Last week managed a quick look at Klarningen, like elsewhere in northern Europe we are experiencing a bit of a cold snap at the moment and this has slowed migration down.
As we drove from Ängelholm to Klarningen we overtook a thermalling flock of 70+ common cranes which looked fantastic in the sun. We expected them to come over Klarningen whilst we were sitting there but they must have drifted east. Klarningen was brutally cold in the wind and quiet and a rough-legged buzzard (the only bird of note) going through did not make it feel any warmer.
Showing posts with label Ängeltofta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ängeltofta. Show all posts
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Shrike hunting
Had a good look for great grey shrikes on the top today with no luck. Dropped in on Klarningen for half an hour too. A nice male hen harrier was new here, plus the usual ringtail and a rough-legged buzzard. Otherwise rather quiet with just 14 starling although a flock of 20+ meadow pipits was perhaps an indication that spring is actually around the corner. Easy to believe as we bask in the relative warmth of just sub-zero.
In the afternoon a trip into town netted another hen harrier and rough-legged buzzard around the airport.
In the afternoon a trip into town netted another hen harrier and rough-legged buzzard around the airport.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Eagles
Number 2 and I had a very chilly couple of hours in the field after helping a friend put up some plasterboard this morning. First stop was Kattvik where the Iceland gull and the chiffchaff gave themselves up quickly. The windchill was horrendous and the chiffchaff was pecking at the ground in the lee of the seawall. Surely it's days are numbered?
A quick walk around a slightly more sheltered Båstad produced very little, a flock of 100 brambling fed under some trees and then we checked Klarningen. Two white-tailed eagles sat up in the trees here and a rough-legged buzzard was present too. A flock of 100 starlings was a good-sized flock for the time of year.
The best bird of the day though came as we drove into town. At Ängeltofta we had excellent close views of a 2K golden eagle, complete with an entourage of crows as it flew towards BK. It flushed several skylarks as it went by, an added bonus year-tick.
A quick walk around a slightly more sheltered Båstad produced very little, a flock of 100 brambling fed under some trees and then we checked Klarningen. Two white-tailed eagles sat up in the trees here and a rough-legged buzzard was present too. A flock of 100 starlings was a good-sized flock for the time of year.
The best bird of the day though came as we drove into town. At Ängeltofta we had excellent close views of a 2K golden eagle, complete with an entourage of crows as it flew towards BK. It flushed several skylarks as it went by, an added bonus year-tick.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Misty morning
Woke up to find the garden shrouded in mist, at least 12 siskins in amongst the chaffinch and one bramblin gtoo. Things had dropped out in the night. Drove over the top to Klarningen, picking up small numbers of redwing in amongst the other thrushes. Also here the occasional brambling in large flocks of chaffinch. Spring migration seems to involve lengthy stop-overs with us this year for a number of species. Yesterday there were a staggering 7,200 cranes at one site in southern Skåne!
Klarningen was bitterly cold again in a bracing westerly. Little new to report although a green sandpiper was good to see, numbers of everything else remained stable. After yesterday's glut of gadwall at Ranarpsstrand I had hoped some might be present here but no joy. A quick look at Eskilstorpsstrand was quiet, although eider are starting to get antsy and flying around the bay. Many eventually fly overland to the Baltic coast and I guess north from there.
Petersberg had defrosted and produced two fabulous pairs of red-necked grebes. They still seem an exotic breeding species to me, even after four years. I was surprised to flush a snipe from under a birch tree here. A grey wagtail flew downriver as I left. Sad to think the whole site is scheduled to be bull-dozed soon.
In the afternoon the team headed for Farhult, picking up two cranes at Ängeltofta and a rough-legged buzzard at Södra Utmarken. Farhult was very windy but I finally managed to catch up with the bar-tailed godwit that has been haunting the area since last month. Redshank are finally arriving in numbers (nine here) and we also had dunlin (2) and avocet (14). The reeds were thrashing about but occasionally I could hear bearded tits, they must have been on the ground!
Last stop was Sandön where we had two gadwall, 14 avocet, a redshank and some annoying fishermen.
Klarningen was bitterly cold again in a bracing westerly. Little new to report although a green sandpiper was good to see, numbers of everything else remained stable. After yesterday's glut of gadwall at Ranarpsstrand I had hoped some might be present here but no joy. A quick look at Eskilstorpsstrand was quiet, although eider are starting to get antsy and flying around the bay. Many eventually fly overland to the Baltic coast and I guess north from there.
Petersberg had defrosted and produced two fabulous pairs of red-necked grebes. They still seem an exotic breeding species to me, even after four years. I was surprised to flush a snipe from under a birch tree here. A grey wagtail flew downriver as I left. Sad to think the whole site is scheduled to be bull-dozed soon.
In the afternoon the team headed for Farhult, picking up two cranes at Ängeltofta and a rough-legged buzzard at Södra Utmarken. Farhult was very windy but I finally managed to catch up with the bar-tailed godwit that has been haunting the area since last month. Redshank are finally arriving in numbers (nine here) and we also had dunlin (2) and avocet (14). The reeds were thrashing about but occasionally I could hear bearded tits, they must have been on the ground!
Last stop was Sandön where we had two gadwall, 14 avocet, a redshank and some annoying fishermen.
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