Garden century and more dragonflies

The aptly-named variable damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum) - one of a bunch of Odo year-ticks at Eskilstorps dammar today.

The day started well with a shelduck whizzing past the house and then whizzing back the way it came just for good measure - species number 100 on the garden list!

Dropped in on Petersberg and sat by the river for a while at lunchtime (hoping for kingfisher) but had to settle for two common sandpipers and a pair of grey wagtail. Walked into Eskilstorps dammar next hoping for some Odonata action on a baking hot May day. Everything is early this year and I was not disappointed. The walk in resulted in at least 8 whinchat and five wheatears. This chain of pools situated alongside the river looks like it has great dragonfly potential and certainly produced some interesting early species today; Pyrrhosoma nymphula (1), Coenagrion pulchellum (50), Coenagrion hastulatum (1), Enallagma cyathigerum (10), Brachytron pratense (4), Cordulia aenea (2), Leucorrhinia rubicunda (4) and Libellula quadrimaculata (10). Also map butterfly on the wing here. A few birds noted too with little ringed plover (pair), wood sandpiper (8) and sedge warbler (1). Over on Klarningen a single male shoveler caught the eye but then I had to yomp for the car and get on with other things...

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.

Birding - 26/05/09

Female Coenagrion pulchellum - the English name variable damselfly refers to the large variation shown by females

Quick look around in Halland part of Båstad kommun in the evening after my Swedish lesson resulted in me being booted off the pools at Eskilstorp (private road apparently). Will have to walk in from now on. Highlights were a grey wagtail at Petersberg and a pair of little grebes on the nest at Sinarpsdalen.