Thursday 30 th of May 2024 and my alarm was set to go off at 4 o'clock and it was instant disappointment. It was raining so no rush to get away.
My last morning and my last night here that I have not been able to sleep in the what must have been the worst bed ever. And they refused to give me an extra pillow.
A very small bed and the topper slide off the bed all the time so sleeping was not easy.
Not in a hurry to leave so it was 7 thirty when I left Öckerö Maritime Center droving to the ferry terminal on Hönö so I can take the road ferry to Lilla Varholmens färjeterminal on the mainland.
Ferry terminal on Hönö
Start driving on board the ferry
The ferry is full before I reach the ferry
The ferry is departing leaving me behind
There were many cars at Hönö ferry terminal and I suspected that I would have to wait for the next ferry. And when they started to drive onboard, they stopped just when I was about to drive onboard. Two cars ahead of me.
But no worries as I could see the ferry departing for Lilla Varholmens färjeterminal on the mainland and the highway to Skåne.
The ferry took off and I could already see the other ferry approaching the terminal. Departure every 10 minutes so never a long wait.
Next ferry arriving
The ferry came alomng the jetty and it took a few minutes for the cars to come off. Did not take long before we could start driving onboard.
But the busses and trucks had to drive onboard before the cars could come on board. I was the fourth car onboard on starboard side.
I stopped the engine and we were on the way 2 minutes later and the trip took around 10 minutes. At least it felt like around 10 minutes.
Driving onboard the ferry
Coming of the ferry at Lilla Varholmens färjeterminal
Coming off the ferry at Lilla Varholmens färjeterminal and it is just to follow road #55 and to cross the bridge and I am soon on the highway going straight down to Skåne.
So it is pretty much the same road all the way. One slip road and I am on the highway. It was glook and grey for long as I could see so I had no hope for bird watching on the way south.
Approaching Älvsborgsbron
Approaching Älvsborgsbron
Approaching Älvsborgsbron
Drizzle/ rain and I drive very slowly as I have some hope
that the rain have passed Morups Tånge when I reach Halland.All the trucks and cars are overtaking me on the highway as I keep 80 km/h driving south and my first planned stop will be at Munkagårdsfloen. They have turned some farmland in to wetlands and there is also a bird hide.
There is also one birding tower, but I do not like birding towers as you are far away from the birds. I have been at this hide before and it is just next to the water.
I take off the highway and it is about 5 minutes to the parking lot at the bird hide. I park the car and the car that have been behind me on the road park next to me.
eBird hotspot: Munkagårdsfloen
The bird hide at eBird hotspot: Munkagårdsfloen
We walk down to the hide, I can see already from the parking lot that there is a lot of Black-headed Gulls. There is a good view from the hide, but later on in the summer the hide is covered by vegetation as there is no one taking care of the area.
Then it will be very hard to look out from the hide. But now we had a good view over the wetland.
I had seen some of the Black-headed Gulls carrying nest material when I walked to the hide.
I discover that some of them have babies when I am in the hide.
Looking out from the bird hide
Hundreds of Black-headed Gulls and they are making a lot of noise. Fighting with each other and mobbing the Common Gulls that come in to the area.
The Jackdaws are keeping clear as well and when they come too close the Black-headed Gulls chase them away.
There are occupied nests in front of the hide so I don't know if they are having a second brood. And the birds are collecting nesting material to improve the nests.
Brood
noun 1 a family of young animals, typically birds, produced at one hatching or birth: a brood of chicks.
• [MASS NOUN] bee or wasp larvae.
• informal all of the children in a family: she was brought up by a loving stepfather as part of a brood of eight.
verb
[with OBJ.] (of a bird) sit on (eggs) to hatch them.
• (of a fish, frog, or invertebrate) hold (developing eggs) within the body.
adjective
[ATTRIB.] (of an animal) kept to be used for breeding: a brood mare.
ORIGIN Old English brod, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch broed and German Brut, also to BREED. Sense 1 of the verb was originally used with an object, i.e. to nurse (feelings) in the mind (late 16th cent.), a figurative use of the notion of a hen nursing chicks under her wings.
I discuss with my new friend in the hide. Maybe the gulls have lost their first babies and have a second brood. The babies I could see were looking quite big.
Black-headed Gull with babies
Black-headed Gull with babies
Black-headed Gull with babies
Black-headed Gull with babies
Black-headed Gull with babies
Black-headed Gull with babies
Black-headed Gull sitting on nest
Black-headed Gull collecting nest material
Walking back to the car
I walk back to the car and I am going to stop at the eBird hotspot: Morups Tånge. The rain has stopped so I want to have a look before it starts to rain again. Gloom and grey for long as I can see and it looks like it will start to rain any second.
Driving towards Morups Tånge and I pass a sign saying “WAFFLE SHOP” and I make a mental note to stop there when I return from Morups Tånge.
Takes me about 15 minutes to reach Morups Tånge and I park the car on an empty parking lot. I am alone, but as soon as I park there are two more cars coming.
I walk towards the lighthouse and I spot gulls and pigeons on the way.
On the way to Morups Tånge lighthouse
Morups Tånge lighthouse
Wood Pigeon at the parking lot
Common Gull
I walk past the lighthouse and I reach the grove. No birds, well a blackbird. I sit down on a rock and I spot two Lesser Whitethroat and there is at least one Northern Wheatear landing on a pole.
Beautiful surroundings and I enjoy myself on the rock, but suddenly there are rain drops and I start to walk back to the car. I spot two Eurasian Oystercatcher on the way back to the car.
Back in the car, in the nick of time, it start to rain.
Northern Wheatear
Lesser Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Northern Wheatear
I drive back to the farm with the “WAFFLE SHOP” and it was instant disappointment. They only had waffles on Saturdays. But there was a farm shop and I bought pork collar and we will have BBQ at my brother’s house when I reach Skåne.
It is raining so I had no hope for my last birding spot at Larssons Wetland, but I will drive there. Maybe I am lucky and the rain will stop by the time I reach the area.
I did not bother to get out of the car when I arrived to the wetland. No birds seen and the weather was not what I had been hoping for.
Bird hide at Larssons wetland
Raining
I stop to buy groceries and to get to an ATM machine before I continue towards South. It is heavy rain and I have to drive slow on the highway.
I drop my stuff in my rented cottage before going to my brothers. And I made a stupid decision on my way, I stop to buy a cake. So, I did not feel like a million when I left my brother´s house.
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Friday 31 st
of May 2024
and I felt good waking up. I really good sleep during th enight after 4 nights with no sleep at Öckerö Maritime Center. They have sighted an European Bee-eater close to Trelleborg in the south of Skåne.My friend in the bird hide told me this yesterday so I investigated. Sighted nesting birds at Maglarps Sandpit. So this is where I will start my day.
It is a 110km drive to Maglarps Sandpit/ Maglarps Sandtag and I parked my car and I started the eBird app at 09:25. I meet one bird watcher and he gives me directions.
I stop to take pictures of a Willow Warbler singing from the top of a bush. I also get a recording of the bird before I continue.
Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
Listen to the Willow Warbler
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Remarks from the Recordist
Recorded with my mobile phone. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.
Two birds, one seen on top of a bush and the second bird was heard only. I got both pictures and a recording of the bird on the bush.
There are a couple of bird watchers in the bird hide so the European Bee-eater is quite famous. Not everyday you see them in Sweden.
We can see the holes in the sandpit, nest for bee-eaters and Sand Martins. The birds dig the holes in to the sandpit.
We spotted a few Sand Martins but they did not seem interested in the sandpit.
Maybe because the European Bee-eaters scared them away.
Maglarps Sandpit/ Maglarps Sandtag
Maglarps Sandpit/ Maglarps Sandtag
Busy in the bird hide
There are two pairs and it looks like they will nest in the area. But as it is a gloomy day there is not many insects for them to eat. But they will be back with the sunshine and I hope they stay to have babies here.
There is a lot of people coming and going so it was not easy to make a sound recording.
They made noise from the sandpit but they came to sit on top of the trees next to the bird hide so I got away and I managed to get one recording that I could use.
European Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Listen to the European Bee-eater
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Remarks from the Recordist
Recorded with my mobile phone. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.
2 pairs in the area. Flying around and I tried several times, but to much noise in the bird hide.
I noticed that they sometimes landed in the trees above the bird hide so I sneaked away and I got one recording that I kept.
Thanks to foresttwitcher on www.birdforum.net that ID the background bird from my European Bee-eater recording
I try to find birds at another place nearby without any luck before I start to drive back towards
the north. Farting along the highway and I need to stop as I am about to piss my pants.There are nowhere to stop along the highway so I was very happy when I found a parking. I took off the highway and I was surprised to see cars, but they looked to be abandoned.
I stop and suddenly I have a car next to me, it is the police asking what I am doing. The police took off and I did my business and I notice that a car stop next to me.
I turn around and it is another police car.
The police get out and I am fined about 70 US$. He must have been proud, the country is falling apart and he is fining people at the road side.
Rapists, murderers and robbers are running free in the failed state of Sweden, but this road side incident is something we have to handle “full force”
Well, I am happy for the police. Being able to get home to his children, proudly announcing that he is doing his part to save our failed country.
I continue towards Helsingborg where I will visit a MC shop to buy knee and elbow protections. Can come in handy when I drive my scooter in Bangkok.
They did not have anything I liked so I went to Väla Skog to look for birds.
Väla Skog
Treecreeper
It was a gorgeous afternoon and the forest was full of birds. But no pictures, I only got one of the back of a Treecreeper.
But it was nice with a
constitutional after a full day in the car. I left Väla Skog and I drove to visit my brother.I made one more bird stop at Rosendals Våtland / Rosendals Wetland. This is also an eBird hotspot that I have visited several times before.
I drive along without starting my eBird app. But I spotted one Common Pheasant and when I got a picture I started the app. There was one feral Pigeon and two Northern Lapwings.
Common Pheasant
Feral Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
I visit my brother before going back to my rented cottage and I am in bed at 8 o´clock after having had my dinner. Alarm set to go off at 4 thirty.
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Saturday 1 st
of June 2024
and I wake up before my alarm is going off and I start my day with tea while pondering on where to go look for birds today.I have a quick power nap after my breakfast and it was 9 o´clock when I got out of bed. I decide to go look for a Black Stork that have been sighted at the eBird hotspot: Klingavälsåns utlopp
I was there 2 weeks ago looking for the Black-winged Stilts so I know my way going there. It will take about 1 hour to drive there but I want to drive another way to enjoy the landscape of Skåne.
Stopping to take a picture of a deer in the field
Stopping to take a picture of a deer in the field
Stop to fill up gas and to buy ice cream
Stop to fill up gas and to buy ice cream
There is one car on the parking lot when I arrive to eBird hotspot: Klingavälsåns utlopp and they arrived just before me as I see them leaving the car.
Starting the eBird app at 13:18 and I start to walk along the dirt track towards the pond. Last time I was here I drove, but there is a sign saying that you cannot drive cars.
The first bird picture is a willow Warbler sitting next to the dirt road and I tried to take pictures. I could hear a lot of birds but it was very hard to see the birds in the foliage.
Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
Willow Warbler
Walking along the dirt track
Walking along the dirt track
Common Reed Bunting
Listen to the Garden Warbler
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Remarks from the Recordist
Recorded with my mobile phone. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.
Heard only. Thanks to TheBlackGrouse at www.birdforum.net for help with the ID from my recording
It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed the walk along the dirt track. Not many bird pictures but there were beautiful bird songs from every tree and bushes.
I spotted a Mallard pair in the stream running along the dirt track. There is a huge group of Greylag Geese on the field on the other side of the stream.
And there are many birds in the wetland and I count to 22 swans, but there are most likely more. There are alot of water fowls but too far away for any ID.
Mallard
Common Shelduck
Two ladies overtake me on the dirt track and we start to chat, they are also looking for the Black Stork. They had been here yesterday and they had seen the Black-winged Stilts.
We stopped to overlook the wetland and we helped each other looking for the Black Stork. The ladies discovered about 14 bird watchers on the other side of the small lake and we looked in the same direction they were looking at. But no Black Stork discovered.
After 20 minutes there was a lot of bird watchers with us. Two bird watchers came back from what looked like the other side. We asked if they had seen the Black Stork, but it seems like no one knew about the black Bird.
They were all here to look for the Black-winged Stilts. Only me and the two ladies here to look for the Black Stork.
Black-winged Stilt too far away for any good pictures
We manage to spot the stilts, too far away for any good pictures. But I have seen them, there are millions of them in Thailand but not so many in Sweden and it is a Rare Bird Alert.
It was almost 6 o'clock when I was back in my rented cottage. I had my dinner and I was in bed at 8 o'clock and my plan is to go look for the Black Stork early tomorrow morning.
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Sunday 2 nd
of June 2024
and I wake up at one thirty, so, obviously I went to bed too early. I had two cups of tea with my breakfast and I left just before 4 o´clock.It looked like it would be a beautiful day so I was looking forward to looking for the Black Stork.
My alarm went off while I was driving towards south as I had forgot to turn it off.
On my way south early morning
On my way south early morning
On my way south early morning
On my way south early morning
On my way south early morning
On my way south early morning
I enjoy my morning ride through the beautiful landscape and I am alone on the roads. Luckily that is! Driving through the fog banks and I am going downhill and I see a lamp post.
And it looks to be a White Stork sitting on top of the lap post. I slow down and I come closer, yes, it is a White Stork on top of the lamp post.
Stopping the car under the lamp post and the White Stork is not moving, so I am very lucky and I can take pictures of the white stork.
White stork
White stork
White stork
I continue towards the eBird hotspot: Klingavälsåns utlopp and I had been very lucky with the White Stork so now my
hope to see the Black Stork was boosted.Sunday morning so I cannot say that I was surprised to discover the parking lot full of cars even though it is very early. I park the car and there is a bird watcher in the car next to me enjoying his breakfast.
He thinks that the Black Stork have disappeared as it was reported flying high up in the sky towards the south. But I will go have a look and I start my eBird app at 05:27.
Starting to walk along the dirt track and I am soon running in to the two ladies that I had met here yesterday. They will give the Black Stork one more try.
Walking along the dirt track and I can see the ladies from yesterday
Marsh Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Common Reed Bunting
We had no luck with the Black Stork and I started to walk back to the car. There was a lot of bird song and call from the bushes and reeds.
Impossible to catch a glimpse of the birds even though I was standing next to the bushes. I made one recording and it was not easy trying to get one bird only.
Some poor pictures that I have ID as Sedge Warblers, but I will ask birdforum if they can confirm the ID for me.
And it did not take long before they came back, all the pictures are Marsh Warblers and the sound recording is the Sedge Warbler.
Listen to the Sedge Warbler
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Remarks from the Recordist
Recorded with my mobile phone. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity
Thanks to kuzeycem at www.birdforum.net for help with the ID
Marsh Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Common Reed Bunting
Walk back to the car
Walking back to the car and I meet yet another bird watcher coming to look for the Black Stork. I told him that I had not seen the Black Stork and I will go to Revingehed military exercise area to have a look.
He told me about a stork nest in the area and I willgo to have a look for it.
And I drive through the eBird hotspot: Vombs Ängar and I start my app. There is a lot of birds but they take off before I can take any pictures.
Eurasian Skylark
Eurasian Skylark
Northern Lapwing
Northern Lapwing
Eurasian Skylark
Western Yellow Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
Common Whitethroat
But I got one picture of a bird through the car window and that was enough for ID. Turned out to be one Common Whitethroat. I could see a lot of them, but I only reported one.
There were several Eurasian Skylark and Western Yellow Wagtails but it was very hard to take pictures. The birds took off as soon as I stopped the car.
I make a U-turn when I come to the end and I drive back from where I came from again. Then I made another U-turn driving back again and I turned off the eBird app and I drove to look for the stork nest.
I reach the paved road and I turn to the left as per instruction from the bird watcher earlier this morning. I drive for a few minutes and I spot the stork nest on top of a funnel.
I spot 3 birds in the nest. so I think it is mamma, pappa and one baby. But after 20 seconds there is another adult landing in the nest and it looks like the bill is full of nesting material.
White stork landing in the nest
White stork landing in the nest
Adults saying hello to each other
Adults saying hello to each other
When the bird landed the adults started the CLAPPING to great each other and one of them took off again. I waited to see if the adult was coming back as I wanted to make a video.
But the bird never came back and I left to drive back to my rented cottage for a power nap. I spend the evening eating with my brother´s family
I have not decided if I will go down south to look for the Black Stork, there had not been any reports for today so it might have left Sweden.
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Monday 3 rd
of June 2024
and I drive to a birding area that I found on internet. I ended up on a page www.birdingplaces.eu/en
and it looked very nice with good information about the sites. Bisbjer - Description
Actually this is a parking space with a bit to the east a bird observation tower. This spot is good to see raptors like White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Red Kite and many other birds.
From http://www.birdingplaces.eu/en
Bisbjer sounded interesting and I got in to my car steering towards south leaving my rented cottage behind.
It is gloom and grey for long as I can see when I leave. There are some rain drops falling on the wind shield and I hope I can get out to look for birds.
Approaching Malmö and I change highway from E6 to E65 and still no rain even though the sky is black. I have sunshine at the same time so I hope this weather will last until I am back home.
Gloom and grey for long as I can see when I leave
The area had some huge farms with huge fields and I enjoying the views. There is no signs at Bisbjer, just a small gravel place next to the road. I was not even sure I was at the right place when I parked the car.
I discover that this was the correct place when I started my eBird app. And I also discovered that it was an eBird hot spot: Bisbjär
I was still doubtful, there was a small walk path leading up a hill and it was more or less overgrown. I started to walk up the hill and I had to walk through the vegetation, most of it nettles and I was wearing shorts.
After about 50 meter I spot some plank and it turns out to be a viewing platform.
Walk path up the hill
Bisbjär bird watching platform
View from the platform
There are no birds to be seen over the fields and I guess it is here they see all the raptors. I could hear birds and I spotted a few that I could not ID.
My planned next stop is at Vombs Ängar and after that to drive to have a look at the stork nest.
It takes about 30 minutes to drive to Vombs Ängar and I start my eBird app. There are a few Western Yellow Wagtail and I manage to get one picture.
And that is the only bird picture I get at Vombs Ängar.
Western Yellow Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtailt
Turning of my eBird app and I stop at the stork nest 3 minutes later. There are two babies and one adult so one of the adults are out hunting for food.
The babies are resting and suddenly one of the swung the arse out of the nest and discharged a full load out from the nest.
The storks are well known for this behaviour. They keep the nest clean and I guess the diseases away from the nest.
White Storks in the nest
White Storks in the nest
White Storks in the nest
The other adult had not come back when I left a few minutes later. I will make one more stop before driving back to my rented cottage. My last birding as I will go to Estonia tomorrow morning.
Next and last stop is at eBird hotspot: Krankesjön--Silvåkratornet and there is a bird hide and one tower that overlook Lake Krankesjön.
Getting out of the car and I run in to a couple that are here to look for birds. They had not seen the stork nest and I explained how to get there and they were very happy.
I walk down to the bird hide on a wooden bridge through the reeds. This area is famous for Bearded reedlings, a bird that I have never seen.
It is a very beautiful bird and this is the second time I am here without luck.
View from the bird hide
View from the bird hide
Getting hungry and I drive back to my rented cottage to have my tea. Takes about 80 minutes to drive back as I am driving slow. I drive to my brother after lunch to spend some time there.
In bed around 8 o´clock and I will drive to Stockholm tomorrow morning to take the ferry to Tallinn in Estland.
Click HERE to find out if I make it to the ferry in time.
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