Another day out with the kids...

Four days in a row! Birding kicked off in the garden this morning over breakfast. The garden has been very quiet in the last fortnight, but this morning we woke to find at least four redstarts, a pied flycatcher and a couple of robins hopping about. Migrants or just our breeders returning to fatten up from the woods nearby?

The kids have been great this week and did not grumble at all when they got themselves ready for another day in the field. We did not get far before we pulled over to look at a migrating honey buzzard. Before going off-patch we dropped in on Ranarpsstrand quickly. A 20 minute survey revealed that the garganey was still present and a loud trilling revealed that I had over-looked a Temminck's stint that was now noisily making its getaway. Other notable birds here; golden plover (13), dunlin (2), spotted redshank (3) and wood sandpiper (4). At least five yellow wagtails flew south whilst we sat.

Our next stop was Hasslarps dammar. Not been here for a while and it was full of birds that are hard to find in Bjäre as usual. Notables here included; shoveler (5), pochard (1), tufted duck (25), little grebe (3), Temminck's stint (3), curlew sandpiper (1), ruff (47), spotted redshank (10), greenshank (13) and wood sandpiper (12). A few dragonflies on the wing too in the sultry weather; I checked carefully through the small numbers of Aeshna mixta that were flying hoping for an affinis (Sweden's first records have come this summer, part of a widespread invasion of northern climes this year). Also here Aeshna cyanea, Aeshna grandis, Sympetrum vulgatum and Enallagma cyathigerum.

On our way back from Helsingborg we dropped in on Sandön but failed to make any serious contribution. Highlights were; wigeon (2), pintail (1), goosander (7), knot (13), ruff (6) and bar-tailed godwit (14).

Got home to find that Olofsson had seen a 2K female Montagu's harrier in BK this morning!! Had I hastily mis-identified my ringtail hen harrier of yesterday? I had forgotten that Monties had an identifiable 2K plumage in females, what a dude! I am checking my photos and trying to get the gen from Olofsson. I have an uneasy feeling, just off to read Forsman now...