Christmas Pine Marten

Look who popped in on the Goshawk feeding station on the night of Christmas eve!

Rough-legged Buzzard keeps coming

Our new feeding station for Rough-legged Buzzard (possibly the first of it´s kind?) keeps working fine. This (seemingly) adult female is probably the same bird that held a winter territory on the spot last winter, just as we were building the hide. Yesterday we saw it hover over the grass areas, hunting for voles, after having fed itself lunch from the bait we put out. Since Short-eared Owl was seen the week before, there´s probably some voles around. Great Grey Shrike was seen nearby yesterday as well. Indications for a good winter season. First three pics by Simon Green.

A day in the Goshawk hide

A full day in the Goshawk hide yesterday was very exciting. We first saw a Short-eared Owl as we installed photographer Niclas Ahlberg from Stockholm in the new Rough-legged Buzzard hide. Then we - me and my 23-year-old son Simon Green - put ourselves in the Goshawk hide. Eventually a juvenile female appeared and spent some 40 minutes feeding. A short visit from her mother added to the experience but didn´t produce any pictures. At the end a Pygmy Owl whistled at dusk. A great day to be one of the darkest of the year. Simon got these nice pics of the juv Goshawk.

The World´s first feeding station for Rough-legged Buzzard?

Our new feeding station for Rough-legged Buzzards (and photo hide) got a kick-start to the season when swiss photographer Pascal Favre visited us and got some really nice pictures of this beautiful and showy raptor. To our knowledge this might be the only feeding operation for this northern raptor in the world! Welcome to visit Birdsafarisweden in the Black River Valley for some Winter raptor photography! See more of Pascal´s excellent work from his week in sweden on his own webpage http://www.pascalfavre.com/SuèdeSweden/2017/

Northern lights over the Black River

It´s not often that Northern lights/ Aurora borealis gets documented in our area. Yesterday there was an alert out that it could be possible to see over big parts of Sweden. Luckily Margot and Roger Cattin from Germany where out and got some pictures over Lake Gussjön.

Wolf photographed in the Black River Valley

Since about a year back, theres´s been reports of tracks and droppings from Wolves in the Black River area again. There are at least 6 wolf territories in the county Västmanland, but all are west of us. This is the first time a wolf has been documented in the area for several years. Pictures by Alf Johansson (5) and Ulf Broberg (1-4).

"Nutskimmer" puzzles

Autumn is a great time to photograph Nutcrackers in the Black River Valley. They are busy collecting hazel nuts for the winter and happily take the peanuts we offer as well. The individual in silhouette (bottom picture) is aberrant with a ring of red, bare skin around the eyes, and an unusually long lower mandible, creating an underbite impression - a bit like a Skimmer in fact - a "Nutskimmer" perhaps! ;) and is also extremely unshy. Some experts have given it a diagnosis. I´m not so shure.

Bluethroat on bicycle track

A Robin-like bird jumping on the side of a bicycle track in central Sweden is usually most likely to be…just a Robin. However this time of the year (late August - early September) it isn´t at all rare to find a Bluethroat. Carl von Linné gave it the scientific name Luscinia svecica, back in 1758, meaning "the Swedish Nightingale". It still fills me with a very old-fashioned nationalistic pride when telling people this!

Osprey season final

The Osprey photography season is nearing it´s end but yesterday they were really at it. Several times we had 5-6 Ospreys around the boat, eager to catch the fish (local bream) that we throw them. We believe this is the only operation in Europe where you get such great possibilities to photograph fishing Ospreys at close range on an open lake. Young, talented photographer Simon Green, got some nice pictures.  

Hornet Moths in my garden

For the 2.nd summer I found Hornet Moths (Sesia apiformis) in my garden in Fläckebo. These creatures look like wasps or hornets but are in fact Moths in disguise. They lay their eggs under the bark of poplar trees. It can take them up to three years to develop from egg, through larvae and pupae to full imago. This is the third species of Clearwing Moths I have encountered in the garden this summer.

Clearwing encounter

Found 2 Large Red-belted Clearwings or Mygglik glasvinge in swedish (Synanthedon culiciformis) in my garden in Fläckebo yesterday. I thought they where another species first, actually the Raspberry clearwing (Pennisetia hylaeiformis) but this was more unexpected. These little creatures are in fact Moths even if they look like something else.

Great Grey Owl encounter

Some days you are just more lucky than others. Like when this Great Grey Owl flew towards me twice and eventually just passed 2 meters above my head as I crouched down in the vegetation.

White-backed Woodpecker

The White-backed Woodpecker is struggling for survival in Sweden. Very few pairs are breeding despite several years of releasing captivity-raised birds in traditional breeding areas. Last year was hopeful after a good influx of eastern birds in the autumn. There are certainly more birds observed this year again. This female seems to be the same (ringed) bird spending the winter in the same area for the last three years. Nevertheless always a good bird to see.

Who likes a Mandarin Duck in Sweden?

Nobody likes a Mandarin Duck in Sweden…or do you? Well I beg to differ. This bird has been eluding me for years, although often present in the east harbour area of Västerås. The other day I finally got it and I must say I was impressed, what a stunning bird!! What a fantastic blend of colors. Look at the deep blue on the shoulder for instance. I didn´t even know it had that patch. Nevermind it´s a category D-bird on the Swedish list. Just enjoy it! In fact I met several birders there eager to get it on their year-list. :)