Hard work!

Did plenty of walking along the coast today hoping for a Sibe - no joy. Still confident, goldcrest numbers are climbing and there are a lot of chiffchaff around...

Kicked off the day with a little light garden work, repaid with a lesser spotted woodpecker nearby. Light movement of fieldfare and redwing evident too.

Took Mrs B and Number 2 out for a quick walk around Glimminge and Vasaltheden in the morning. We were hoping to cosh off the black redstart reported yesterday but my relationship with this species on the patch remains poor (yet to be self-found, miss half the ones I twitch). At Glimminge, greylags were still on the move and curlew (1) and redshank (1) were on the shore. The cover at the edge of Vasaltsheden had three jays and a chiffchaff and a lone crossbill flew south. Back inside the plantation we found a big flock of 30 goldcrests.

In the afternoon I was dropped off for a four-hour walk between Segelstorpsstrand and Rammsjöstrand. Segelstorpsstrand produced a huge total of nine chiffchaff, as well as one blackcap and another party of long-tailed tits. Öllövsstrand had four chiffchaff, a few goldcrests but was swarming with finches and sparrows. A flock of 50 brambling were feeding along the shoreline here, also big flocks of greenfinch (50) and tree sparrow (200). But the best was a flock of 40 twite feeding on weeds in a crop of beet. Vasaltheden was hosting some thrushes with plenty of blackbirds and fieldfares and a few song and mistle thrushes. A second look at Glimminge produced a jay and two bullfinches. Finally I found a good flock of tits near Rammsjöstrand but the best it could come up with was one coal tit. Walking out I discovered a small, newly-created wetland just back from the coast. Might pull in birds but is sure to be interesting for dragonflies when it matures.

Twite!

Three twite at Ranarpsstrand today were a nice little bonus. I saw so many recently in Georgia that it took me some time to realise that it was a BK year-tick (210).

Checked Ranarpsstrand again this morning. Been very quiet here for wildfowl lately but still two greenshank and a grey plover knocking about. Wildfowl were migrating through though with lots of greylag heading south after the last two nights of frost and a nice flock of seven bean geese sneaking past too. The almost flat calm sea and great light allowed good viewing of three Slavonian grebes and a razorbill. Out on Grytskären an imperious peregrine kept a look out, occasionally sallying out to persecute some passing migrant (unsuccessfully). Three twite came to see me at the end of the watch, tame little fellahs.

Spent just over an hour walking Segelstorpsstrand hoping for something special. More greylags going over. Also migrating rough-legged buzzard (1, 1K) and woodlark (1). Worked hard for a total of five chiffchaff and double-figures of goldcrest.

Picked up the kids in the afternoon and whisked them off for 45 minutes at Påarps Mal in the sun. No sign of any shags again, I seem to be struggling to connect at the moment. Did see one grey plover and a big flock of feeding golden plover (285) nearby at Slätteröd.

Foggy Sunday

Did a short session before breakfast at Påarps Mal, but a hard frost overnight meant that the coast was fog bound. As I drove towards the site at dawn I was constantly dodging grounded robins and song thrushes. The car park had a good number of calling brambling too. Out in the gloom I could hear small numbers of grey and golden plover and a lone dunlin.The fog lifted briefly and I enjoyed hunting amongst the goldcrests in the coastal juniper - just one chiffchaff and one blackcap.

After lunch we all went out to check Klarningen to find Martin Åkesson on site, we had a pleasant chat which made up for the low number of birds on site. The geese seem to have gone through and we could only scare up about 100 wigeon, 32 golden plover, a dunlin and 8 ruff. Buzzard migration was obvious though with 55 through in an hour. Big day for them.

Leave calmly by the nearest available exit

Plenty on the move today, Sweden is being inexorably drained of migrants. Walked the coast between Norra Ängalag and Ripagården this morning. Raptor migration was noticeable straight off with rough-legged buzzard (1, my first of the autumn) and at least 32 sparrowhawks all in-off. A short stop at Gröthögarna to enjoy this spectacle resulted in five brent geese past close-in and 100+ barnacle geese in a high flock south. Several flocks of jackdaw too this morning. Ripagården had a few birds on the ground, including; lesser black-backed gull (1), grey wagtail (1), blackcap (1), long-tailed tit (8, my first BK birds since January!), willow tit (heard), crested tit (1) and the red-backed shrike (1). Walking back I had a hunting ringtail hen harrier at the back of Gröthögarna.

Picked up the team and we went for a picnic at Dagshög. Not much happening here until a Lapland bunting flew past calling away. Afterwards we checked Torekov harbour (2 guillemots) and the rev which had a single brent goose, four grey plover and a bar-tailed godwit (my latest patch bird). [Others had pale-bellied brent and curlew sandpiper during the day, which would have been nice.]

Big vis mig missed this morning but caught the back-end somehow

Worked in the garden this morning, there was no indication of the epic vismig going on further north and I was happily clueless. We did get out after lunch though and walked Segelstorpsstrand with the kids. There were a few things knocking about here, a wood lark over was nice and redpoll (2), common crossbill (12) and parrot crossbill (7) were all recent arrivals.

Much later Mrs B and I went for a therapeutic walk without the kids between Stora Hultsstrand and Ranarpsstrand. During the walk we had a total of wood lark over south. Big day for wood lark with over 150 south from nearby Grötvik. Other highlights included; barnacle goose (5), red-necked grebe (1), oystercatcher (1), curlew (2), snipe (4), greenshank (1), grey plover (2), wheatear (1) and mistle thrush (7 south). Just one chiffchaff during the day and still no sign of any Siberians.

Bawling bairns

Had a noisy and wet hour and a half at Klarningen with a disgruntled and rather stroppy child (Number 2) this morning. When things returned to calm, normality we had a pleasant time watching a small flock of golden plover (60) wheeling in the air above the car, our only refuge from the rain. Also on the ground here were; wigeon (70), teal (60), ruff (2) and snipe (at least 10). You do not have to spend too long at Klarningen before something flies in or past and this morning we were rewarded with 10 white-fronted geese which pitched into the stubble just north of the wetland.

On the way home we stopped off at the top end of Eskilstorpsstrand for red-necked grebe (2), common and velvet scoters and three cracking black-throated divers.

The kids kicked up a rumpus in the afternoon too, so I packed them in the car and we headed out for a walk around Öllövsstrand. This is a lovely bit of countryside, coastal and packed with cover and one day I will find something good here! This afternoon's highlights included fourteen grey partridge, a redstart and a flock of 50 linnets.

Patch tick!

I am not sure my thrash-birding approach to getting over this cold virus is working but at least I am seeing some birds. Kicked off this morning by walking Ripagården to Hovs Hallar, hoping as ever to hear a Siberian warbler or pipit to add to the patch list. No joy on the scarce migrant front but did get some good birds. The best thing was my latest ever red-backed shrike (1K), feeding quietly but looking a little tired (origin?). My first in October. Also here a monumental 10 jays, five over-flying parrot crossbills, a redstart (another October first) and a close white-tailed eagle.

This white-tailed eagle flew up from the beach on the way back to the car at Ripagården this morning.

Drove to Torekov next and was passing the golf course when I saw this hunting...

Ooooh, a 1K red-footed falcon, perhaps only the second recent BK record and an excellent patch-tick.

Yep, a red-foot, got really close and took some truly awful flight images (not the above, took that later...), before it flew off east and away. The photos were so poor, I almost bought a DSLR on the spot. Another day. Headed to the rev next and was surprised to find very few birds on the ground; grey plover (3), dunlin (1) and bar-tailed godwit (1). Had a good look in the woods which produced a few goldcrest, more jays and a nice green woodpecker. As I walked back a lonely brent goose batted past north.

Driving home I could hardly believe my eyes when I spotted this on roadside wires just outside Torekov...

The same wires that gave me a hawk owl last year... It was equally tame and allowed a swift redress of the photographic balance. Sweet!

Sandön calling!

Limax maximus - the leopard slug, out during the day at Hasslarp.

Panic on the streets of Sandön.

The culprit, a 2K+ white-tailed eagle.

If these SE winds keep blowing we will be able to walk to Denmark soon. I have never seen Sandön so low.

With errands to run off-patch it was time to hit the coast between Farhult and Sandön in a flurry of flying visits. Also managed to squeeze in a short look at Hasslarps dammar first off. Pretty quiet here despite a good number of wigeon (185), as well as shoveler (10), gadwall (1) and little grebe (1). A few song thrushes knocking about and small flocks of chaffinch were often spotted flying south.

Tried Rönnen first, lured by tales of the flock of little stints that have taken up temporary residence. Six! Fantastic. Also here white-fronted goose (2), ruff (1), spotted redshank (2) and greenshank (1). As I walked back to the car a slow procession of an eventual total of 8 migrating jays drifted west just inland.

Farhult was fabulous. On arrival a very close 1K hen harrier appeared over the dunes and fought with the local crows. All the geese went up - white-tailed eagle and before I could look at it, I noticed a migrating short-eared owl going west offshore. Spoilt for choice, I opted for the owl (a year-tick) and watched its leisurely progress abruptly interupted by a group of greater black-backed gulls. Meanwhile the eagle was casually checking through the geese for the odd lame duck. The geese included a further 12 white-fronts. Plenty of waders here too with oystercatcher (10), avocet (1), ringed plover (3), grey plover (10), knot (2), dunlin (150) and bar-tailed godwit (1). As I trudged back to the car, my peripheral vision noted an Arctic skua harassing a common gull, it quickly gave up and flew off south and inland. Not a bad 55 minutes.

Last stop of the day on this whistle-stop tour was Sandön. The place was packed with geese, all up in the air, as the same white-tailed eagle did the rounds. Fantastic numbers and if I learnt one thing in Norfolk it was how to go through geese. The majority were greylags, but with perhaps 2500 barnacle geese in attendance. It did not take long to get to a count of 23 white-fronts and more diligent searching unearthed two tundra bean geese, a cackling goose (plastic) and best of all a single pink-foot. Gone are the days of the easy pink-footed goose year-tick. Each one is lovingly appreciated and enjoyed nowadays. Other notables here included; water rail (1), grey plover (4), knot (1) and coal tit (1). As I drove back home, the white-tailed eagle followed me into Ängelholm, a huge companion on a great day of local birding.

White-fronts!

Walked between Ranarpsstrand and Segelstorpsstrand this windy morning. A light passage of blue tit, chaffinch, siskin and barn swallow evident. Ranarpsstrand had five migrating white-fronted geese, sneaking through in a flock of greylag geese. Also here grey partridge (2), grey plover (1), curlew (1), dunlin (24), redshank (1, scarce at the moment) and greenshank (2).

Had a good look around at Segelstorpsstrand for migrants, but did not turn up anything. Some good stuff though with a nice adult black-throated diver (1), lesser spotted woodpecker (1) and my first coastal jay on patch. The latter are really moving this autumn.

Back at home, working in the garden was interupted by two hawfinches, giving a few flybys and even landing on occasion.

Lazy Sunday afternoon

Anyone for tennis? Best thing today was the currently quite regular red squirrel in the garden. They get more annoying in the winter when they start attacking my fat balls... errm...

Managed a short walk at Killeröd this morning, but I have finally succumbed to a nasty cold after fighting it for a week. Not much seen although willow tit was nice. The probably highlight was a flock of geese, mostly greylag geese but I thought I could hear pink-feet too. The kids were making a racket though and we had to let it go...

the nutcrackers are coming!

Walked between Norra Ängalag and Ripagården this morning before breakfast. A scattering of migrants evident on the walk with small numbers of song thrush, redwing, fieldfare, chiffchaff and goldcrest. The trees at Ripagården produced a tit flock, including crested (1) and willow (1), but no sign of any Siberian interlopers.

For lunch we all went out to grill stuff over a fire. Tried Glimminge first but too windy (curlew 1). Headed for Eskilstorpsstrand instead. After lunch we walked the beach for black-throated diver (3), Slavonian grebe (2), ringed plover (2 - getting scarce), grey plover (2) and dunlin (5). On the way home we stopped off at Klarningen for a quick look - nothing much to report, just 14 ruff remain. Driving home we found single nutcrackers just outside Båstad and at the top of Sinarpsdalen. Nutcrackers are on the move, brace yourselves!

October!

Enough sun this morning to get the last few Sympetrum danae at Klarningen on the wing.

Well we got to October, conditions look excellent for a 'patch' yellow-browed warbler but can I find one?

Nipped put to Klarningen for two hours before lunch. More work being done on site so after a brief look from under the tower (stairs nearly done!), I went for a walk. The main pool was still hosting the flock of 40 barnacle geese, as well as equally stable counts of wigeon (86), teal (105) and pintail (2). Waders included golden plover (5), dunlin (5), ruff (16) and snipe (6).

The highlight of the walk around the north end was a single jack snipe flushed twice and seen well in flight before it flew across the river to Eskilstorps dammar. Looking over into Eskilstorps dammar produced a single gadwall in amongst the mallard. I still need this for Klarningen but it looked settled today! A glance through a flock of flying wigeon produced a single shoveler. The riverside trees were as usual during migration periods quite good for small birds and produced 5-6 goldcrests, already looks like we are going to see more of these little chaps this year than last autumn.

On the way home more evidence of migration with a hawfinch over the road at Eskilstorp and a jay in Sinarpsdalen. The latter moving in good numbers apparently this autumn.

After lunch went out to pick sloes at Norra Ängalag - rather quiet, although a nice flock of 160 goldenplover on the inland fields. A quick stop for shag at Påarps Mal failed but the garden at the end of the lane had four crossbill and a blackcap.