postcard from Öland

The last weekend in April saw us all on a long weekend in Öland. I love this island in the spring. Things were fairly quiet for us however, although a few days before a Caspian plover had been present... The best bird we had was a pectoral sandpiper. Number 1 and I did a pre-breakfast bird walk one morning and driving back we overtook this excellent red kite.

Wrynecks were singing at a few locations, we found this one whilst searching unsuccessfully (again!) for smooth snakes.

 We stayed at Stenåsabadet, which was quiet for migrants in the rather bitter NE wind but we did find this female collared flycatcher on the last morning.

On our way off the island we stopped at a small reservoir near Skogsby and enjoyed the Sympecma fusca.

Four-fingered salute!

Birds all over BK this morning with this wryneck at Ripagården showing well in the same bush as my first BK red-backed shrike for 2012.

I always like to bird on my birthday and today produced a great session in conditions conducive to grounding migrants. Started off with an hour at Klarningen before breakfast and the school-run. All was quiet here with the a pair of cranes, two male garganey floating about, eight wood sandpipers and a ruff. The place was nearly empty of duck, with just nine teal and two mallard remaining. I was contentedly taking in this tranquil scene when my composure was abruptly shattered by the arrival of a skinny-looking harrier! Scope on and I could hardly believe my eyes - a 2K male pallid harrier was giving me the birthday flyby! It went through on a mission, just circling once on it's way north-east. Amazingly this was the first of three pallid harriers to be seen migrating through NW Skåne today. It looks like last autumn's birds are heading back by the same route they went out. Will this species become a regular feature? A great start to the day whatever.

After my birthday breakfast and some light taxi-driving I headed over to have a look at Gröthögarna. The walk was dogged by occasional light showers but the birding was good, so I was not complaining. The highlights of nearly four hours here included three spotted redshank, five wood sandpipers, as well as my first thrush nightingale and spotted flycatcher of the year. The biggest surprise came when I flushed a jack snipe from the edge of the pool in Dalen. This is a rare bird in May here and it even called that squelchy frog-like call that is seldom heard (I've only heard it from one other individual in BK). Otherwise Ripagården provided the best action with a fine wryneck, my first BK red-backed shrike of the year and a trickle of raptors that included four honey buzzards.

A mini-flurry of four honey buzzards hit the coast at Ripagården at midday. My first of the year.

Last stop of the day was Torekov rev. Heavy rain hit as I arrived but that did not stop me spotting three turnstones flying about from the car. A chat influx was evident too, the rev heaving with wheatears and a single whinchat. Somewhere to the south another thrush nightingale was singing. Nice end to a productive day.

A glorious mixed-bag and a patch tick too!

A classic patch day and a sure sign that autumn is upon us, managed a few little mini-session and amassed a great haul of birds. Nipped out in the morning after sorting out the team and checked Ehrenstorp. This site has been good for wryneck in August in the past and it did not disappoint this morning. I had a wonderful ten minute encounter with one of these crazy woodpeckers - a patch year-tick.

Not sure what went wrong with this one, it was quite dark but perhaps I shouldn't have had the camera on the 'fireworks' setting. It was a great bird!

Also here one very close migrating honey buzzard, a dozen mistle thrushes and both spotted and pied flycatcher. Although BK has 55 kilometres of coastline, in August you are better off looking for common migrants on the higher ground. A quick look at Klarningen in strong SW winds and occasional heavy showers produced two whooper swans, shoveler (3), ruff (6), greenshank (1) and wood sandpiper (4).

In the afternoon I had 20 minutes at Vejbystrand and neighbouring Stora Hultstrand, the wind was very strong and the sea was incredible. Waders were clinging on at Vejbystrand with knot (2), curlew sandpiper (2, 1K), dunlin (4) and bar-tailed godwit (3). Right by the fence that marks the boundary between the two minicipalities was a beautiful broad-billed sandpiper - just 30 cm off-patch! Not to worry though, I flushed it south and poked my telescope over the fence to look into BK and there were two more on Stora Hultstrand. Result, my first patch 'flock' of these northern beauties. Also here knot (1), Temminck's stint (1) and curlew sandpiper (1, adult).

Arriving home later after the school-run, I realised rather late in the day that sea-watching was happening. The wind was strong but I thought it was too SW for seabird action. Things were happening to the north though, so I gave it a couple of hours at Yttre Kattvik at the end of the day. Just terns moving for me, but quite big numbers and it was no surprise when an adult black tern came past close-in. Patch tick! There have been so many around this month that is was slightly inevitable but still a great moment. Tomorrow looks monster for sea-watching and I will be squeezing in sessions around my various domestic duties and hoping for the best...