weird water pipit record

Heavy rain overnight. Checked Klarningen this morning before the rest of the team woke. Plenty of birds here with gadwall (2) and pintail (1), in amongst a number of teal (71) and wigeon (27). Breeding birds have arrived whilst I have been away with two pairs of curlew and a pair of redshank being new for the year. Also ringed plover (pair) and at least six coot on site. Five snipe will sadly not be staying to breed.

Went home over the hill to check for thrushes and found a nice newly-ploughed field at Hulrugered that produced mistle thrush (15), song thrush (5), redwing (3), lots of chaffinches and very strangely a single water pipit in summer plumage.

back on patch (20150328)

Got out for an hour to Torekov rev after my return from a great trip to Morocco. There were 29 barnacle geese on the ground here, indicative of a large movement through southern Sweden. Also here eight gadwall, 23 purple sandpipers and best-of-all one dunlin (a year-tick). Four white wagtails on the beach were welcome migrants.

white-fronts (20150308)

Had a nice session at Klarningen this afternoon with Mrs B. The easy highlight was a large flock of 175 feeding white-fronted geese, 74 teal and 9 wigeon in too. Two ringed plover were on territory, a big flock of 51 starlings and a reed bunting called near the tower. The temperature hit double figures for the first time this year.

Crane

On the way home we bumped into a pair of cranes at Hulrugered, they looked great feeding in the warm sun.

all quiet on the loop (20150307)

Had a quick walk around in the forest at Killeröd hoping for Ulf's pygmy owl. No sign and very little else to write about bar one crossbill over. Nice to hear wren, goldcrest and yellowhammer in song though.

cranes back on patch

Had a pleasant morning in the field today, netting the black duck for March and two year-ticks. Kicked off at Påarps mal for the black duck, a brisk westerly was blowing and the bird was hunkered down with mallard on one of the islands offshore. Flying past a few gannets, a red-necked grebe and a red-throated diver.

The rev was unfortunately being disturbed by a 'birder' (or something like that) but I managed to count ringed plover (5), oystercatcher (30) and purple sandpiper (7). IN amongst the ducks my first gadwall of the year (a pair).

Driving in to Rålehamn  I bumped into a mobile flock of 21 redpoll but they did not stick. Offshore  more gannets and even a fulmar past.

Last stop of the day was Klarningen. Geese were feeding here and included a nice total of 68 white-fronteds. Driving home over the top I found a pair of cranes feeding at Ehrenstorp, easily the best bird of the day. Great to have them back!