Owl, Lynx and howling Wolves

25:th of April 2011
Once again, the night offers Great Grey Owl and Lynx! Beautiful combination. As if that was not enough, two guests in Capercaillie photohides could enjoy several howling Wolves during the night.

Amazing Lynx video

Watch this amazing video of the 2 Lynx showing for three days in the Black River area now! Courtesy of Lars Karlsson.

lazy Lynx

22.nd of April 2011
Here it lies for an hour or so. Two animals have been on this site the last three days now.

more Lynx

22:nd of April 2011
Climbing up the rock.

Lynx on the move

20:th of March 2011
A lynx is spotted crossing a field in the forest. We approach and look carefully but don´t see it until I pass the spot a 2.nd time and look really carefully. Then I see it, lying flat in the grass just some 25 meters away. It stares back at me for some seconds, then it jumps up and starts to run away.

Lynx sitting

20:th of March 2011
Then it stops and turn around for a little while. Looking at me again.

Capercaillie season kickstarts

17:th of April 2011
Earlier this week there was no sign of any activity on the leking grounds, but today at least 4 males and 3 females appear on a lek. Showing rather well.

Pygmy in daylight

16:th of April 2011
During our morning excursion a Pygmy Owl appears in broad daylight. What a brilliant bird.

Ural Owl premiere

15.th of April 2011
The first 3 Ural Owl nestboxes for the season are getting checked. 2 females with 2 eggs each indicate the vole population might not be as strong as expected. But a good start though.

Excellent Lynx views

14:th of April 2011
On the way back to the hotel a Lynx is spotted sitting some 20 meters from the road. I had just showed the group where I saw my first some years ago and there it is - on the very same field. We turn the car around to point the lights at it and amazingly it stays. As we back a bit and get out of the car, taking out the telescopes, it just slowly moves a little and stays in good view for another 15 minutes. Unbelievable! Just a little too dark for pictures.

Great Grey first

14:th of April 2011
The first british spring group (from the Travelling Naturalist) arrive in good weather and in perfect time to see the first Great Grey Ow appear just before dusk. (Not good enough light for perfect pictures.)

Great Grey blurr

14:th of April 2011
..and after having caught a big, juicy vole it flies off... but keeps hunting til dusk when we leave.

Migration in the air

13:th of April 2011
Despite a little cold wind, there´s migration in the air today. 22 Waxwings fly north over my garden and this flock of Common Cranes is soaring for a good while, gaining heights on the termals and pushing on northwards.

Butter season

12:th of April 2011
First day with all 3 early Butterflies flying, Peacock, Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell. Chiffchaff and Hen Harrier.

Garden full of Bramblings

10:th of April 2011
The garden is full of Bramblings today, they come to the sunflowerseeds and their calls are filling the air. Lovely. Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Yellowhammers, House- and Tree Sparrows are mixing together on the grass by the feeders.

Capercaillie on the road

5:th of April 2011
This rouge Capercaillie male is acting wild and crazy in the same area for the 4:th year in a row. If it´s the same bird. He defends his territory so the trick is to respect his boundaries. Which could be difficult for passing by cars and unknowing visitors. The phenomenon with rogue Grouse is mostly explained as an effect of a natural but abnormal hormone overdose. It can occur among Black Grouse as well and even females. This Capercaillie is active in Västergötland in the south central Sweden.

Roadside ranger

5:th of April 2011
A roadside ranger?

Caper closeup

5:th of April 2011
The beast is a beauty.

Close Cranes

4:th of April 2011
I woud dare to say that there´s no other Crane-site in Europe where you can see so many Cranes so close. The crowd of 15.000+ Cranes stand down to 25 meters from the fence that separates them from the human crowd. Strangely enough it doesn´t feel like a zoo, it feels great!

Dance is in the air

5:th of April 2011
This Crane kept jumping up and down more than others. Sometimes causing eruptions of dance in the group.

Grebemania

5:th of April 2011
Behind the dead trees an impressive amount of Waterbirds are lying. The species that totally dominates the soundscape is the Red-necked Grebe, at least 40 are counted and their donkey-like harsh calls are filling the air. 4 Black-necked Grebes are found among plenty of Coots, Tufted Ducks, Great Crested Grebes, etc. I´ve never seen so many Rednecks, but this kind of concentration can happen years like this, when the ice still covers most of the lake. One year 180 Rednecked Grebes where counted on the same spot at a similar occasion.

More Cranes

4:th of April 2011
Cranes, Cranes, Cranes.The oak trees make it look like Extremadura. doesn´t it?

Back to the Cranes

4:th of April 2011
Back at Trandansen – the major Crane feeding site at Lake Hornborga, we can enjoy the cranes in some good light on the rolling hills.

Storm over Lake Östen

4:th of April 2011
The wind blows up as we arrive to Lake Östen, where we wanted to see the 15.000 Bean Gesse that staged in the area recently. The fair wind seems to have pushed them northwards, we can only find some 50 or so birds. But Osprey, Marsh Harrier, White-fronted–, and Pink footed Geese and some Pintails among others is all welcome eyecandy. A nice place too.

4 lovely ladies

4:th of April 2011
These 4 lovely birdwatching ladies from Norfolk, England are visiting their favourite country. Luckily I got the opportunity to guide them again. Thank you for a lovely time Celia, Julia, Judith and Liz!

Fågeludden at Hornborga

4:th of April 2011
The visitors center at Fågeludden – knows as Pagoden (the pagode) - standing on stilts in water with birds swimming all around it. Slavonian Grebes often breed less than 10 meters from the boardwalk.

Landing Cranes

3:rd of April 2011
In the drizzly afternoon – Cranes are steadily sailing in from above.

Crane Churchview

3:rd of April 2011
The church is a good backdrop to the flock.

Hornborga view

3:rd of April 2011
The view over the Crane feeding site at Lake Hornborga is just always so impressive. My first visit in svereal years and the Cranes are in by thousands. Newly arrived Redwings and White Wagtails in the air.

Tons of Swans

2:nd of April 2011
The number of Whooper Swans are building up on the stubblefields at Solinge, Svartådalen. The migration season of Whoopers is very delayed this spring and now it peaks rapidly. In a few days it will be over. These birds are on a tight schedule for Finnish and Russian breeding grounds. At least 800 are counted in one single field today. And 500+ Bean Geese too.

Swans with Cranes

2:nd of April 2011
Among the Swans some 250-300 Common Cranes feed too.

Bewick´s Swan

2:nd of April 2011
A single Bewick´s Swan in the outskirts of the flock looks a bit lonely. Bean Geese in the background.

TV4 on bird migration

1:st of April 2011
Max Pröckel from regional TV4 pays a visit to the valley and takes the temperature on the spring bird migration. It´s hot! See the clip here!