get by with a little help

Been busy of late. Wednesday I was working and picked up at least three two-barred crossbills at Hov again. The next day I was working nearer Torekov at Varan and had my first rough-legged buzzard of the autumn through and a jay was knocking about here too. In the evening I took the kids for a quick walk along Ranarpsstrand and kicked up two jack snipe.

Yesterday we dragged a load of bedding and food down to Grytskären and spent the night in the shelter there. We have been promising the kids we would do this all summer so we decided to get it done before things get too cold! It rained overnight but this did not produce any birds in the plantation in the morning, apart form a single goldcrest and great spotted woodpecker. A flock of 11 parrot crossbills that dropped in very briefly were my first for a while though. Luckily reinforcements were in the field to help me out. Mikael Olofsson relocated the Lapland bunting at Lervik for us (as well as gripping me off with a Caspian gull...).

 A typically confiding Lapland bunting, my first of the year.

Later  Håkan Johansson texted in a red-throated pipit on the beach at Vejbystrand, so we checked Storahultsstrand on our way to checking it out. Then exhausted by our overnight activities we returned home to chill out! A goshawk burst out of a roadside hedge in Lervik as we headed home. Good session but not my own work!

It was better than this in life - honest. Red-throated pipits on the deck are always welcome.

Glorious Klarningen

I could not get a picture of today's star bird at Klarningen due to a camera malfunction when it was sitting on a fence in plain view, but here is a shot of one of last year's individuals. Makes a nice mystery bird photo...

Dropped Ma B off at the train station for her flight home to Norfolk and took the opportunity to visit nearby Klarningen. Met up with Johan and Bengt, who were making their first visit to the site, they seemed impressed, despite the fact that management work had seen off all the birds! They did however point out a curlew sandpiper whilst we chatted - a new Klarningen bird for me.

With the site so disturbed I had no crisis of conscience about walking the northern half and I was pretty sure that I would find a red-throated pipit. Sure enough within ten minutes I heard the electric 'pssiiiiih' call and flushed not one but two. Just like last year and in almost exactly the same spot! A meadow pipit was with them and when it perched on the fence it did not take long for one of the the red-throats to join it. Superb 'scope views. I fumbled for my camera, but my battery was dead... So no photo today on the blog either, I cannot believe that the first good bird to stray into range for ages got away. Walking around I flushed my latest ever Temminck's stint (1), other waders today included greenshank (1) and ruff (2). As I drove away a splendid adult goshawk (male?) shot past. At least five wheatear along the access track today. Nice little session.

On the way home dropped in quickly at Petersberg, more wheatear (3) here and a two flyby common crossbill.