Angarn; 19th June 2009

Yellow Wagtail, a male bird of the prevalent blue headed form. A lot of these about, very vocal at the moment whilst they are feeding young.

Marsh Harrier, female type showing moult on the inner primaries

Redstart, an adult male, a nice bonus picked up whilst waiting on the bus home!

Green Woodpecker, my first image of the species, also put in an appearance at the bus stop, landing on a telegraph post across the road from me. Hopefully my days of frustrating glimpses of this species whilst I am carrying a camera are over and I will soon get some good quality photos of these lovely birds....

Pied Flycatcher, male bird, seeing a lot of these this week...

A female Yellow Wagtail calling...

Angarn Marsh. The reserve looks really well at the minute, water lavels are good and lots of lush vegetation everywhere. Looking forward to returning wader passage here in a few weeks time...

Osprey immature, the local pair have fledged four young this year and all six birds were a wonderful sight fishing over the marsh....



Midsummer trip to Angarn today was pleasant, some good birds and reasonable weather helping events. Upon arrival 6 Osprey where immediatly picked up over the reserve, two adults and their four young as it happened. Watched these birds for a while as they fished before I was treated to views of one of the birds being mobbed by an adult Hobby high over head! 4 Marsh Harriers then appeared from the reeds and the sky was suddenly full of raptors...

Yellow Wagtails everywhere at the minute, all busily feeding fledglings. Other birds noted included Wheatears, Wood Sandpipers, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting. A while later I was listening to the raucous song of 2 male Great Reed Wablers. the best bird of the day, though not seen.

A double hit of good fortune saw me pick up a cracking male Redstart and an adult male Green Woodpecker from the bus stop on the way home, managed some photos of these two before heading off!

Sandemar; 16th June 2009

A male Red Backed Shrike in breeding habitat, a superb looking bird...

Spotted Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher, a male in summer plumage....

Red Backed Shrike, a female on the hunt for food...

Eider, female in flight.

Male Common Rosefinch, a better shot today...

Tree Pipit, several breeding pairs noted today.



Went back to Sandemar today for the secong day running, alas the Red Necked Phalarope was not present. Somewhat simular birds to those seen yesterday, thankfully the weather was a lot better and I was happy to get some better images today with the camera. A poor day for raptors, with little of note suprisingly, also no Caspian Terns either. Despite that a nice day, the highlight perhaps the super views of Red Backed Shrikes, four pairs located today....

Male Whinchat; always a stunning bird at this time of the year....

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern

Male Common Rosefinch; rather elusive today and kept their distance from the camer, three males located singing....

A female Common Rosefinch, more obliging than the male, well almost....

Garden Warbler; a hard bird to photograph, my first image of this skulking species...

Meadow Pipit; plentiful around the reserve...

White Tailed Eagle; one of a pair of adults that floated over the reserve...

Pied Flycather; a female looking for food to feed her young...

White Wagtail

Spotted Flycatcher

Whitethroat

Pheasant; couldn't resist a snap!





Sandemar Reserve today on a mission to see Red Necked Phalarope, not to be unfortunatly. To my huge frustration I heard later that the bird flew into the area after I had left, an adult male in front of the tower! despite the dissapointment a lot of birds around, the best being a superb pair of Caspian Terns which flew by early on. Rosefinch were in evidence everywhere and a pair of adult White Tailed Eagles was a great site overhead. Whinchats, Red Backed Shrikes, Thrush Nightingales, Osprey, Green Woodpecker, Spotted Redshank, Little Ringed Plovers, Wood Sandpipers kept the interest up. A Marsh Warbler was a nice find, the bird singing from dense cover. Pied Flycatchers, Spotted Flycatchers and Icterine Warbler were found in the wooded areas, whilst a Redwing sang also. Plenty of common migrants about such as Willow Warbler, Swallows, and Swifts.

A bonus bird on the way home was a superb Great Reed Warbler at Farsta Strand, having popped by in the hope of connecting with it on my way home.

Canada Geese; Farsta; 15th June 2009

A feral species here in Stockholm, much maligned by some, still gave me some nice photo opportunities today, several confiding birds preening at very close range. A few of the better shots above....

Blyth's Reed Warbler, Djurgarden, 13th June 2009

Blyth's Reed Warbler. One of two seen today both singing males, this bird giving me tremendous views throughout the morning. A lifer for me and a very welcome addition it was too.

The birds rear often appeared pinched, due to the short primaries mainly. A remarkable singer and mimic...

This shot shows the well defined supercilium and dark loral area rather well, both important features in the identification of this tricky species, easy when the bird is a singing adult, a different proposition in autumn on passage in more diificult conditions...

On occasion could very much recall Chiffchaff, as well as Booted Warbler. Given a brief view in late autumn the identification of this species could well prove a nightmare without good views. The birds call was a great aid to both locating and identifying the bird, a Lesser Whitethroat like "Teck", rather loud and would certainly draw ones attention if given from cover...

Again the ability to recall Booted Warbler or Chifchaff was remarkable when the bird raised its plumage and took on a more rounded form. The upperparts colouration was very much light dependant and in dull light the bird appeared a light sandy brown. In sunlight olive tones were more obvious...

Sang constantly. This birds song was a mix of soundbites borrowed from other species, a wonderful mimic. Within the song I recognized amazingly accurate snatches of the following species songs and calls, Swallow, House Martin, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Song Thrush, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Wryneck, Goldeneye and Thrush Nightingale!

The bird sang from the reeds whilst I was there, though did prefer to sing from low bushes beside the footpath when left alone. The other bird also displayed a simular habitat preference and sang constantly from the low trees close to the water...

This shot shows the short primary projection quite well, the bunched primaries clearly much, much shorter than the length of the exposed tertials. By far the best feature given a decent view. Note again the apparent change in tone, the bird now appearing a darker brown colour above...

Not the clearest of shots due to the early hour and some foreground foliage, nevertheless a very useful shot showing a range of features. Note the short primary projection and well defined supercilium, the latter noticable over the loral area and extending just beyond the eye....

The so called "banana posture". Quite how these so called features attain any standing with regard to specific identification is a bit of a mystery to me. In three hours of observation the bird appeared to adopt this posture briefly twice! Surely Reed Warbler can manage to contort itself in a simular manner at least as often! In short would certainly recommend concentrating on plumage and structure, should you be lucky enough to come across an unstreaked acro with a Lesser Whitethroat like call....




A really nice morning spent on Djurgarden today, from 05.30am. The news of a singing male Blyth's Reed Warbler came as no surprise when it broke. Though rare around Stockholm a few are located each year at this time when they are in constant song through the evening, night and early morning. News of a second male less than 100 metres away was more exceptional and I made the trip this morning. Remarkably, both these birds are just a stones throw from the city centre, a species I had never seen before today.

Upon arrival both birds were immediatly located, both singing constantly. Watched the original male for a while before deciding to concentrate on the second male which was showing very well in the reeds and offered better views. In the end a very rewarding morning, plenty of photos, sketches and notes obtained on the species, which I would now be happy to tackle on a remote headland back home in Ireland should I ever be fortunate to stumble upon one some october morning....

Hobbies, Östra Styran, 27th May 2009

A Hobby hawking a dragonfly in mid air, this shot took four hours to get. Finally got the image I wanted thanks to four of these beautiful falcons feeding over the reeds at the reserve.

Hobby feeding in the air, the prey a dragonfly.

Hobby in flight...

Hobby feeding on the wing. Watching these birds hunting and feeding on the wing is a breathtaking sight, these birds are the ultimate flying machine...

Another shot of a feeding Hobby, one of the easiest moments to photograph them, whilst they are reasonably stationary in the air...

Hobby in flight, holding food in the talons.

Accelarating upwards after spotting prey...

Hobby taking a dragonfly in mid air, the tail fanned and pushed forward helds to slow the bird down, The longer I watched I realized the birds actually use the tail to help trap the dragonfly, the bird almost folding over the prey in mid air on occasion...


Östra Styran was the destination today after news broke of a Red Footed Falcon was found the previous day. Was impressed by this site on my first visit, a large wetland with huge expanses of reedbeds, along with an superb observation tower. Unfortunatly the Red Footed Falcon was gone, but there was a huge bonus in the form of 4 Hobbies, all of which were hawking for dragonflies over the reserve. Left the tower in order to concentrate on photographing these wonderful birds. Have seen these stunning falcons many times before, but never had views like today of what I can only describe as supersonic flying machines. Had truly breathtaking views as the birds hunted round me, an amazing desplay of aerial grace that will live long in the memory. Got the photos I wanted in the end and was truly delighted to get some good images of these birds as they hunted prey before me..

Collared Flycatcher, Magelungen, 21st May 2009

Male Collared Flycatcher, a few slightly better photos managed today...

With Magelungen close to Ågesta and the Collared Flycatcher still reported present, I just could not pass up a second go at getting a few more photos of this stunner. The bird is now present a week at this site and displaying in a resindential garden by the lakeside. Arrived at 17.00, the bird not present at first, though it did begin to display just 20 minutes later. The bird showed fairly well at times today as it sang and I managed a few slightly better photos than my previous visit.

Ågesta; 21st May 2009

Male Swallow.

Ågesta meadows are now strewn with dandelions as far as the eye can see....

Canada Goose leading her new family over the meadows.

Swift, large numbers have now arrived and are constantly hawking insects over the reserve..

Ågesta Reserve.


A short afternoon trip to Ågesta reserve was a nice way to spend an afternoon, the reserve is ablaze with dandelions at the minute, the meadows surrounding the wetland sparkling with spring colour. This compact reserve is an excellent birding site and boasts an impressive list of rarities and a nice variety of breeding species. Best today was a calling Spotted Crake, unusual to hear on of these birds in daylight in my experience. Swallows, Martins and Swifts were everywhere overhead, Yellow Wagtails fed in the meadows and Sedge Warblers sang from the reedbeds. Raptors were represented by an Osprey fishing, a pair of Buzzards and a single Goshawk with prey clutched in its talons high over the marsh. Thrush Nightingales provided a backdrop of song throughout. All in all a very nice afternoon....

Collared Flycatcher; Magelungen; 18th May 2009

A stunning male Collared Flycatcher...

The bird sang constantly for 40 minutes...

At rest high in the trees..

Went out to Magelungen in the hope of connecting with a male Collared Flycatcher, the bird having been present for four days now. I had made the trip on friday evening, though it was late and I did not see it. This time my luck was in, the bird was singing when I arrived at 5pm and I enjoyed views of it as it displayed above me in the trees. A cracking male bird and well worth the trip. The photos were taken at about 50 metres range, a little distant, but once againg the camera and lens performed remarkaby well and the results are a set of perfectly good record shots...

Nuthathch; Magelungen; 18th May 2009

A couple of shots here of a Nuthatch taken whilst watching the Collared Flycatcher. The bird had a nest in an oak tree and were feeding young, these shots taken as the bird approached the nest...

Thrush Nightingale; Landsort; 17th May 2009

A singing Thrush Nightingale....

Cropped image...

This bird knew exactly where I was at all times...

This is one species that is really hard to photograph! Spent 90 minutes crawling around today in order to get these shots as I knew that as soon as the spring foliage comes into full leaf these birds are practically impossible to view.

Seven males were located today on Landsort, all of which were singing constantly. This bird was the only on that was not singing from the midst of dense cover and I decided to try my best to get some shots of it. In the end I found myself lying prone on a rocky outcrop overlooking one of the birds favourite perches, and eventually the bird returned to it to sing. I am quite sure the bird knew exacty where I was at all times, though eventually the urge to sing overcame its shy nature. It may not be the gaudiest for birds to look at, but the sing is surely one of the most impressive in europe. I have added a link to allow the song to be played below, just click on play....

http://www.soundsnap.com/node/4142

Arctic Terns; Landsort,; 17th May 2009

Arctic Tern with a small fish...

Note the shorter, all red bill in comparison to Common tern as well as ash grey tones on the underparts. Note also the tiny feet. Smaller bill, combined with a smaller, more rounded head combine to give the bird a slightly different appearance to Common Tern...

Display posture...

Another display posture...

Arctic Tern is a passage migrant on the baltic coast, so it was nice to find these birds around the harbour on Landsort. The birds were confiding and allowed me to take plenty of photos.

These birds are champion migrants and are probably the species that undertake the longest migration of any species on the planet, a journey that can take them from the coasts of antartica to the coast of the arctic and back again. Spent a while with the bird before boardng the ferry, watching it display.

Arctic Terns; Landsort; 17th May 2009

Some more photos here of Arctic Terns, several birds loafing around a breeding colony on the rocks in the harbour area. No nests yet, the birds just starting to prospect nest sites, one or two birds were soiled on the breast where they had been clearing the way for a nest with their breasts, attempting to make a shallow depression in the soil in cracks in the rock base...

Had originally thought Arctic a rather uncommon migrant, though have been informed by Raul Vicente, a regular visitor to Landsort, that 10-15 pairs breed in the northern harbour. Initially assumed these birds to be Common Terns due to the dark tip on the bill, though as Raul has pointed out to me, the Arctic Tern can show a dark tip to the bill. Other features such as the primary projection and small bill confirm this identification...

Landsort; 17th May 2009

Male Ortolan Bunting, a real surprise on a difficult day, a cracking bird...

Willow Warbler, Sodra Udden.

Common Gull

Arctic Skua, a dark morph bird, the photo taken from the ferry at some distance....

A day of two halves really, the first half the weather was fine, whilst the latter part of the day was ruined by constant rain and saw me sitting in shelter for four hours!

Arrived at 08.00am to find little evidence of migrants. A dark morph Arctic Skua off the ferry provided an early highlight, though a chat with a ringer at the bird observatory confirmed the island was dead migrant wise. A thorough check of the south tip at Sodra Udden led to a few Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Common Whitethroat and a female Redstart, scant reward from an area that can be crawling with migrants in the right conditions. Checked the area around the observatory thouroughly for little reward, then on to the north end, with Lesser Whitethroats and Willow Warblers all alond the road. A Spotted Flycatcher and a male Redstart were welcome finds along the way. Norra Udden, when I arrived was full on Thrush Nightingales. Two Wryneck were heard calling whilst I was working hard to get some photos of the Thrush Nightingales. Then, whilst lying on a rocky outcrop, my attention was drawn to a bunting atop a nearby tree by its call. Then the song started as I looked on through the binoculars at a superb male Ortolan Bunting, a brilliant bird that left me well chuffed with myself. It's been a long time since I saw this species last, perhaps ten years ago when I had two males in Poland. My only other sighting around 1992, when I found two juvenile birds on passage on Cape Clear Island in Ireland. These birds are declining steadily throughout europe due to changes in agricultural practices, a real shame as thay are truly lovely birds.

Later in the day, from noon in fact, it bucketed down rain. It let up a little at 3pm., when i had a nice surprise agian in the form of an Arctic Tern, photos above. Left the island rather happy, a few good birds winkled out of the island in tough conditions....