another odo (20140429)

Odo number two for the BK year - Pyrrhosoma nymphula at Bösketorp.

This crazy warm and sunny weather had me out again for much of the day. A quick look at Ljungbyholm before doing some housework saw me not finding dotterel again.

After lunch I nipped out to Bösketorp and easily added little grebe (4) to my year-list. Also here a few green sandpipers, common sandpiper (1) and two Pyrrhosoma nymphula for the odo year-list. Nearby at Hålehallstugan were a couple of red-necked grebe and a singing reed warbler (another year-tick).

At the end of the day I checked out Ranarpsstrand for an hour, things were quiet but five whimbrel and a similar number of greenshank livened things up a bit. Nearby in Ranarp a pair of grey partridge.

more year-ticks (20140421)

 Not just birds were on the move today, the kids found several eyed ladybirds (Anatis ocellata) at Ranarpsstrand

Another day spent largely in the field produced another crop of year ticks and took me over 150 for the year. First stop was Klarningen. Forty minutes here produced three shoveler and a ringed plover but apparently I missed a wood sandpiper... A short listen at Petersberg produced a demi-squeal from a water rail that was enough to secure it for the year. Eskilstorpsstrand was calm and there were lots of grebes on the sea, 13 red-necked grebes being rather special but also ten great crested grebes were also present. Surprisingly no real sense of a build-up of red-throated divers ahead of the migration spectacle in early May - just seven birds feeding offshore.

We all took a walk later around the Killeröd loop walk. I finally laid coal tit to rest for the year, they are singing well now and I also heard singing willow tit which is always a pleasure. Finally we checked Ljungbyholm en route to Ranarpsstrand, it was quiet. Ranarpsstrand however was interesting with greenshank (1) flushed on arrival and a house martin coming in-off. Also here of note were a pair of shoveler and a male gadwall.

super Sunday

Tufties in flight at Vysterborg today whilst I hunted in vain for Sympecma fusca...

Spent a large part of the day in the field today under a blazing sun. Started late but made the most of it. Stora Hultsstrand was excellent with a turnstone, bar-tailed godwit (1) and two Sandwich terns all providing year-ticks, plus the only barn swallow of the day. Ranarpsstrand had five gadwall and two resting common terns (year-tick number four). Nearby Segelstorpsstrand failed to provide anything new.

After lunch I quickly toured a few likely spots for Sympecma fusca but failed to find any. Full of hope I visited the only site I have seen a Sympecma in BK and skunked there too. It must have been a wayward individual but I am still hoping to find where it came from.

Later we checked out Dagshög quickly - gannet (1), osprey (1) and a surprise carrion crow. Next stop was Påarps Mal for gadwall (pair), shoveler (male) and 77 roosting golden plover. We BBQ'd our dinner at Ripagården picking up a solitary whimbrel south in the process.

osprey!

Today's highlight was this hunting osprey found in the afternoon at Stora Hultsstrand and drifting it's way north.

Had a walk in the morning around Öllövsstrand and Vasaltheden. The easy highlight being my first whimbrel of the year, hugging the coast as it flew north silently. Also here grey partridge (pair) and a few wheatears, including a female.

Later we checked out Ljungbyholm for nine ruff and nearly 40 shelduck on the flooded bits of the big field. Nearby Stora Hultsstrand produced an osprey drifting north and looking for food on the go.

arctic roll!

Had my first proper morning in the field for some time today and it was packed full of birds. I worked the coast between Stora Hult and Gröthögarna searching in vain for a large congregation of feeding eider but sadly failing. No king this year perhaps...

Stora Hultstrand had single Slavonian and red-necked grebe and redshank (2), as well as a decent-sized flock of common scoter (130+). Nearby Grytskären had a single flyby curlew and more redshank. Ranarpsstrand produced a single flyby white-tailed eagle, another red-necked grebe and (far inland) a flock of 200+ golden plover took to the air. Segelstorpsstrand was quiet (just five great crested grebe). At Glimminge I heard my first reed bunting song of the year and also bumped into three twite.

The king eider search continued north. I dropped into Rammsjöstrand (a rare event), no eiders here but the small birdy bay just north of the harbour had some redshank (2) and a pair of gadwall. Next stop was Påarps mal and here I got three year-ticks in no time at all. A white wagtail was feeding along the shoreline, as were at least three dunlin and back in the juniper there was a pair of linnet. Offshore at least two shags on the rocks. The rev was busy with birders when I got there but I had a quick look, counting one dunlin and 17 purple sandpipers out on the rocks before the crowds sent me scuttling on my way.

Last stop of the morning was a look at Norra Ängalag but before I got there I was stopped in my tracks by the Rålehamn redpoll flock. Back again and still containing an Arctic redpoll (this bird was last seen on 1st February) . I got reasonable views on the deck through the scope but the bird was very skittish as usual so no chance of a photo. Also in the mix, at least three twite and 25 linnets.

Very little time remained to me to examine Norra Ängalag but a quick look revealed a pair of gadwall and yet another redshank.

In the afternoon we all walked in Sinarpsdalen, the only bird of note being a single jay, although the kids made so much noise they were probably disturbing birds down on the coast...

hat-trick (20140321)

Friday saw me bagging a hat-trick of BK year-ticks by chasing down a few glaring omissions. The day started well with a flock of 200 golden plover at Ljungbyholm whilst chauffeuring Mrs B to work in the morning.

After that it was hunting for grebes. The sea off Båstad was rather quiet (just one long-tailed duck and singing chiffchaff) but from here it was apparent that most of the action was to be found off Eskilstorpsstrand, so that is were I went next. Quite a few duck offshore including big numbers of scoters (both velvet and common) and 170 scaup. In amongst them after quite a search I finally found my first Slavonian grebe of the year. Another singing chiffchaff was an indication that this species has now arrived on a broad-front, but still no wheatears???

Last stop of my short session was a look at Petersberg. The tufted duck flock has built to an 280 individuals and my first BK red-necked grebe of the year briefly emerged from the reeds. A jay here was interesting, are they moving at the moment?

garden tick

A busy day but I still managed two hours in the field in the morning. I headed out to check the coast between Vejbystrand and Ranarpsstrand, picking up another marsh warbler on the way at Ljungbyholm. The coast was rather quiet and bitterly cold in a brisk westerly. Highlights included a greenshank (Stora Hult), and whimbrel and little tern (two apiece at Vejbystrand).

The best bit came at the end of the day though when a glance out of the window revealed a flock of 75 eider going over the garden. New for the garden and taking the garden list up to 106 - a low total but to be fair it is probably one of the more under-watched locations in BK.

Glorious 14th

An adult female Montagu's harrier was a nice way to start the day, it crossed the road in front of me on my way to the post office.

A busy morning in the office and running errands that started really well. After dropping the kids at school I decided to check the 'big field' at Ljungbyholm. I had not even got there when I noticed a slender harrier crossing the road, I sped up to intercept, jumped out and grabbed my camera and managed just two shots, one was terrible but I was overjoyed to see the other was the above image. After a bit of lightening up on the computer it revealed a lovely female Montagu's, only my second BK record. I gave chase as it drifted off by moving the car but lost the bird in the process... The field had two resting whimbrel but still no sign of any golden plover for my BK year-list.

The sun finally came out in the late afternoon and I headed out again to look for Odos. Temperatures remained rather low though and a check of the ponds at Vysterborg and Hålehallstugan. Vysterborg had singing garden and icterine warbler and Hålehallstugan produced the usual red-necked grebes, two red-backed shrikes and a hawfinch.

During the morning I belatedly noticed an Artportalen record of two singing great snipes at Klarningen on the 12th... I was gutted but then pleased when Johan Hamringe texted out that they were still present. So after dinner I headed out for an evening session. On arrival at Klarningen the snipe were singing sporadically - job done. Also here six Temminck's stint, hopefully part of a spring build-up in numbers. On the way home I did some owling and managed to get a tawny owl for the year. Great day, gotta love May.

Thrush double

Had a couple of hours out this afternoon after a busy morning claening the house (!) when an SMS arrived to tell me that Håkan J had scored his water pipit again at Grytskären and also found redwing and mistle thrush feeding on the beach (both potential BK year-ticks). The land is still held in an icy grip with no obvious thaw in sight and even more snow for us next week!

Off I went out finding no feeding birds on the beach at Grytskären although two red kite migrating past together was nice. Walking north I found the mixed flock of thrushes and pipits at Ranarpsstrand. Going through them as they turfed about in the hummocky rotten seaweed was quite hard but my suspicions that there were two water pipits was finally vindicated when they appeared in the same 'scope view together. Also here a feeding redwing, looking splendid as usual and about 55 starlings. As I searched through the ducks I got a flyby from a mistle thrush as it flew north - job done!

Back at the car I spotted a nice adult peregrine sitting on the rocks off Lervik and then just had time to check Stora Hultsstrand (one cold-looking ringed plover feeding surprisingly successfully on the foreshore) and Ljungbyholm (nothing).

Curlew sandpipers going south

Had another go at cranberry blue (Vaciniina optilete) today at Bränneslätt. A better shot but still not perfect. All my stuff is handheld at the moment, I ordered a monopod from Cyberphoto last week but it transpires that they have forgotten to post it to me!!! How is that possible in this day and age?

Spent most of the day after dragonflies again, the sun this time putting on an impressive show during the swimming but clouds drifted in during the afternoon. In the morning we had a quick look at the shallow pond by the railway tracks at Ljungbyholm. The first Aeshna grandis of the year was spotted but otherwise it was quiet here.

In the afternoon I risked a mutiny amongst the troops by going once again to Bränneslätt. My idea was that with some actual sun we might be able to ascertain for sure whether Somatochlora arctica was present at the site and not just the abundant ticks that festoon our bodies after three visits. It amazes me that arctica has never been recorded here in the past, the habitat is perfect, it amazes me even more now because three were flying about when we arrived! In contrast to our previous visits there were quiet a few Coenagrion hastulatum on the wing too - recently emerged? A reflection in the pool revealed the presence of an over-flying osprey and a cuckoo winged through the clearing at one point too. Oh and the troops mutinied.

Crossing the road we checked out the nearby ponds, dodging the huge numbers of juvenile frogs and toads as best we could. Here there was plenty on the wing with seven species of damselfly including my first Erythromma najas of the year. Big stuff was on the wing briefly too before the sun went in including a nice male Libellula depressa, two Somatochlora metallica and another Aeshna grandis.

Last stop of the day was Klarningen in search of southward-bound migrant waders. No disappointment here with the site's first adult curlew sandpipers - three  - gracing the shoreline of the big pool. Also here at least 13 greenshank, 20+ wood sandpipers, one green sandpiper and two ruff.

photo-bugging gets addictive

 A feeding Anax imperator at Lönhult allowed me to play with the higher shutter speeds available to me now and to fully appreciate the ridiculously fast motor drive on the 7D (8 frames/sec!!).

Headed out this morning with the kids to check the pond at Lönhult for dragonflies. We did well recording both Anax imperator and Cordulia aenea for the first time at the site, along with Orthetrum cancellatum. The Atlas work ticks along slowly despite the variable weather, in fact today demonstrated that it is worth getting out whatever the weather. We quickly checked the ditch at Ljungbyholm too this morning, no Odonata at all amazingly, but a few meadow browns and ringlets on the wing here.

After swim-school we headed out again under overcast conditions to check Bränneslätt again. Light rain fell scuppering once again our chances of a reasonable dragonfly survey, but we especially enjoyed the huge female raft spider found by Number 1. Last stop of the day was by the reedbed at Hulrugered which produced just one Calopteryx virgo (my first of the year in BK) and some other classy invertebrates including the splendid robberfly (Laphria flava) and a female scorpion-fly (Panorpa communis).

Number 1 earned a doughnuts for the team by finding this splendid raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) at Bränneslätt today - a big female carrying a large egg bundle.

 An Aradus bug at Bränneslätt - not sure which one yet...

The splendid Laphria flava - a beast of a robber-fly found at Hulrugered reedbed.

A female scorpion-fly (Panorpa communis) also at Hulrugered today. [check out the beak on that! honorary bird I reckon]

24042012

Had an hour in the field today after work. Nipped down to Ranarpsstrand for a look-see. A few duck loafing about, low numbers but high diversity including gadwall (3), shoveler (4) and a solitary female scaup resting on the rocks and looking a bit peaky. My first scaup at this site. Four resident redshank and a single greenshank made up the wader contingent. Quiet. I checked the big field for dotterel, it is still bare, we just need some dotterel to start moving for that BK first...

winds northerly

Quite cold this morning when Number 2 and I headed out for a morning in the field. We stopped first to look at the 'big field' at Ljungbyholm, nothing doing here, just a reed bunting in residence and no sign of any golden plovers.

Likewise Ranarpsstrand was rather quiet, two curlews being the best of it. Intriguingly small packets of eider were heading north here, where are they gathering this year? There must be a king somewhere in BK.

Our last stop of the morning was a mooch about Vasaltheden. Snipe active here and the best birding of the day too with plenty of linnets, a great grey shrike and a rough-legged buzzard.

In the afternoon, I took Mrs B for a walk in the sun off-patch at Farhult. Water level up here but enough edge for 20 avocet, my first of the year.

lapwing

Staggered out for a BBQ at lunchtime. En route to Grytskären we stopped at Ljungbyholm for a flock of 15 lapwing and singing skylarks. My first lapwing of the year. The coast produced the usual new arrivals; shelduck (13), lapwing (1) and oystercatcher (1).

migration?

Things are moving and the snow is melting. Took the team to Grytskären for an hour this morning and we were greeted with a big flock of 50 starlings and nearly 100 fieldfare. Searching through the duck on the sea failed to produce a smew but did turn up 300 goldeneye. A subadult white-tailed eagle sat on a tall floe out in the frozen sea.

On the way home a quick look at the 'big field' at Ljungbyholm produced a flock of 35 Canada geese and a passing red kite.

Stuck at home in the afternoon finishing the last rarity descriptions for 2011... Meanwhile Olofsson was getting stuck into the fields near Eskilstorpsdammar and finding a small flock of woodlark and skylark. Birds are coming back and just as the thermometer creeps up above zero. How do they know?

peeeeeeegmy!

Today's star bird, a cracking male pygmy owl, whistled in for great views. I have heard two birds in BK before without converting them but this one surrendered nicely.

After mucking out the house yesterday I reckoned that I deserved a day in the field! Kicked off by looking at the 'big field' at Ljungbyholm, which had a nice adult peregrine sitting in the middle of it. Storahultsstrand was quiet, plenty of ice offshore and the sea was holding a good-sized flock of goldeneye (200+). Nearby on Grytskären an adult white-tailed eagle was making a nuisance of itself and another (or the same) adult peregrine was in attendance too.

Walking Ranarpsstrand produced a handful of meadow and rock pipits and five starling. Slim pickings.

After lunch I decided to try and bag a few easy year-ticks by going for a walk in the woods between Killeröd and Önnarp. This worked well, two hour's of walking in the snow produced the desired sackful of year-ticks, including a nice pair of singing common crossbills, calling nutcracker, crested tit and at least five willow tits. The best though came at the end when a male pygmy owl burst into song nearby and a hectic chase through the woods eventually produced good views before I had to go for the school-run. Sweet.

Patch work

I do not need much inspiration to work my patch hard, but yesterday's events underlined the great pleasure of finding your own rarities. Rolf's well-deserved and splendid dowitcher here in NW Skåne was eclipsed by the news back home in Norfolk of Rob Martin's equally well-deserved and simply awesome rufous-tailed robin. Read Rob's account on the punkbirder website. Magic stuff.

That said, I put some time in today and nothing amazing materialised just some nice birds. Kicked off at Klarningen at first light. The pools held 11 whooper swans, which moved on fairly quickly once the sun got going. The greylag goose flock pulled down a single white-fronted goose during the hour I spent going through the wildfowl. Fifteen shoveler remain and the teal flock numbered 250 this morning. The great grey shrike remains and was chasing fieldfares today, it seems particularly pugnacious this one. I spent another hour tramping about in the stubble, hoping for something good but had to settle for linnets and skylarks, before heading for Eskilstorppstrand. Nice flattish sea here but nothing offshore and little overhead action either. Looking north into Skummeslövsstrand produced more in the way of seaduck including 17 scaup and one long-tailed duck.

In the afternoon we al went for a walk along the shore between Ranarpsstrand and Segelstorpsstrand. A peregrine was sitting out on Grytskären and the foreshore had a small number of twite, my first of the autumn. Offshore at least five Slavonian grebes, keeping company with a brace of red-neckeds. The sunny weather produced a red admiral sighting, going south. Best bird here though was my latest BK wheatear, a very rusty 1K individual that was not from round here. Segelstorpsstrand had another Slavonian grebe and the gardens produced two chiffchaffs.

On the way home we stopped briefly at Ljungbyholm for 350 golden plover and a great grey shrike.

Seawatch delivers another pallid harrier!

This gannet gave us an excellent close flyby, I don't think it was carrying nesting material! Unfortunately I suspect a hook-and-line are involved.

With Number 2 in tow and a reasonable westerly in progress we headed out to Yttre Kattvik to camp out in the car and get some seawatching done. It was rather quiet for seabirds though with just four gannets, four little gulls and an unidentified skua through in just over three hours. Wildfowl were on the move though and small flocks of wigeon produced a total of five hidden pintail. Strangely a brent goose spent most of the session floating offshore. Dunlin (40) were on the move in a small-scale way and four grey plovers also headed west.

But it was the raptors which really stole the show with two kestrels, two merlin and two peregrines in-off and then the big one. I was playing about with Number 2 when I looked around to discover a large ginger raptor was heading straight for us. I got it in the bins just as it hit the beach and turned west - another 1K pallid harrier. Number 2 giggled as I tried unsuccessfully to get my camera out in time. Well at least I thought of trying to get a photo this time. Maybe my fourth of the autumn will make a digital image! Just a superb encounter and ridiculously close yet again. Do pallid harriers have less fear of man than other harrier species?

Dose of merlin

Busy most of the day with a poorly child but we did get out to look at the wet field near the school briefly (2 dunlin) and in the afternoon we had 40 minutes at Ljungbyholm. No raptors through today in the short watch but a couple of 1K merlins livened things up. They were a male and female and perched very close to each other, they are supposed to pair up on the wintering grounds... Waders were good too with a single adult grey plover looking rather splendid and exotic out in the middle of the field and a flyby by four ruff.

Pallid falls in BK!

Raptors very much on the menu today, this 2K male marsh harrier went south through Vasaltheden in the morning.

This morning I went out with the intention of bagging a BK pallid harrier and guess what, I actually did! Sweden is groaning under an unprecedented invasion of mostly 1K birds at the moment, incredibly there have been 27 pallid harriers through Falsterbo to date this autumn! The chances of finding one yourself have never been better and I got the ball rolling by finding one off-patch last week.

I started off just after dawn at Ljungbyholm. Two kestrels in the air here and quite a few more were noted during the morning at various sites, a definite influx. A merlin was still dashing about here but and hour here failed to produced any harriers, other than a single 1K marsh. Ranarpsstrand next for a quick look, two grey wagtails were nice, they seem scarce this autumn.

Last but not least I headed for Öllövsstrand and walked into Vasaltheden. A marsh harrier migrated through straight away and there was an osprey on the deck eating a fish. More kestrels (2) here and at one point a merlin dashed south with a crow in hot pursuit. The heavens opened and I just had to stand there and take it as the lightning streaked about. Afterwards I watched a great grey shrike dry himself off and start hunting - BK's earliest autumn record and a hideous reminder that winter is next.

Walking back I was dragging my heels when I was overtaken in Öllövsstrand by a superb 1K pallid harrier. Apart from the 'thing' I saw at Falsterbo I have been really lucky with my views of ringtails this autumn and this bird was very close but heading southwards on a mission. Short but sweet. Result!

Osprey south through Klarningen in the afternoon.

After lunch some of the team accompanied me to Klarningen, water levels are higher than I have ever seen them but there is little use of the site, just two pintail, one teal, three wigeon and a handful of mallard today. Overhead was better with a sub-adult white-tailed eagle and an osprey through together during the hour long watch. At least 20 whinchat on site and the fields along the access track had a dozen wheatear. A great day.