more good birds. A dunnock crept about in the snow. The redshank was still quietly feeding in the shallows and I flushed a snipe by the stream outflow. No sign of yesterday's reported water pipit amongst the meadow pipits but I did find a skylark feeding on the foreshore. Sea levels were really low (often the case after easterlies) and it was not until I was about to drive off that I noticed a small offshore table-sized reef regularly washed by the tiny waves that had three purple sandpipers on it. Offshore on Vinga an adult white-tailed eagle surveyed the sound. A quick listen at Flytermossen failed to turn up any reedbed specials so I moved on to Ripagården.

Ripagården had some good birds too, I flushed a 1K goshawk from the foreshore near the car park and a Lapland bunting flew over calling (the best bird of the day without a doubt). Also here two black guillemot, a species that seems rather scarce this winter for some reason. A great session despite the fact that gyr falcon remains to found. 

"Virusheadf@ckgyrdippallas's?" sort of day

Team Benstead has been struck down by a cold virus sadly this week and this is certainly impairing my meagre birding abilities, as the story of today will demonstrate...

Having dropped off Ma B at the train station for her return to Blighty, I ran some errands and then headed for nearby Klarningen. Just as I made the turn off the main road the phone went, an SMS stating that an adult gyr falcon had been seen an hour before on Tjällran. I reversed back onto the road and within twenty minutes was at Norra Ängalag quizzing a falcon sitting facing me on the distant island. No way of knowing if this was the same bird but I doubt it, because it was a peregrine! The poor light and longish range were not ideal for being sure though and I gave this bird a thorough going over just to make sure I had got it right. A quick video through the scope and I was happy. Well, actually pretty unhappy as gyr is one of my most-wanted BK birds.

During this process I had occasionally heard a strange nasal 'tchuee' call from nearby. Checking the bushes produced a departing goldcrest flock but the calls stopped and I went on with my falcon. I got home, checked things through, put on Calls of Eastern Vagrants in the background and my heart sank when the CD got to Pallas's warbler... Pretty inexcusable. You snooze, you lose. I got back in the car and headed back but a good walk around the area in the gathering dusk failed to turn up the goldcrest flock, just a single wheatear.

Thanks go to Thomas Svanberg for translating the gyr falcon BMS alarm onto the local SMS network which at least got me close to some birds today!

Counting ducks

Snow overnight meant plenty of tracks to look at. I think this was a pine marten dragging something. I followed it for ages to a lone juniper but could not get it out! Also mink, stoat and fox tracks seen during the day.

Across the sound to Hallands Väderö from Påarps mal (Torekov).

Time to do the mid-winter wildfowl count again. There were so few birds around I managed to do both my count sectors in one day for the first time - Dagshög to Hovs Hallar - 12km occasionally through drifts and on thinly covered black ice. Good exercise. Predictably as there were few birds of any kind, there was little of interest although I did manage four white-tailed eagles (three on Hallands Väderö, a rough-legged buzzard (Torekov still), a peregrine (perched on Tjällran), twelve black guillemots off Torekov and the grey wagtail at the sewage works (Torekov). More notable were the absentees; again no shags but also no grey herons or water pipits and just one rock pipit and three wigeon in the whole stretch. Tough times.

Birds everywhere

I must admit I have been thinking that things have gone a bit quiet birdwise here in BK of late. But yesterday when I read Leif Dehlin's returns from Ripagården, I was pleased to note that I may well be wrong and not a little gripped off too. So with a free morning together Mrs B and I headed out that way.

Only my second Gröthögarna great grey shrike, showed well but briefly before melting away.

First stop of the day was at Vråen, just before Ripagården, the bunting/finch flock was right up against the farmhouse this morning but behaved reasonably well and luckily the farmer here is happy that the crop sown for birds attracts both birds and birders! We got a few glimpses of Lapland bunting as the birds repeatedly spooked into the trees and then two flew out over our heads, calling away and landed conveniently on the road for 'scope views. Also here five reed buntings. The rest of a chilly hour here was spent cursing at a flock of 40-odd redpoll, sure enough after an hour a good Arctic redpoll had been processed but as always I wonder how many there really were. I am not sure there is a more frustrating exercise than trying to determine Arctic from mealy redpoll. Mrs B could be heard chortling behind me as my invective got steadily more fruity.

A young white-tailed eagle, up in the air over Ripagården with an adult this morning.

Ripagården had a big flock of 200 mallard which included just one teal and two wigeon. A snowy walk around Gröthögarna produced more notable birds; red-throated diver (1 south), redwing (2, my first for ages), goldcrest (5) and best of all a great grey shrike. Out on Tjällran was at least one purple sandpiper. Back at Ripagården a scan of the bay revealed a black-throated diver (1), two splendid white-tailed eagles and in the wood behind we could hear black woodpecker. Driving back past Vråen we had a gang of four snow buntings and nearby a single skylark, the latter looking set to overwinter. Great walk, packed with great birds.

The adult white-tailed eagle.

Gosh hawks everywhere

Today's birding kicked off at home, when perusing the birds at the feeders I was treated to a rapid 1K goshawk flyby right through the garden. Only my second garden record and it agitated the local magpies for a good fifteen minutes afterwards. Splendid.

Mrs B had homework to do so I checked out a few sites along the coast in the morning. First up was Norra Ängalag, not much here with the exception of a single rock pipit (flocks do not seem to be the done thing this year). Out on Tjällran an adult peregrine huddled in the lee of a large rock, trying unsuccessfully (like me) to find a spot out of the chilly NE wind.

Torekovs rev was just as quiet, again just one rock pipit here too (was it following me?). I quickly moved on to Påarps Mal hoping for a shag. Regular readers will no doubt have become concerned about my inability to get a shag in recent weeks, well today I scored. Just one, 1K little beauty sitting out on the rocks with about 8 cormorant. There was a supporting cast here too with another 1K goshawk and another lonesome rock pipit...

Wild finch chase

Managed to get out for three hours in the afternoon and headed for Ripagården. On arrival a big flock of 85 redpoll swept past over the bay and appeared to land at Dalen. I gave chase south, but never caught up with them. They are so flighty and hard to pin down. Whilst here I did the Gröthögarna circuit, rather quiet; a few whoopers south (9), four grazing barnacle geese and just two goldcrests and a song thrush. The best bird was an adult peregrine tucked away out of the wind on Tjällran.

Back at Ripagården the carpark alders had a flock of 30 redpoll... I was just getting to grips with them through the scope, when the whole flock lifted in panic and headed off. Buggers. Other birds here included the willow tit (heard) and a flock of 25 waxwing over Hovs Hallar briefly before dropping back into the juniper. No sign of the red-backed shrike...