windy

Got out for an hour along the coast this morning but had not factored in a very stiff westerly wind. Checked the coast between Stora Hult and Ranarpsstrand hoping for an early wheatear but no dice. The best birds were a flock of 20+ purple sandpipers going north off Ranarpsstrand.

Lapland bunting

The day started nicely with this kingfisher at Lervik and got better as it went along.

Blue sky birding beckoned this morning, so I got out of the office and got stuck into some winter birding. Kicked off at a rather quiet Stora Hultsstrand before working the small Lervik harbour. Here the long-staying kingfisher showed well and I booted up three common snipe (but no jacks). Driving round to Grytskären I noticed a big flock of pipits in fields to the south, so walked back that way against the light for a couple of year-tick skylarks. Worked my way north to Ranarpsstrand, picking up a nice ringtail hen harrier for the year but little else. Back at the car I met Martin Berg and he told me he had just found a Lapland bunting in the big pipit flock... Back we went and there it was feeding in excellent light along the bottom of the wall. Missed that one!

I gave Martin a lift up to Dagshög for the black duck, which behaved impeccably as usual. Next stop was Påarps mal, with Martin's help the water pipit soon showed very well and was a pleasure to watch in the incredible light available to us. Driving on I checked out Torekov, a lone peregrine was sitting out on the navigation markers on Vinga and four shags fished together as a team off the rocks. Great morning out with three year-ticks.

soggy

Had three hours in the field this morning but the weather was not very pleasant with light rain throughout. It was hard to take a great deal of pleasure from the session and this was not helped by a paucity of birds. I started at Stora Hult, Grytskären and Ranarpsstrand. Little of note here, a single Slavonian grebe (Stora Hult), gannet (1 past) and a sparrowhawk at Ranarpsstrand.

Moving north significantly dropped in on Rammsjöstrand hoping for jack snipe but there were workmen all over the sewage works field and after grabbing my first dunnock of the year and checking for the black duck I moved on again. Påarps mal produced the black duck and it was pleasant going through the pipits here, but no sign of the water pipit today.

My birding day ended later at dusk when three waxwing flew over Grevie kyrkby - my first of the winter, let alone the year!

two BK year-ticks

Shorelark - a scarce bird in BK, only my third record since 2007.

Got out for an hour-and-a-half after lunch and mopped up a few niggly omissions to the year-list. First stop was Stora Hultstrand where the shorelark found yesterday by Håkan J was showing well. A good supporting cast here too with a Slavonian grebe on the sea, three brent geese and a greenshank.

Just had time for a look at Ranarpsstrand and managed to find a jack snipe very quickly, allowing to time to enjoy three more Slavonian grebes and a flock of four greenshank.

 Jack

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...

20140318

Had half an hour in the field and checked Grytskären and Stora Hultstrand quickly. A few wigeon and teal only and a bitter rain-laden westerly soon put me off!

white-front flock

Had half an hour at Klarningen this morning. A large flock of geese along the access track contained a massive 95 white-fronted geese and a single pink-footed geese. A great show. At the tower a great grey shrike was hunting out around the wetland, my first on site this season. Wildfowl included the male pintail and pair of gadwall.

In the afternoon the kids and I dropped in on Stora Hultstrand to check through some eider. At least 500 on site but no sign of the king. Six goosander were good to see they have been scarce this year.

water pipit

Water pipit at Ranarpsstrrand and my bird of the day (sorry about the photo!). It was glimpsed by Peder Winding yesterday and I was lucky enough to get good views of it this morning.

Had two hours in the field this morning and covered the coast between Stora Hultstrand and Ranarpsstrand. Highlights included some mundane year-ticks like common scoter, rook and yellowhammer as well as a single showy water pipit at Ranarpsstrand. Driving home I picked up two redwings in treetops in the hedge line bordering the apple orchard at Lervik and less excitingly two feral pigeons at Grevie kyrkby...

In the afternoon we ambled round the Killeröd loop trail. Plenty of storm damage here and we had to pick our way round numerous tree-falls. Very few birds noted but good numbers of goldcrest evident.

geese

Had a morning in the field at long last today. It was quite windy with just a hint of westerly in the northerly wind so I decided to check out Eskilstorpsstrand. On the way I picked up a nutcracker in Sinarpsdalen that flew alongside the car for 200 metres. At Eskilstorppsstrand a kittiwake floated past and got me excited but the wind direction made my the site uncomfortable so I relocated to Båstad. I swear the wind veered north whilst I drove round because when I got sat down on the breakwater I was still in the wind! Nothing doing here anyway in an hour, just ten grey heron east.

Checked out Klarningen next. Plenty of birds here with 1200 greylags topping the bill. Careful searching revealed at least eight white-fronted geese (three 1K) and four tundra bean geese. Also present were 43 barnacle goose, two shoveler and three pintail. A 1K marsh harrier here was my latest BK bird and 1K hen harrier put in a performance too.


On the way home I checked out Älemossen and was rewarded with great views of a great grey shrike, six red kite (a big migration day for them) and three jays.

In the afternoon, the kids and I just had time to check Stora Hultsstrand and kicked up two more jack snipe for the already large BK total this autumn.

get by with a little help

Been busy of late. Wednesday I was working and picked up at least three two-barred crossbills at Hov again. The next day I was working nearer Torekov at Varan and had my first rough-legged buzzard of the autumn through and a jay was knocking about here too. In the evening I took the kids for a quick walk along Ranarpsstrand and kicked up two jack snipe.

Yesterday we dragged a load of bedding and food down to Grytskären and spent the night in the shelter there. We have been promising the kids we would do this all summer so we decided to get it done before things get too cold! It rained overnight but this did not produce any birds in the plantation in the morning, apart form a single goldcrest and great spotted woodpecker. A flock of 11 parrot crossbills that dropped in very briefly were my first for a while though. Luckily reinforcements were in the field to help me out. Mikael Olofsson relocated the Lapland bunting at Lervik for us (as well as gripping me off with a Caspian gull...).

 A typically confiding Lapland bunting, my first of the year.

Later  Håkan Johansson texted in a red-throated pipit on the beach at Vejbystrand, so we checked Storahultsstrand on our way to checking it out. Then exhausted by our overnight activities we returned home to chill out! A goshawk burst out of a roadside hedge in Lervik as we headed home. Good session but not my own work!

It was better than this in life - honest. Red-throated pipits on the deck are always welcome.

pink-foot

1K peregrine over Klarningen today - it made a great deal of effort but failed to catch anything

Jet-lagged but pleased to be home after an epic dragonfly tour to Malaysia. Had a few hours in the field today in amongst the domestic chores. Two hours at Klarningen were excellent. Birds present in good numbers today including a staggering 102 ruff, 96 wigeon and 8 shoveler. A 1K peregrine kept me entertained by dashing about after birds. Other notable sighting included little grebe (1), gadwall (male) and 25 stock dove. I walked part of the site hoping for a red-throated pipit but drew a blank. Walking the dry pea-field did throw up a surprise though when I flushed a great snipe.

1K pink-footed goose - only my 4th BK record

In the afternoon I headed for Stora Hultsstrand - not so much wader habitat here now but the site did produce a single immature curlew sandpiper in amongst 20+ dunlin. Last stop of the day was at Ranarpsstrand, a good choice because an immature  pink-footed goose was present with 200+ greylag geese.

calidrids at last!

Dodged rain showers most of the day but wound up with five BK year-ticks for my troubles. The weather of the last few days suggested that waders might be on the ground in BK and the obvious place to look after my quick recce last week was Stora Hultstrand. Sure enough the rotting weed here had a nice gathering of waders including; bar-tailed godwit (1), curlew sandpiper (2), sanderling (2) and turnstone (4). All BK year-ticks. Also here grey plover (1), knot (13), redshank (9) and wood sandpiper (1).

After lunch I managed an hour at Klarningen. The harvested pea-field here was partially flooded and rammed with birds. Best of the lot were my first BK pintail of the year but also in attendance were ruff (11), snipe (12+), curlew (7), wood sandpiper (2), spotted redshank (4) and greenshank (10+).

what no calidrids!

Had a good look around a few likely wader haunts in BK today and drew a blank for any calidrids. I checked out the coast between Torekov and Ripagården and Vejbystrand to Ranarpsstrand without any really notable birds coming my way.  A few species are obviously building in number though as we slide into autumn, including golden plover (80+ during the day) and Sandwich tern (15+). The only indication of any passerine migration was 8 crossbills south at Ripagården.

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.

big bird

Strong easterlies this morning, so only one option, go birding. I checked out the coast between Stora Hult and Ranarpsstrand and hit pay dirt big time. Stora Hult was quiet just a little ringed plover of note and just one redshank (they seem scarce this spring). North off Grytskären in the distance I could make out a flock of common scoter just offshore.

Moving onto to Grytskären I got out of the wind and started going through the 300-strong scoter flock. They were close and busy, feeding actively and very difficult to work through. I glimpsed a black scoter candidate but it vanished in the melee. It took one-and-a-half hours to finally clinch the identity of this bird and all the time the light was deteriorating. I would see the bird briefly and it would dive or immediately be hidden. I questioned my judgment during it's frequent long absences but thankfully did not give up. At one point the whole flock was up in the air, spooked by a low-flying crane, but mercifully circled round and landed even nearer! Finally the bird surfaced at the front of the flock and there it was, a fine male black scoter swimming along. I put the news out and walked north in a state of disbelief, I had just found a BK first.

I had gone just 50 metres when a falcon came in-off right in front of me, my bins revealed that it was a male red-footed falcon! It caught a few small insects in the lee of the plantation but hardly deviated from it's easterly track. With the realisation of the black scoter sighting starting to hit home and only my second BK red-foot under the belt shortly after, the adrenaline really hit home. What a morning!

In the afternoon we checked out Klarningen hoping for a black tern but the place was rather quiet. Just single pairs of gadwall and shoveler to get excited about, that is until a male peregrine stormed in from the west and worked the site over very thoroughly but without result.

quick look

Had a quick half hour in the field this afternoon around Stora Hultstrand. Another big flock of 350+ common scoter was hanging around off Vejbyhamn and the white-tailed eagle was still sat out on Grytskären. We went south out of BK to take a closer look at the scoter flock and I was immediately punished by a flyby woodcock - a potential BK year-tick. I nearly saw it enter BK airspace too but it went behind a fishing hut at the crucial moment.

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).

hawk owl again

This morning I nipped out for a couple of hours checking the coast between Stora Hultsstrand and Ranarpsstrand. Stora Hult had the best birds with three BK year-ticks (green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker (!) and red-necked grebe), plus a nice male smew. Elsewhere a small flock of 17 fieldfare and a white-tailed eagle graced Grytskären.

In the afternoon we all searched for the Skummeslövsstrand glaucous gull, once I realised one was around. It has been present since the end of January and I cannot believe it has not strayed into BK. Last thing we checked Älemossen for the hawk owl and were rewarded with a brief 'scope view.