No diver!

Frost this morning and flat calm at Kattvik. Could I find the great northern diver? No!

Kicked off at Kattvik at dawn. Great birding here, as is often the case, one of the many places in BK that I do not get to enough. Highlights here included; goosander (1, west), Slavonian grebe (2), little gull (1K, west), black woodpecker (1), waxwing (30) and rock pipit (1). Eventually I conceded that the diver was not present and went searching for it towards Yttre Kattvik; more divers here with black-throated (2) and red-throated (4) but no joy with GND. Another 35 waxwing flew over west and best of all I found a chiffchaff feeding along the road (my first in November). Whilst these guys are still around, my dreams of a Sibe this autumn are intact... Checked out Norrviken too for the diver but just rustled up a bunch of red-necked grebe (4) and another rock pipit.

Gimpy, the red-backed shrike, is adopting an over-wintering strategy, I do not fancy the odds.

In the afternoon I escaped out again and headed for Ripagården. Bumped into Mikael Olofsson and had a chat and he pointed out another chiffchaff. Afterwards I followed this bird up and found another close by that looked good for tristis, but views were brief and the bird failed to call. Moving on I headed for the red-backed shrike, it was showing well, left wing still drooping and it looks like this bird will not be heading south this year. My first record in November. Will it make it into December? Other birds here included; black guillemot (1), grey wagtail (1) and crested tit (1).

Rainy Ripagården

Red-backed shrikes have got a bit scarce this month - this 1K bird was my first and indicative of a slight fall of migrants at Ripagården.

Had a mid-morning walk around Ripagården, with Number 2 and Mrs B today. Light rain fell throughout and it was grey and miserable. A few birds around though. A red-backed shrike in the car park suggested that there might be a few migrants about and there were, but only in low numbers. Highlights included a hunting 1K goshawk, a bar-tailed godwit, one sand martin sitting in the rain with 50 swallows, a garden warbler and two sedge warblers in the reedbed. The crested tit remains in the wood, in a flock of its colleagues. Whinchats (4) and wheatear (1) featured at Ripagården, and many more had dropped out overnight on the high ground along our meandering route home through the hills.

Mystery bird photo - I seem to specialise in these.

Odds and sods

Migration continues with icterine, garden and marsh warblers coming through nicely. This red-backed shrike was new in at Torekov this morning.

Had a quick look at Torekov and Norra Ängalag this morning before breakfast. Not much doing but a few icterine, gaarden and marsh warblers singing. After breakfast Number 2 and I headed out to feed the ducks at Båstad - not much here either just two dozing goosander and only three mallard to feed! Checked out Klarningen next.

Trouble at mill. Water levels at Klarningen are dropping fast, they were tinkering with the wind-pump today. Work on the bird-tower continues, it should be finished just in time to watch the last of the water evaporate!

Klarningen was quiet, a ringed plover was new in, otherwise just the usual resident wader team. On the way home we unsuccessfully checked out a reported red-breasted flycatcher at Dömestorp, but were rewarded with a hawfinch vociferously chasing a jay and rescued a stunned blackcap from the road.

Road casualty - hope he made it.

Birding - 11/08/09

Young red-backed shrikes were noted at both locations birded today - always a pleasure to see these little guys. I get the impression that they arrived back in slightly fewer numbers on the patch this year, so hopefully they have had a good season.

A tiny fragment of heathland remains in BK, part of the Älemossen bog complex. The area is drying out fast. Sadly black grouse is on the verge of extinction locally, this used to be a lekking location.

An elephant hawk-moth caterpillar was a good find for the kids.

More rain and more birding. Took the family out to eat blueberries at Älemossen in the morning and to see what was moving. At this time of year, when passerine migration is changing up a gear and everything is trickling south it can be fun to see what you can find in the upland areas away from the coast. First bird up this morning was a fantastic wryneck flushed into a hedge by Number 2 and me, it gave reasonable views after a bit of work. This can be a hard bird to find on the patch but August is the month to find one. Other notables included crane (3 adults), red-backed shrike (2 family parties), tree pipit (10), spotted flycatcher (3), jay (1) and (do not laugh) my first long-tailed tits of the year (!!). Not sure what happened to the latter - was last winter really that harsh? Just need to find a bullfinch for the year on the patch now!

After lunch took Numbers 1 & 2 out for a walk at Ripagården. A big gull flock just inland had an adult lesser black-backed gull. The beach held nine common sandpipers and a Temminck's stint. A whooper swan was floating just off Hovs Hallar. Did a bit of a seawatch whilst the kids amused themselves with the sole of a shoe, other tideline debris and a quantity of sheep dung. I know, I know, I spoil them, but they are my little angels... Not much went past south, except six common scoter, a little tern and a bar-tailed godwit. If the forecast winds arrive tomorrow morning it may be worth a dawn sea-watch...

Birding - 24/05/09

Red-backed shrikes are fab. I remember doing my stint protecting the last pair in the Brecks at Santon Downham in 1986...

Spent a couple of hours last night chasing quail. Could not hear any but I should not have gone on Saturday night, the roads were surprisingly busy. The thrush nightingales were superb though. This meant no early morning session again today. Did get out to Glimminge with the kids - pretty quiet here although there was a little ringed plover pair on the beach and a male shoveler loafing about.

In the evening Mrs B and I headed out to walk between Hovs Hallar and Ripagården. Very pleasant but again quiet with spotted flycatcher (1) about the best of it.