Party time

I found this just offpatch at Skummeslövsstrand this morning. I saw a single harbour porpoise off Yttre Kattvik on the 7th, perhaps it was this one?

Beautiful blue sky day, with light NW winds at dawn. Nipped out before breakfast for a quick look at Gröthögarna. A scattering of barnacle geese (6 in total) flew over. My first displaying snipe of the year appeared in the sky overhead and a green sandpiper called as it migrated north. The sea was very calm and I therefore decided to cut my walk short and head for Eskilstorpsstrand to go through any scoter that might be present. This was not a bad idea, the flat sea revealed a huge gathering of 1150 velvet scoter and just 50 common scoter. I scanned back and forth through the available birds for an hour before heading for home but there were no surprises, just eight Slavonian grebes and two red-throated divers. Hopefully we will get a few more calm days before these scoter depart and get another look through.

In the afternoon the house filled with small party guests and I slipped out to recce a few dragonfly sites for the summer. I was hoping that the sun might have warmed things up for a chance of Sympecma but I think it was too cold and with no kommun records yet I will be lucky to find this species anyway. But it could be here! Hålehallstugan had three pairs of red-necked grebes, including one pair excitedly mating. Otherwise just two tufted duck and six coot. Next I looked at the pools at Bjäred and the adjacent mire. Best birds here were little grebe (1), crane (2) and a light passage of siskin (58 north). Then it was time to head home to help clear up the debris of a successful party.

Ring ouzels dropped out everywhere along the west coast today, be nice to score one on the patch soon.

Birding - 27/11/09

Harbour porpoises are definitely out there, but I only see them very occasionally in NW Skåne. This one washed up at Torekov in February 08.

Took the kids for a walk between Hemmeslövstrand and Eskilstorpstrand in the morning. Highlights were at least two gannets offshore, a single little gull and a total of four Slavonian grebes bobbing about. Along the dunes bumped into a vocal dunnock, had three common crossbills south and heard a black woodpecker.

Stopped off at Klarningen briefly but the fencing contractors were doing their thing and the place looked very deserted (more then normal).

In the afternoon I headed out on my own for an hour and a half at Sandön and Rönnen. Sandön was quiet with just two gannets past. Rönnen was a bit more like it with two massive white-tailed eagles perched up, plus black-throated diver (1), Slavonian grebe (2), gannet (4 more) and snow bunting (4). From here I watched a big flock of 18 oystercatcher going to roost on Själrönnen. The real highlight though was a small pod of harbour porpoises out in the bay - I only see porpoises a few times a year here, so pretty exciting.