Out-birded on the patch

Mrs B let me out of the house today, whilst the rest of the family did some socialising. It could have been a great day, but it snowed throughout and I was out-birded at every step by Mikael Olofsson! So I ended the day feeling somewhat frustrated.

Kicked off at Grytskaren, where a flighty water pipit flew south after I flushed it near the car park. I was hoping for shorelark but a walk south to Stora Hultstrand failed to find them. Plenty of brambling on the move though with 3000 south during the two hours along this stretch. A call from Mikael informed me that the shorelark were heading south towards me, in the company of 15 skylark. Sadly they never made it to me and we could not relocate them. Also here red-necked grebe (1), goosander (2), one purple sandpiper (on the closest island at Grytskaren), redshank (1), dunlin (29), redwing (12), fieldfare (250), starling (40) and parrot crossbill (5).

"I woke up one morning and my reedbed was gone. Oh no! Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep". It was a surprise to get to Ripagården and find the entire reedbed had been removed and was burning merrily on a fire. A harsh form of management.

Mikael then told me about a huge flock of yellowhammer at Ripagården, found on the 2nd, that included at least one Lapland bunting and some linnet. I headed that way but failed to locate the flock before heading down to the coast. Ripagården was quiet but produced little grebe (1), teal (2), redshank (1), coot (13), dunnock (1) and bullfinch (male).

Next stop was Flytermossen, where a brief look produced goldfinch (15) and redpoll (4). The phone then went and it was Mikael again. He had found the flock at Ripagården, so off I went back. How I missed the flock I will never know. There must have been 700 birds, mostly yellowhammers, but good numbers of tree sparrow (150), as well as reed bunting (15), brambling (15), greenfinch (1) and linnet (1). Had a glimpse of a possible Lapland bunting but the snow was appalling and my optics were soaked so I headed home for an early bath. Will try again tomorrow.