Introduction
My time for bird watching in Sweden is coming to an end. I have a very few days remaining before I will go for my fire fighting course at Öckerö Maritime Centre and I will spend the looking for birds in Skåne.
My Guide
No Guide required in Skåne
Land transportation
• Rented car
I have rented a Volvo from HERZ
Accommodations
Marina Plaza, Helsingborg: 22 May to 26 May 2019
My room at Marina Plaza
My room at Marina Plaza
My room at Marina Plaza
Weather / climate
Sweden in April and May, could be summer and it can be winter, or anything in between. In the South I hope to have sunshine and the summer in good progress. And I might be lucky Skåne and Öland and I can walk around in shorts and shirt. But it can as well be winter and I need to pack a lot of clothes this time.
And coming to Skåne and Öland I might be lucky and I can walk around in shorts and shirt. But it can as well be winter and I need to pack a lot of clothes this time.
Weather in the spring
Visiting in the spring time and you really need to pack a huge bag. In the morning it is below zero so I have packed full winter equipment, parka jacket, warm hat and gloves. And of course warm socks. In the late morning you will have to change the winter clothing to “spring” clothing, a wind breaker.
If it is sunshine the temperature is easily reaching 20°C at lunch time and that can easily be almost 30°C. If you have a car it is no problem, just keep everything in the car and change as the day proceeds and you ae ready for any weather changes you will run in to.
South of Sweden - Climate & Temperature
Pictures from www.climatemps.com
South of Sweden - Climate & Temperature - Click picture for full size picture
Pictures from www.climatemps.com
Equipment
Canon 5D Mk. III and Canon 5D Mk. IV
Canon EF 28-300/3,5-5,6 L IS USM
Canon EF 70-200/2,8L IS II USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens
Canon Speedlite 600EXII-RT flash
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II
Panasonic HC-W585 video camera
Sound recorder
ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder
References/Resources
www.natursidan.se Excellent page, but in Swedish only
Visit the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and choose between Swedish and English
Naturum - visitor centres in nature - A naturum is a visitor centre with activities and exhibitions, located at several of
Sweden’s national parks and nature reserves. Here, you will be welcomed by friendly, knowledgeable staff who will answer your questions and guide you through the area’s sights of interest.List of Swedish National Parks (With information about every park in English) from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, click HERE .
http://www.nationalparksofsweden.se - Stenshuvud National Park information IN ENGLISH about Stenshuvud National Park
http://www.nationalparksofsweden.se - Söderåsens National Park information IN ENGLISH about Söderåsens National Park
Visit Skåne - Kullaberg
Visit Skåne - Bird watching
Visit Kullaberg Nature Reserve
Kullabygdens Ornitologiska Förening A very good page with hot spots and information - Their hot spot map can be found HERE - IN SWEDSIH ONLY!
ebird - Find birding hotspots with bird checklists from all over the world
Avibase - is an extensive database information system about all birds of the world, containing over 25 million records about 10,000 species and 22,000 subspecies of birds, including distribution information for 12,000 regions, taxonomy, synonyms in several languages
Cloudbirders - Read birding trip reports from all over the world
Fatbirder - Linking birders worldwide... Wildlife Travellers see their sister site: WAND
Fatbirder is a fantastic web page with information from, I think every country in the world. My first stop when I plan for my bird watching trips. There is information about locations and guides, well, pretty much everything you need to know. Sometimes this is the only place I need to visit to plan my trip.
BirdingPal - find a birding Guide around the world
And the web page you cannot live without. I have been around the world looking for birds. I usually have a Guide, but sometimes it is not possible to find a Guide. So, well, I have lost count onhow many times I have had help to ID birds at BirdForum. Joining this forum have been very very good for my bird watching experience.
www.birdforum.net
ClimaTemps.com is the place to learn about the worlds climates with more than 4000 locations documented. Each aspect of the climate is represented using colour enhanced tables and professional graphs so that data can easily be compared by switching between locations in different tabs in your browser.
Collins Bird Guide
The Collins Bird Guide is a field guide to the birds of the Western Palearctic.
Its authors are Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney, Dan Zetterström and Peter J. Grant, and it is illustrated by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterström (with two plates of North American passerines contributed by Larry McQueen). It has been described as "undoubtedly the finest field guide that has ever been produced", and "the last great bird book of the 20th century".
It was originally published in Swedish and Danish in 1999, and in English in hardback in the same year, and later in paperback. A large-format English edition has also been produced, as has a German and Dutch edition. The first edition was translated to 14 European languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch and German.
A second edition, revised and enlarged, was published in January 2010. A series of updates and corrections were made in 2015, with no change to the edition number.
The cover of the first edition, in all formats, depicts a barn owl. On the second edition, this was replaced by an arctic tern.
Cover of the first edition
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15538546
Eleven pages of introductory material are followed by the book's main content: 366 pages of text and colour paintings. The text for each species gives brief status notes, followed by a section detailing identification, and concludes with a section on voice. Accompanying most species accounts is a small colour map showing breeding, wintering and migrant range.
The guide is also available as a paid-for app, for iPhone and Android devices. The app includes all of the text and images from the print edition, as well as audio recordings. Additional data can be bought separately; the first such package being a set of distribution maps for 271 species, from the British Trust for Ornithology's Bird Atlas 2007–11.
All versions cover Europe, North Atlantic islands, much of North Africa and the Middle East.
Most of the species covered in the main part of the guide are regular breeding, wintering or migrant species in its area of coverage, although some vagrants are also included. There are additional sections giving brief accounts of (a) vagrants and (b) introduced breeding species and species recorded only as escapes.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Many bird watchers around the world know this book simply as “The Svensson”
Naturum - visitor centres in nature
A naturum is a visitor centre with activities and exhibitions, located at several of Sweden’s national parks and nature reserves. Here, you will be welcomed by friendly, knowledgeable staff who will answer your questions and guide you through the area’s sights of interest.
All naturum visitor centres offer guided walks and demonstrations, slide-shows and theme nights. You will also find literature and multimedia here to immerse yourself in. In addition, there are brochures and information boards offering tips on beautiful nature trails and footpaths.
The nature experience starts at naturum
At naturum, you can learn almost everything there is to know about the region’s plants, birds, insects and animals. You can also learn about the cultural history and geology of the area as well as people’s relationship with nature and their impact on it. Information about the area’s national parks and nature reserves and why we need to protect and take care of our nature can also be found here. Join us on an activity in nature!
Opening hours and programmes
All naturum are open during the summer and many are open most of the year. Special demonstrations for school classes and other groups can be booked throughout the year.
Discover Sweden’s national parks
There are 29 national parks in Sweden. Find more information about each national park in the alphabetical list on Swedish Environmental Protection Agency´s web page, click HERE .
Places to visit
The plan is to visit the below birding sites before leaving Skåne
• Söderåsens National Park
• Kullaberg
- Björkeröd
- Kullen Lighthouse
• The Krapperup Estate
• Hasslarps dammar
• Rosendal Lunden / Wetland
Söderåsens National Park
Söderåsen
Söderåsen is a northwest-southwest elongated bedrock ridge in Scania in southern Sweden. On Söderåsen is Scania's highest point at 212 m above sea level. It is intersected by several fissure valleys. The ridge extends from Röstånga in the southeast to the Åstorp in northwest.
Söderåsen National Park is located 30 km east of Helsingborg in Scania.
Söderåsens National Park
The Söderåsen National Park is a designated area of about 16 km2. Söderåsen national park established in 2001 in the municipalities of Klippan and Svalöv. It ranges from the Skäralid ravine in the north to the Nackarpsdalen in the south. It was already a protected area, and when it became a national park, the protection of the land increased.
Some of the noted features in the national park are the Oden Lake in Nackarpsdalen and the viewpoints Kopparhatten, Hjortsprånget and Lierna along the Skäralidsdalen.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Söderåsen National Park is the largest unbroken area of protected woodland in Northern Europe on a designated area of about 16 km2. It’s a popular destination for nature lovers wanting to spend time hiking and leaving the stresses of the modern world behind.
The National Park was established in 2001 and is situated on and around a ridge in the centre of Skåne, about 40 kilometres east of Helsingborg. The countryside is varied and offers everything from leafy deciduous forests and precipices with high cliffs to streaming watercourses and panoramic views.
Entrances
1) The park's main entrance is in Skäralid, where you'll find hiking information boards and the Naturum Visitor Centre. Address: Skäralid 747, 264 53 Ljungbyhed
2)The second entrance is in Röstånga. The tourist office provides you with maps and information. Address: Nackarpsdalsvägen 4, 268 68 Röstånga
The national park have a Naturum visitor centre at the main entrance. From here you have colour coded trails in to the national park. Map can be found by clicking HERE .
There are a big parking area at the main entrance and it is about 100 meters to walk to the visitor centre.
Walking to the visitor centre
There is a beautiful lake
You will find a restaurant and Naturum at the visitor centre. In front of the visitor centre we have a lake and BBQ / picnic areas. A beautiful place. You have some colour coded trails staring from here and one of the trails takes you around the lake.
Trail around the lake
Visitor centre from the trail
Beautiful forest
Beautiful forest
My eBird checklist from Söderåsens National Park 22 May 2019, click HERE
My eBird checklist from Söderåsens National Park 25 May 2019, click HERE
Kullaberg
Kullen boasts a rich birdlife. This is due to the many different environments existing on the hillside, but also its geographical location between two vegetation zones in Europe – the central European deciduous forest and the northern boreal coniferous forest. The guided bird hikes start from the lighthouse and can be booked in advance or alternatively arranged on a drop-in basis. There can be large numbers of migrating and resting birds. Bring along your binoculars. The guide has a telescope which you can look through to spot birds at a distance.
- kullaleden.se
Trail map from the information folder “Kullaberg nature reserve” that you can download HERE
Driving to Kullaberg from Helsingborg and you follow road #111 to the north. Reaching Kullen and you turn left at the last intersection before Mölle. Turn right to go to Arild. After turning left you frive for 300 meters and you see a sign saying Kullaberg Strövområde (Trekking area) to the right. At the end of the road you will find a paring area in Björkeröd.
From here you will find colour coded trails around Kullaberg nature reserve. See the trail map HERE
Turn left at the last intersection on road #111
Turn right to reach Björkeröd
Björkeröd Parking area
Information boards
Park your car and you have a couple of trails to choose from. There is also a pond behind the parking where you can spot some seabirds.
If you continue with the car all the way out to Kullen Lighthouse and Naturum Kullaberg you will drive through the village Mölle and there are signs towards Kullens Lighthouse.
Follow the sign
Reaching the nature reserve
Reaching the nature reserve
End of the road and we park the car
You have to walk from the parking
BBQ and picnic area
Kullen Lighthouse and Naturum Kullaberg
Parking the car and you have to walk to Kullen Lighthouse and Naturum Kullaberg. There are picnic and BBQ area on the way there are small trails to be found around the area. Look at seabirds from the cliffs.
My eBird checklist from Kullaberg, Björkeröd, click HERE
My eBird checklist from Kullen Lighthouse, click HERE
The Krapperup Estate
To find the Krapperup Estate is easy. Driving towards Mölle on road #111 and you find the Krapperup Estate on your left hand side about 500 meters before the last intersection to Mölle and Kullaberg.
The Krapperup Estate
The Krapperup estate dates from medieval times, but the existing manor, except the wings, is from the 16th century. When the Podebusk family built the castle, Skåne was still part of Denmark. The seven-pointed star, which is Gyldenstierne’s coat-of-arms, was added to the facades at the beginning of the 1600s. Denmark lost Skåne to Sweden in 1658, with Krapperup’s first Swedish owner being Maria Sophia de la Gardie. In the 1700s, the Hildebrands and then the von Kochen family owned the estate, and it was finally inherited by the Gyllenstierna family, with the seven-pointed star, in the 19th century.
The state rooms, with their Victorian interiors, are all situated in the main building, leaving the wings for the family’s private apartments. The gardens, covering about 80 acres, developed during the 19th century from their previous formal and utilitarian design into the present romantic layout with winding paths, carp ponds, an abundance of rhododendrons and an attractive rose garden.
The former estate in tail of Krapperup was converted into a foundation in 1967. This was with the aim of preserving the castle and the gardens in their surrounding rural landscape. The estate continues to be run as before by the family, with a well-functioning agricultural holding of about 5,000 acres.
The old farm buildings around the former stable yard now house a museum and art gallery, a music hall and a small café and shop for visitors. The manor is open for pre-booked visits only, but the gardens are accessible throughout the whole year.
The Krapperup foundation supports scientific research within the region and has certain humanitarian undertakings, with several grants being awarded annually.
The park is open to the public and it is an eBird hotspot: and I decided to check it out. I have been driving past The Krapperup Estate many many times but I have never visited the park. So I hope to be able to see some birds.
There is a moat around the building and I spotted a mallard on my way to the Rosen Garden. The park is beautiful and walking down the park and you reach a pond and then in to the forest. There is also a forest trail at the bottom of the park.
The Krapperup Estate
The moat
The moat
Entering the Rose Garden
Leaving the Rose Garden entering the public park
A beautiful park
A beautiful park
A beautiful park
My eBird checklist from Krapperup Estate, click HERE
Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp
Hasslarps Dammar (ponds) south of the factory area were used by the sugar mill to wash the sugar beets. Today Hasslarp’s dammar have developed into a unique area for wetland birds and are frequently visited by ornithologists. In 1997, the municipality of Helsingborg bought some of the area for nature conservation.
Today there is a parking lot, information boards and two observation spots for bird watching and recreation. The pond area is possible to reach in some parts, while other parts are very overgrown. The quality of the water also varies wildly.
Coming from Hyllinge on Hyllingevägen (Hyllinge Road) and you see the old disuded sugar mill on your right hand side. Slow down and when you reach the sugar mill, just after having crossed the bridge over the stream. You have two places to park on the left hand side. The first place have room for two cars.
Park the car and you have trails between the ponds. First thing you pass is a big concrete area and you can find a lot of birds in the bushes. Pass the concrete and then you take right following the trail and you will soon hear a lot of Common grasshopper warblers.
Approaching the sugar mill on Hyllingevägen, we can see the bridge
Parking after the bridge
Walk in to the area
The concrete area
There are plenty trails in the area
Walking between the ponds
We can see the sugar mill from the pond area
There are sea birds on the ponds and small birds in the bushes and reeds. The area have now become a ringing area as well, as here are many birds during the migration.
This was one of my favourite places to visit during my bird watching in Skåne. There are one bigger parking area 50 meters from the first parking if you are coming on Hyllingevägen.
50 meter to the next parking
Second parking area on Hyllingevägen
You have another option as well, to enter the area from the west and you have parking and two bird watching platforms and 2 hides. But I could not find the access road to this area. I spotted a dust track covered with grass. I never tried to drive in to the area from this side.
My eBird checklist from Hasslarps Dammar 24 May 2019, click HERE
My eBird checklist from Hasslarps Dammar 25 May 2019, click HERE
Rosendal Lunden / Rosendal Grove and Wetland
Driving on the road between Väla Centrum and Hyllinge and you will pass a huge lake on the meadows. There is a sign saying ROSENDAL where you turn. Drive along the road and you have the lake on your right hand side. There are a lot of birds on the lake and drive slow as there are a lot of birds along the way as well.
Drive under the highway and coming out from the tunnel you have forest on your right hand side.
Sign to leave the road between Hyllinge and Väla Centrum
Taking off the road and we can see the highway bridge ahead
You have the wetland on your right hand side
Having passed under the highway and we have the forest on right hand side
Reaching Rosendal
Continue to the sign saying ROSENDAL and you turn right at the estate. Get up on the dust path and follow the south side of the forest. Keep an eye out for birds while driving along the road. There are really no options for parking driving along the dust path. But I managed to get out in the meadow to park the car.
Should be enough to just put in the car long enough for a car to be able to pass on the dust path. You are next to the forest and you can enter where ever you want as there is no trails in the forest.
Turn right and enter the dust road
Follow the dust road
Follow the dust road
No parking areas
No parking areas
No parking areas
Walking around in the forest, and it is not only birds around. You can both hear and see a lot of deer in the area. Birds, a lot of birds but they seems to be busy feeding young ones as they disappeared in to holes in the trees before I had a chance to get a picture.
Of course, the Chaffinch is to be seen everywhere together with the White Wagtail.
No walking trails in the forest
No walking trails in the forest
My eBird checklist from Rosendal Lunden / Rosendal Grove and Wetland, click HERE
Bird checklist
I never use any bird lists, but since I try to make it in to Cloudbirders . A very helpful site when planning your birding trips. But they ask for a bird checklist, and if I use their service, of course I want to contribute as well. My two first bird watching trip reports was rejected by Cloudbirders.
So I started to take ideas from the reports I found on Cloudbirders. So I have started to use bird lists, eBird generate one for me and I can post it on Cloudbirders. I will post my birds on eBird and on my different “BIRDS THAT I HAVE OBSERVED” pages.
Check lists can come in handy to find out the local name of the bird etc. And Avibase have a list with pictures and sounds, excellent!
So I will post bird checklists here and if my Guides provide me with checklists I will also post them here.
Skåne bird checklist from Avibase, click HERE
Avibase is providing you with bird checklists from all over the world. And I´m impressed by their web page. Select country and area and you get the bird checklist. Like the PDF files I got from Avibase on the links above. You also get the checklist with pictures and sounds.
The best part is that you get the local names of the birds and the online checklist gives the names in English plus the language you have selected. But it seems like the PDF cannot handle some alphabet.
For example the Japanese language so it is blank in the PDF checklist. But it worked excellent with Swedish. But you get them in the local language on the online version.
Bird list
I only listed birds I have got on picture before I started with eBird in November 2019. Now I record all the birds that I can identify. Before that see the DAY TO DAY reports and my lists of observed birds in different countries.
And you can visit my list of “ Birds I have seen in Sweden ”
My eBird checklists can be found HERE
Trip Report
22 of May 2019 and I woke up at Scandic hotel. Well, for this price I had expected much more. Much more per night than Marina Plaza and Marina Plaza is many times better. The only perk is that I don´t need to worry about any parking space. And no need to drive through the city leaving for a new birding adventure.
Scandic is just 2 minutes from the highway and I´m soon on road #E4 on the way towards Söderåsens National Park.
Söderåsens National Park
Park the car and walk up the hill to Naturum and when I reach Naturum I have a beautiful view over the lake in front of Naturum and the restaurant. Maybe 100 meters from the restaurant and the lake is below the restaurant.
Today´s track in Söderåsens National Park
So my first stop was of course at the water front. There was a bus driver sitting on the bench. She had brought school children for a day out in the wilderness. I could see a nesting Whooper Swan couple. The female was sitting on the nest while the male came swimming towards us.
There were also a pair of Common Goldeneye, one female and one male and it looked to be a couple, but no sign of any babies or nest. So they might have a nest next year.
The Male Whooper Swan came to say hello, followed by the Common Goldeneyes, most likely looking for food. There is a BBQ place close to the lake and I think the birds have got more than a few snacks here.
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
The Whooper Swan really came close and I got a few pictures that I was happy with. The female Common Goldeneye came pretty close while the male was more “carefull” A behaviour I have observed with many birds, of course, means nothing, but just an observation I have done. The male is long gone while the female is still left.
I White-throated Kingfisher pair made babies on Sri Lanka and the male took off and the female remained wondering what was going on. I was in the jeep looking to see if the male came back but I had to give up as he was never seen again.
Female - Goldeneye / Knipa
Female - Goldeneye / Knipa
Female - Goldeneye / Knipa
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
Male Whooper Swan with blue ring #9P30
The Whooper swan turned out to be a real nice fella. He came up on the beach to come to say hello. I spotted two rings around the legs and I managed to get a picture of the blue ring. Number 9P30 and I sent the picture to Ringmärkningscentralen.
If you find a ringed bird or ring you can report it online HERE or send the number to bird.ringing@nrm.se
Their web page is in Swedish only, https://www.nrm.se/rc But if you understand Swedish there are some interesting information.
Anyway, took a long time to get the answer, but ring 9P30 is a male. Ringed first time 27 March 2016.
The other metal ring has number X8702. The bird was ringed together with X8700. And 22 April 2018 X8700 and X8702 was reported as a couple with 2 babies from 2017
X8700, blue ring 9P29 was also reported by me at the same time as the 9P30.
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
Male Whooper Swan with blue ring #9P30
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
Male Whooper Swan with blue ring #9P30
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
Male Whooper Swan with blue ring #9P30
Male - Goldeneye / Knipa
Male - Goldeneye / Knipa
Male - Goldeneye / Knipa
I could see a Grey Heron approaching and the bird descending and landed on the other side of the lake. At some distance and I was not surprised that the pictures turned out to be shit.
There is a walk trail around the lake, the shortest trail at Söderåsens National Park and I decided to go to try to sneak up on the Grey Heron. I left my new friends behind, the bus driver, Whooper Swan and Goldeneyes and I started to walk along the trail. And it was a gorgeous trail along the lake side.
Grey Heron coming in for landing at Söderåsens National Park
Grey Heron coming in for landing at Söderåsens National Park
Grey Heron in Söderåsens National Park
Not so many birds along the trail, I think many of them are attending their young ones. But there were several wagtails and I also spotted a Willow Warbler when I reached the tree area at the western side of the lake. South side is a board walk along the side of the lake.
Walking back to the bench on the northern side and there is no clear view of the lake as it is covered with bushes and trees. I managed to spot the Grey Heron landing spot, but the bird was gone.
Back at the bench and I went to the restaurant to see if I could buy some bread for the swans. They didn´t sell any bread and I asked for the buffet. I asked if I could eat as much as I could. And yes, it was a normal buffet.
I asked for one buffet and a bag for bread.
- WHOA WHOA!!!!!! You have to eat here.
Well, now they found some bread for me and I topped it up with an Engelholms ice cream, maybe the best ice cream in the world. The ice cream was finished before I reached the bench
Engelholms Glass
Whooper Swan in the BBQ area
Male Whooper Swan with blue ring #9P30
Back at the bench and the swan are gone. The goldeneyes are nowhere to be seen. The male swan is at the BBQ area and it looks like he is looking for snacks. The female swan is at the nest on the small islet in the lake. The female can see my bread and she is coming across the lake like a rocket.
The female came ashore and I could get a picture of her blue ring and now I have two ring numbers to report.
Female Whooper Swan with blue ring 9P29
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
Female Whooper Swan with blue ring 9P29
Whooper Swan / Sångsvan
Female Whooper Swan with blue ring 9P29
I left Söderåsens National Park driving towards the other entrance in Röstånga, very close to Röstånga Gästiveregård. But it was not allowed to enter with the car so I continued to another eBird hotspot, Asks våtmark. A small lake just outside Röstånga and I will pass the lake on my way to Helsingborg.
eBird Report
Söderåsen NP, Skåne May 22, 2019 10:04 - 11:35
Protocol: Traveling
2.19 kilometer(s)
7 species
Whooper Swan 2
Common Goldeneye 2
Grey Heron 1
Common Magpie 1
Wood Warbler 1
Common Starling 1
Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail X
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56610056
Asks våtmark (Asks wetland) and this hot spot turned out to a parking next to the road. And from there you watch birds on a pond across the road with telescope. I had spent an hour driving around looking for an entrance to the pond area. I ended up on a farm and a farmer came out from a tractor.
I asked the farmer about a “famous” birding area. He told me that there used to be people next to the road looking at the pond with binoculars. I said thank you and I drove to Helsingborg to check-in at Marina plaza
Checking in and not long after that I was crossing the road to have some Skånska springrollas at Österns Pärla for my lunch/ dinner. To bed early and I will look for birds on Kullaberg tomorrow.
Österns Pärla
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 23 rd
of May 2019
and I left Marina Plaza 6 o´clock in the morning. Skipping the breakfast in order to be on Kullaberg as early as possible. I will visit tree places in Kullabyggden, two places on Kullaberg and then the park at Krapperup. First stop Björkeröd on Kullaberg where I have planned to park and walk to Mölle and back. Kullaberg - Björkeröd
Today´s track on Kullaberg - Björkeröd
I started my eBird ap at 07:10 and I started to walk towards west and Mölle. There are birds on the meadows but too far away for any pictures. 5 minutes’ walk and I reach to forest and from there it is walk through forest all the way to Mölle.
And like when I was here last year, a beautiful walk but no birds. I can hear some birds and I can see Chaffinches and Wagtails, but these birds are very hard to miss.
Leaving the parking area walking towards Mölle
Walking towards the forest
Walking through the forest
Reaching the trail to Mölle Mosse
When I come to the trail leading to Mölle Mosse, 100 meters down the trail. I walk down to the lake/ swamp and I walk along the lake/ swamp towards west. I spotted a Hooded Crow and that was about it. The forest was also full of Blackbirds but when I reached Mölle I had exactly ZERO bird pictures.
I had expected some birds at the lake/ swamp. Last year there was quite a few birds when reaching Mölle. This year it was dead around the water tower when I reached Mölle.
The trail to Mölle Mosse
Picnic table at Mölle Mosse
Mölle Mosse
Walking along Mölle Mosse
Reaching Mölle
I turn around in Mölle and I start to walk back to the parking in Björkeröd. Passing the trail down to Mölle Mosse and I see a mallard walking along the trail. But the bird disappears in to the forest when I approach. And I check the lake at the parking area when I´m back in Björkeröd.
No birds on the lake, well, 2 Mute Swans and I can´t say that I was very excited. But I got a 5 km walk out of the morning adventure on Kullaberg. I turned off my eBird app at 9 o´clock.
Female mallard on the trail
eBird Report
Kullaberg, Björkeröd, Skåne May 23, 2019 07:10 - 9:00
Protocol: Traveling
5.17 kilometer(s)
9 species
Mute Swan 2
Mallard 1
Common Woodpigeon 2
Hooded Crow 1
Wood Warbler 1
Eurasian Blackbird X
Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail 2
Common Chaffinch 4
Yellowhammer 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56643148
Leaving Björkeröd and I drive back to the road and I drive towards Kullens Lighthouse. Driving through Mölle and passing the gate to Kullabergs Nature Reserve. The gate is unmanned and there is no fee to enter the nature reserve.
Not allowed to drive all the way to the lighthouse since a few years. So when you reach the boom you need to walk a few hundred meters. No problem, it is a beautiful area.
Kullaberg - Kullen Lighthouse
Today´s track on Kullaberg - Kullen Lighthouse
Parking the car and there are of course Chaffinches and Wagtails. I could not see any seabirds today, otherwise there are always gulls flying around the lighthouse area. There was a Yellowhammer and a Common Whitethroat at the light house but the pictures was not turning out any good.
Walking back to the car and there is a Nuthatch in the forest. I meet two bird watchers when I left and we had a chat about what we had seen during the morning.
Common Chaffinch
Yellowhammer
Common Whitethroat
eBird Report
Kullen Lighthouse, Skåne May 23, 2019 09:25 - 10:33
Protocol: Traveling
1.37 kilometer(s)
10 species
Common Magpie 2
Hooded Crow 2
Barn Swallow X
Eurasian Blue Tit 1
Eurasian Nuthatch 1
Common Whitethroat 2
Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail X
Common Chaffinch X
Common Linnet 1
Yellowhammer 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56643583
Leaving Kullabers Nature Reserve and I will stop at the Krapperup Estate on my way south towards Helsingborg. Leaving Mölle and it is about 10 minutes to Krapperup. Driving along the south side of Kullaberg.
There used to be deer in the fields between the road and Kullaberg, but today there was no deer to look at. Passing the camping area and I turned right at the intersection and it was a few hundred meters to Krapperup area.
The Krapperup Estate
Today´s track at the Krapperup Estate
Parking the car and I started my eBird app at 11:02. Walking through the stable area next to the parking and looks like the stables have turned into coffee shops and “knick-knack” shops. There is a small garden behind the stables, called the Rose Garden and to get there I had to walk past the moat.
The moat had a mallard swimming around. Walk through the Rose Garden and I was soon in the park behind the main building. Walking down the park and there is a forest at the bottom of the park. Reaching the forest and I had seen about ZERO birds in the park.
I spotted one Pied Flycatcher sitting on a branch coming down to the forest.
Pied Flycatcher
There is a pond at the bottom of the park and I could see a mallard sitting on a rock. When I came closer to the mallard I could see that the mallard had company. A turtle sitting next to the mallard and this is my first ever turtle in Sweden. I was surprised to discover the turtle, something I had never expected.
Where is the turtle during the winter? Maybe it is an escaped pet turtle roaming around in the park. For sure not a wild turtle and maybe they come to collect them in the autumn and keep them inside during the winter.
Turtle and a male mallard
Turtle and a male mallard
Turtle and a male mallard
Turtle and a male mallard
eBird Report
The Krapperup Estate, Skåne May 23, 2019 11:02 - 12:02
Protocol: Traveling
1.95 kilometer(s)
7 species
Mallard 1
Common Woodpigeon 2
Eurasian Jackdaw 2
European Pied Flycatcher 1
Eurasian Blackbird X
Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow X
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56644113
I walked around the park coming back to the parking area. Not many birds but I had a nice walk in the park. I turned off the eBird app 2 minutes past 12 and there was only 7 species on my bird list.
I left Krapperup behind driving towards Helsingborg and I plan to stop at my brothers house. He is not home and I see him in his “raggar” car coming down the road. I turn around but then I had lost sight of the car. So I stop at Sibylla for hot dogs and soft ice cream.
Sibylla, the real Sibylla, not the Sibylla Drive In that I experienced on Öland.
Sibylla hot dog
Sibylla hot dog
Soft ice cream
Soft ice cream
+++++++++++++++
Friday 24 th
of May 2019
and I left the hotel around 6 o´clock in the morning driving to Hasslarp. There is one eBird hotspot, Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp. The area is also mentioned on Kullabygdens Ornitologiska Förening
´s web page. A very good page with hot spots and information - Their hot spot map can be found HERE
- IN SWEDSIH ONLY!I got an e-mail before leaving for Sweden, an Motorman I was working with on m/t Vestria back in 1984. So I will go visit him in the afternoon and before going there I will visit my brother so Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp will most likely be the only birding for today.
Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp
Today´s track at Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp
I find Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp and I park along the road and I start to walk in to the area. I was soon hearing a Common Grasshopper Warbler, or a few of them. The birds were flying around the area next to the trail and I managed to get a sound recording.
I spent one and a half hour at the ponds and I covered just a few hundred meter during this time. So most of the time was spent trying to get a picture of the Common Grasshopper Warbler. But it turned out to be impossible to get a picture.
Listen to the Common Grasshopper Warbler
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Remarks from the Recordist
Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder. High pass Filter applied with Audacity
There were several Grasshopper Warblers singing everywhere. Flying around and I tried to get several pictures, but I failed. I will go back and try again
I spotted a Common Whitethroat, also known as the Greater Whitethroat. I spotted 2 Goldfinches walking back to the car and I think it is the first day with no Pied Wagtail. Back at the car and I walked along the road to the next pond. I spotted one Grey Heron. Otherwise here was not much to see.
Well, here was plenty birds, I just have to learn how to identify them. The place turned in to a favourite and I will come back again. I really want a picture of the Common Grasshopper Warbler and some of the other birds that I had seen. If I get a picture I might be able to identify some of them.
We see the sugar plant
eBird Report
Hasslarps Dammar, Skåne May 24, 2019 06:42 - 08:10
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 kilometer(s)
11 species
Mute Swan 3
Mallard 2
Common Woodpigeon X
Black-headed Gull 1
Grey Heron 1
Common Magpie 1
Eurasian Jackdaw 1
Rook 3
Common Grasshopper Warbler 3
Common Whitethroat 1
European Goldfinch 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56673589
I drove back to Marina Plaza where I had my breakfast. I drove to see my nephews in the afternoon. They were busy driving big radio controlled cars on the street. They were gas driven and it was a terrible noise. And they were really fast, 100km/h ++ and they flipped around backwards if you gave full throttle.
We decided that I would come to pick them up tomorrow for a day at Söderåsen National Park. I will show them the Whooper Swans when we walk around the lake. I took off to Ängelhlm to meet my friend from 1984. He signed off m/t Vestria in Lisbon when I joined. We planned for dinner at Margretetorp Gästgiveri, but it looked to be full.
We ended up at restaurant Hjorten in Båstad and we had our dinner, the food was good but it was very close between the tables at the restaurant. We drove back to Ängelholm and my friend had to sit in the back as the front passenger seat area was full of empty bottles from my bird watching adventure.
I had have one or two MAX during my tour
I was back home later, much later than expected and I went straight to bed with my alarm set to go off at 3 thirty in the morning. I want to visit two places before picking up my nephews. First stop at Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp and then Rosendal Grove and Wetland before going to the National Park.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 25 th
of May 2019
and I left the hotel at 6 o´clock, skipping breakfast again. Driving to the ponds in Hasslarp and it both looked like it could be a nice day, or as well, a bad day with the rain pouring down. Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp
Today´s track at Hasslarps Dammar / Ponds in Hasslarp
But so far, it was a glorious morning and I enjoyed my walk around the ponds in Hasslarp. There were plenty birds and today I was a little more lucky with the pictures. Walking around one of the ponds and there were plenty birds in the reeds. No pictures and they were a wee bit too far away to make sure what it was.
I spotted the Common Whitethroat and one Willow Warbler in the bushes and I got pictures. I also got a picture of another bird that was too far away to be any good. Turned out to be a Dunnock.
Common Whitethroat / Törnsångare
Willow Warbler / Lövsångare
eBird Report
Hasslarps Dammar, Skåne May 25, 2019 06:34 - 08:36
Protocol: Traveling
1.9 kilometer(s)
10 species
Mute Swan 1
Eurasian Oystercatcher 2
Black-headed Gull 1
Eurasian Blue Tit 1
Eurasian Wren 1
Willow Warbler 2
Dunnock 1
Common Grasshopper Warbler 2
Common Whitethroat 1
Thrush Nightingale 1
Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56705809
I left the pond area, I had spent two hours here and I have to be to pick up my nephews around 10 o´clock. So I had time to stop at Rosendal on the way. Rosendal is some 15 minutes away from the ponds.
And I keep an eye out for birds on the way and I passed the flag of Skåne on the way and I turned around to get back for a picture. So it took a little longer than expected to reach Rosendal. And I had not got any bird pictures driving to Rosendal.
Not an every day sight where I live
And Saturday morning and not much people on the roads. Having crossed the bridge over highway #E6 I turned left driving along the wetland area. Not many birds on the water. I turned right after a few hundred meters and I was on the small road leading to the Rosendal Grove driving past the east side of the wetland.
Rosendal Lunden / Rosendal Grove and Wetland
Today´s track at Rosendal Lunden / Rosendal Grove and Wetland
Here is never any cars on this road, except for when I stop to look out over the wetland. It is a narrow road and I had to stop the car half way out the meadow, as of course, there was a car want to pass.
And there usuall are some small birds between the road and the pond in the wetland. I spotted a few Skylarks and I got one picture. I was also lucky with one of the Yellow Wagtails.
Western Yellow Wagtail / Gulärla
Western Yellow Wagtail / Gulärla
I continue on the road, driving under the highway to Stockholm and I take off in to the dust road. No parking so I have to park in the field next to the grove/ forest. There are no trails in the grove/ forest so you need terrain shoes. I spot a deer first thing coming out of the car.
There are many birds flying with food in their bills disappearing in to holes in the trees and I guess they are feeding their young ones. Again, not many pictures, but I got to hear deer barking. So it turned out to be a lovely morning.
Deer
Deer running away
eBird Report
Rosendal--Lunden, Skåne May 25, 2019 08:56 - 10:13
Protocol: Traveling
3.74 kilometer(s)
14 species
Greylag Goose X With babies
Mallard 2
Common Woodpigeon 1
Common Magpie 1
Eurasian Skylark 3
Barn Swallow X
Eurasian Blue Tit 1
Common Whitethroat 1
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Eurasian Blackbird 1
Western Yellow Wagtail 3
Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail 1
Common Chaffinch 1
Common Reed Bunting 2 Court or fight
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56706401
Time was running fast and I had to leave to go pick up my nephews. Arriving to their house and I checked the bird feeders I had bought. Their garden turning in to a birding hot spot with many birds coming to eat from the feeders. And I had ordered food and they had been here with a truck to deliver a cubic meter of bird food. Should last well over the next winter.
We get in to the car and we come around the corner and we spotted a hedgehog crossing the street. I stopped and I managed to get a picture from behind, better than nothing.
Bird feeder
Hedgehog
We continue towards Söderåsens National Park and we will take the road via Röstånga and arrive to Söderåsens National Park main gate from south. So we do we choose this rout instead of coming from the highway in the north? Well, I have been driving to Röstånga Gästiveregård many times and I remember two signs “Engelholms Glass” and “Soft Ice cream”
3 people in the car and 6 eyes keeping a sharp look out for any “Engelholms Glass” and “Soft Ice cream” signs. We passed many disappointments until we drove through a small town and after the only intersection in the village we spotted the “Engelholms Glass” and “Soft Ice cream” outside a kiosk.
I made a U-turn with screaming tyres and we parked in front of the kiosk and it looked to be closed. We could see someone carry tables and we asked if they were open.
- We open at 11
I looked at my watch, 2 minutes before 11 and we asked for 3 of their biggest soft ice creams. My nephews were slow and I had time for two ice creams and two hot dogs before they were ready with their ice cream. Back in the car and we were continuing towards Söderåsens National Park.
Engelholms Glass
Engelholms Glass
Engelholms Glass
Engelholms Glass
Engelholms Glass
Engelholms Glass
We passed Röstånga Gästiveregård and we might stop here on the way back from Söderåsens National Park. They have really good food and we might be hungry after treking around the park. It is 10 minutes or so from Röstånga Gästiveregård to Söderåsens National Park.
Saturday and we could see that there was a lot of cars on the parking. So it might be crowded in the park. But we will give it a try and we turned in to the parking area to see if there is any parking for us.
Söderåsens National Park
Today´s track in Söderåsens National Park
We find a place for the car and we walk up to Naturum. The BBQ area is full of people and we choose to walk around the lake starting on the north side. Passing the bench and I see the female Goldeneye and when we enter the forest we see a European Robin sitting in a tree.
We see the Whooper Swan nest on the small islet in the lake. And now we can see that there is babies. I was here two days ago and then they were sitting on the eggs, but now we could see that there was babies.
We continue along the trail and we see a female mallard swimming in the stream filling up the lake. We leave the lake behind and continue along the trail in to the BIG UNKNOWN to see if we can see any birds.
Female Goldeneye
Male Whooper Swan with babies
I can see the ring number and I know it is the male
We have not walked long along the trail until we see a sign saying Rårödspågens källa. A spring and there was a bowl and a ladle at the well. We decide to try the water and I am first out. I have my nephew to take a video and I will take the video camera when I´m finished drinking and I can film my nephews.
Pure spring water for free, nothing I want to miss. I try the water and it was excellent, something you will have to pay plenty for in the bottles in the shop. And of course, the experience to drink from the spring add on to the taste.
We continue in to the BIG UNKNOWN
Rårödspågens källa
Rårödspågens källa
Rårödspågens källa
Rårödspågens källa
Rårödspågens källa
My nephews are up climbing on the mountain side and my nephews are at eye level with a bird in a nest. They call me and I try to get up to get a picture of the nest. I see a bird sticking up the head from the nest and I manage to get one picture.
We continue along the trail and when we turn around to walk back it don´t take long before my nephew discover a very small bird baby on the trail. We cannot let the bird lay on the trail with people and dogs walking all the time and we decide to bring it back to Naturum, there should be some expert.
When we saw the bird first time we thought it was dead but it moved a little and my youngest nephew took it in my glove carrying it back to Naturum. Now we hope that there are someone know what to do with the baby.
Bird in a nest
We walk back towards Naturum on the south side of the lake. Walking on the board walk and when we approach the end of the board walk we see one of the Whooper Swans. And the swan have tree babies and they are looking for food. The adult swan is showing the babies how to find food.
The swans were just next to the board walk and I brought out my video camera trying to get a video. And I had to remove the sound from the video as there were a lot of people passing. And they were of course talking.
Tree babies and one adult swan. So there is one adult and at least one baby remaining in the nest. When we passed the nest before there were at least 4 babies that I could see. So there is at least one more baby in the lake area.
We can see the adult paddling with the feet to try to get food from the bottom. Ripping of leafs from twigs for the babies.
New born babies at Söderåsens National Park - May 2019
Whooper Swan baby
Whooper Swan baby
We leave the swans behind and we stopped at Naturum with the baby bird on the way to the car. we handed over the bird to one of the staff members and now we hope that they know what they are doing. The bird was much lively after having been in my nephews warm hand and we hope that the bird have a long and good life ahead.
We left Naturum and walked down to the car at the parking place. We were hungry so we decided to go have a look if Röstånga Gästiveregård was open for lunch. My oldest nephew wanted to have hot dog and the youngest wanted to have Äggakaga at Röstånga Gästiveregård.
n And I will ask them if they can make Tunna Fläsk pankakor. Should not be impossible if they have a good Cock. It was impossible at Brösarps Gästgiveri. Well, I have put that place behind me and I will not be back.
They take care of the baby at Naturum
eBird Report
Söderåsen NP, Skåne May 25, 2019 12:00 - 14:29
Protocol: Traveling
3.11 kilometer(s)
6 species
Whooper Swan 2
Mallard 1
Common Goldeneye 1
European Robin 2
Pied Wagtail/White Wagtail 2
Common Chaffinch 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S56709580
Tunna Fläsk pankakor at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Äggakaga at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Äggakaga at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Äggakaga at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Tunna Fläsk pankakor at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Tunna Fläsk pankakor at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Äggakaga at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Tunna Fläsk pankakor at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Tunna Fläsk pankakor at Röstånga Gästiveregård
Tunna Fläsk pankakor at Röstånga Gästiveregård
5 stars to Röstånga Gästiveregård
Vanilla sauce with apple pie
Röstånga Gästiveregård, a winner every time and we were full when we left, so full we skipped to stop for ice cream. Back at Marina Plaza and I went to bed with my alarm set to go off at 3 thirty. I will leave early tomorrow for a stop at Hasslarps Dammar to see if I can get a picture of the Grasshopper Warbler.
I will check-in at öckeröMaritime Center tomorrow afternoon after having picket up my new 4GB solid state drive that I have ordered. 800 US Dollars and I hope the new drive will speed up my picture handling on the computer.
Click HERE to find out how everything went.
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