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!

Birding - 11/09/09

Barnacle geese heading north? What is that about? And where do these barnies come from and where do they winter?

Torekov rev, looking good but wader numbers have been poor here this autumn.

Got out reasonably early for an hour at Torekov rev. Some geese moving with greylag (101 north) and barnacle (185 N). Other waterfowl included teal (7), wigeon (12) and single shoveler and pintail. A poor selection of waders included redshank (8), common sandpiper (1), ringed plover (6), golden plover (31) and dunlin (31). Not much vismig but grey wagtail (1S) and siskin (12) were migrants. Bashing the bushes produced a single chiffchaff, reed bunting (2) and yellowhammer (3). Further north in Halland, Lapland buntings and bluethroats were dropping out, so there is hope for tomorrow.

A message in a bottle. I find one or two a year in Bjäre. Last year I sent one back from Sabah, just for fun...

After breakfast walked the stretch between Vejbystrand and Lervik with Number 1 and 2. They enjoyed looking for 'treasure' and we had a good time. It was quiet bird-wise with a couple of bar-tailed godwits and redshank. Spotted some thermalling raptors on the move, two marsh harriers and a splendid hobby. Lervik had a few yellow wagtails, two whinchat and 90 golden plover flew by (doubtless from nearby Ranarpstrand).

Birding - 30/05/09

A pair of barnacle geese at Gröthögarna - barnacle geese breed in small numbers on the west coast. They started breeding on the east coast in the 70s and the habit is spreading

Another variable damselfly female

Common butterwort at Gröthögarna

Calopteryx splendens - the first of the year

The kids loved these mute swan chicks at Hasslarps dammar, interestingly includes one pure white 'Polish' morph individual

Number 3 has been incubating a cold virus for many days now and has finally unleashed it. Feel awful. Dragged myself out mid-morning to stagger around Gröthögarna. Just south of Ripagården, this untouched lump of habitat was worth investigation, being dotted with small pools, mires and fen areas, it looks great for dragonflies and possibly garganey. Notable birds included a pair of barnacle geese (breeding?), sand martin (1 north) and a pair of spotted flycatcher at Ripagården.

Had to go shopping in the afternoon, but broke the journey at Hasslarps dammar - very quiet although hairy dragonfly, variable damselfly, Calyopteryx splendens and Enallagma cyathigerum were flying. On the way home stopped at Stora Hultstrand - a light passage of painted ladies was evident coming 'in-off' and a pair of grey partridge valiantly fought off a hooded crow at nearby Lervik.