hot and windy

 Dragonflies were the order of the day, despite the windy conditions and the fact that I would probably of been better off birding! My first Coenagrion puella were on the wing at a number of sites.

Out and about again today in the hot sun and windy conditions. Hit Drängstorp first hoping for Coenagrion armatum but instead had to settle for a huge emergence of Coenagrion lunulatum and my first Leucorrhinia rubicunda for the Atlas square.

 Coenagrion pulchellum

Next stop was Boarp, which was disappointing as the  water level in the ordinarily shallow and very good fourth pond was way up. Did get more puella here though and Coenagrion pulchellum, but very small numbers and no sign of any emergence at the site.

 Hovs Hallar produced at least seven migrating honey buzzards in a one-hour watch

Hovs Hallar for an hour in the middle of the day was good for honey buzzards (seven through) but the hoped-for rosefinches failed to sing. After lunch I had a quick look at the pool at Lönhult but it was too exposed for a reasonable odo-survey.

 Mute swan

Last stop of the day was another speculative listen for rosefinch at Öllövsstrand, again no joy, just a noisy thrush nightingale. The stars here though were two territorial map butterflies.

 Map butterfly

Driving out I glimpsed a male black redstart around the farm buildings at Öllöv and Number 1 and I returned later finding the nest-site and watching both adults shuttling to-and-fro with food for the hungry chicks. Nice find.

Last bird of the day was perhaps the best find, a breeding pair of black redstarts feeding young at Öllöv

gyr again!

An adult white-tailed eagle gave a fly by on it's way north.

The gyr gave a fly by on it's way south and then I caught up with it again whilst chasing a water pipit on Vasaltheden. It flew up from the beach with a bird's wing clasped in it's talons!

Had two hours in the field before knuckling down to more African invertebrate identification. It may be cold and snowy at the moment but the lying snow is good for one thing, spotting grey partridge, and I finally got six near Öllöv for the year. Glimminge was my destination this morning. Quite a bit going on here with flyby white-tailed eagle and five shelduck on the sea. The high point though was the gyr coming past close in on it's way south.

I went south too walking onto Vasaltheden and whilst chasing a very annoying and flighty water pipit bumped into the gyr on the beach. It flew up with a bird's wing in it's talons and landed on a rock. The water pipit distracted me then the gyr flew inland out of sight. The fog descended and I headed back to the office.

Wild swans everywhere

Spent a sunny afternoon in the field today after being relieved of child-care duty by Mrs B. First stop was the swan flock at Öllöv, it now numbers 29 whoopers but nothing else spotted in the field today. One of the features of early spring 2011 here in southern sweden seems to be the number of whooper swans on the ground. We get lots passing through normally, but this year they are stopping off, presumably waiting for the rest of Sweden to defrost.

Driving through Slättaröd I stopped to admire a flock of 25 golden plover, my first of the year. Påarps mal did not produce any shags, they seem to have moved on somewhere. But I got another year-tick in the shape of a pair of gadwall. Moving north I checked out the sewage works and town, picking up an adult white-tailed eagle over Hallands Väderö. Torekov rev produced a flock of seven purple sandpipers and an impressive gathering of 13 goosander.

Spent the last hour of my time mooching about on Gröthögarna but without much impact, 17 teal at Norra Ängalag was a sign that migration continues on. I had hoped to get a flock of cranes over in the easterly winds but having seen the first crane in NW Skåne last year it seems I will now be the last birder to see one this spring. The session ended as it started with the checking of another flock of whooper swans (37), this time at Ängalag.

Tundra and taiga!

Another day with an appalling morning, but a calm and pleasant afternoon. A rain-laden southerly wind greeted me at 0730 at Glimminge plantering. I walked north to Dagshög, counting the numerous shelduck, oystercatchers, lapwings and starlings. Wigeon numbers are still low but are starting to build at last with at least 50 on the walk. Ringed plovers were scattered along the shore - five in total. Highlights were few but I especially enjoyed the flock of 15 (probably fabalis) bean geese that headed east over my head at Rammsjöstrand. Meadow pipits have gone from being non-existent to holding territories in just two days. Nature is wonderful.

Walking back south it was apparent that a few reed buntings had dropped out along the coast and I found a rather subdued jay in the woods at Glimminge plantering, leftover from last autumns invasion no doubt. Driving home I stopped to check the whooper swan (22) flock at Öllöv and was pleased to find six taiga bean geese resting in the field as well.

In the afternoon we all went out and fed the ducks at Båstad, offshore in the calm conditions were scaup (30) and long-tailed duck (4). Three coot were in the mouth of the harbour and there were a scattering of oystercatcher and shelduck as you would expect. As we drove out the first migrating sparrowhawk of the year appear over town. News of two tundra swans yesterday at Klarningen, sent us off there next and we basked in the weak sun up the tower and scoped about. A big flock of 38 whooper swans did indeed contain the two tundras (thanks Jan!). I had the right idea yesterday, I just went at the wrong time of day. Also here four reed buntings.

On the way home checked out the whooper swan flock at Eskilstorp (35). Another productive day.