spring Arctic skua (20150418)

Had a great morning session which netted three year-ticks. Kicked off at Norra Ängalag and sat quietly to see what would fly by. There were plenty of fisherman disturbing the coastline but things were going past - the best bird being a splendid dark phase Arctic skua - a species I struggle with in the spring (usually because I am not here!). A singing male wheatear was new-in and a very welcome sight. Stuff was on the move overhead with a fairly constant trickle of passerines (siskin, pipits and wagtails) and even a kestrel. A single male gadwall dropped in at one point.

Next up was a look at Torekovs rev. Highlights here included the big flock of purple sandpipers (32), a single white-tailed eagle (2K) en route to the island and a migrating merlin (year-tick). Over at Vinga randy razorbills were a feature.

My first Cyphostephus tristriatus - a bug only found on juniper bushes with berries (if my Swedish translation was correct), that is where we found it anyway!

Later in the day we spent some time at Lya ljunghed beating bushes for invertebrates and found a great little jumping spider (Dendryphantes rudis) and a nice bug (Cyphostephus tristriatus) - the latter only found in junipers.

Last stop of the day was Klarningen - a few new birds in including four shoveler and at least seven swallows. Best of the rest included a green sandpiper and new total of five ringed plovers.