Common Clubtail

18:th of June 2010
The first Common Clubtail (Gomphus vulgatisimus) I have ever seen in Västmanland. Sandflodtrollslända in swedish.
Female or immature i believe since the adult male is green rather than yellow. Correct me if I´m wrong.

Singing Bluethroat

11:th of June 2010
The true Swedish Nightingale of the mountains. Luscinia svecia.

Mating season

11:th of June 2010
It´s quite rare to see birds mate and especially gorgeous, colourful, charismatic and sought after birds like these Red-necked Phalaropes. I got 4 shots on them doing it and they all turned out so good that I can´t keep any of them from you. Bear in mind I only have a small camera.

True Phalarope love

11:th of June 2010
These Phalaropes are really having a go on each other.

.. and again..

11:th of June 2010

and again..

11:th of June 2010

Hawk Owl male found

12:th of June 2010
Today we find the Hawk Owl male (or at leas the other parent) – looking much smarter and above all cleaner. Compare with the blood-stained, dirty face of the more aggressive female below.This one sits by a perfect clearing with small haybarns and a grassy meadow totally infested with voles. Must be a haven for Owls here!
Whinchat, Pied- and Spotted Flycatchers, a bif female Goshawk and a Rough-legged buzzard is seen at he same site.

Hawk Owl faceless

12:th of June 2010
Just a little turn on the head and he looks absolutely faceless...

Hawk Owl flies

12:th of June 2010
.. and he flies. After this he perched in a small pine tree for a short while and then hovered low over the meadow just like a kestrel and soon caught a big, juice vole.

Hawk Owl bonanza

11:th of June 2010

Alarming Hawk Owl

11:th of June 2010
In the afternoon we find a Hawk Owl sitting on a telegraph wire by the village. As we approach she get´s alarmed and calls out loudly.

5 Hawk Owl chicks!

11:th of June 2010
In the birchforest by the river we discover no less than 5 Hawk Owl chicks! One is big enough to fly a little bit, most of them are perched rather high up in the birches, except for the smallest, who sits near the ground and unfortunately is injured or hurt on one wing. Maybe pecked at by Magpies?

Hawk Owl chick

11:th of June 2010
What a great, little fellow!

Hawk Owl chick face

11:th of June 2010
..and a close up.