Sleeping phalarope

30:th of May 2010
Red-necked Phalarope sleeping.

Stretching phalarope

30:th of May 2010
Red-necked Phalarope tretching it´s wing.

Gorgeous Phalaropes

30:th of May 2010
Today we spend most of the day on the high-plateau Flatruet in Härjedalen, watching birds in increasingly good, sunny weather with only mild winds. The first Long-tailed Skua, Willow Grouse, Merlin, several handsome, singing Lapland Buntings and Bluethroats, plenty of Waders singing and displaying are among the good birds we note. The bird of the day is voted the Red-necked Phalaropes. A pair gave us real quality time down to less than one meter´s distance. Religious!

Gyr on shelf

29:th of May 2010
Gyr Falcon female on nest warming 2 (10-day-old) chicks that have just been fed.

Downy Emerald seasonstarter

25:th of May 2010
I actually did see the first Dragonfly last week – a Ruby Whiteface (Leucorrhinia rubicunda), but this Downy Emerald (Cardulia aenena) is looking so muchg better in the blooming Bird cherry in my garden.

Rosefinch delight

25:th of May 2010
The sun and warmth is back after a rainy period. In my garden Wryneck, Icterine Warbler (the first this year) and a beautiful Common Rosefinch is singing. The picture doesn´t quite do it justice but with my little camera it´s the best I got.

Great Grey performing

20:th of May 2010
The Great Grey Owls are really performing well this year.

Good Ural year

21:st of May 2010
The ural Owls seem to be doing good this year. The average clutch size is so far above 3,5 eggs/chicks. Not bad. Last year was an all-time low with only 3 chicks ringed.

Scoter´s gone

20:th of May 2010
The first observers where on site 03.00 this morning but nobody saw the Surf Scoter from yesterday anymore. The story hit local media with radio interview and the regional newspaper vlt.se

Surf Scoter on Fläcksjön

19:th of May 2010
A fine day with gardening to the sound of Common Rosefinch, Wryneck and Pied Flycatchers. When I go down to the lake Fläcksjön to count the Black Terns in the evening I find a flock of ducks resting on the water. 4 Common Scoters, 2 Velvet Scoters and a stunning male Surf Scoter! A lifer for me and a first for the county (Västmanland). No pictures due to little too long range. Well twitched by some 50 people. Gone this morning of course. Some pics on Markus Rehnbergs blogg!

Late Capercaillies

30:th of April 2010
Capercaillies are leking very late this year and the culmen is probably right now as we speek. Henrik Karlsson got a couple of nice shots last week though. See more of his excellent work on his own website!

Interesting bat

29:th of April 2010
This gorgeous, cute, little bat comes flying towards us by the wetland at Ängsö castle and suddenly posts in a tree next to us. Any idea of the species?

Looking irate

29:th of April 2010
He looks a bit irate the little bugger.

Climbing bat

29:th of April 2010
Climbing up.