catch up

Great views again today of the very confiding BK glaucous gull, this time at Ranarpsstrand. The porpoise carcass out on Grytskären got washed over to the mainland in the storm and she has followed.

Whizzed around with the kids today to try and cosh off a few potential year-ticks found by others during the last few days. Started off at Påarps Mal and we quickly connected with a pipit flock that contained the three species we were after, including at least five rocks and a water. Out on one of the islands the black duck was roosting.

Next stop was Torekov rev where four purple sandpipers finally put in an appearance and then we dashed off to Ripagården. Here we quickly found a small flock of about 12 common crossbills and finally got great spotted woodpecker for the year. Another reed bunting here was nice.

After lunch we nipped down to Ranarpsstrand to try for jack snipe but only succeeded in getting great views of the 2K glaucous gull as the sun dipped to the horizon.

Swedish tick!

Christmas came late this year - glaucous gull at Torekov, an addition to my Swedish list and therefore a most welcome BK bird.

News of a glaucous gull yesterday on Hallands Väderö sent me out the door with some optimism this morning. I searched the coast between Torekov rev and Norra Ängalag before getting an SMS that Rolf had found it feeding on a dead porpoise just north of Torekov sewage works. Sure enough there it was on arrival and it posed well as it snacked on cetacean flesh. Superb!

Other highlights were few, there seems to have been a slight influx of goosander, whooper swans are still passing, the rev had two goldcrest and offshore Vinga held a pair of resting peregrines.