The only one in southern Sweden

30:th of December 2010
Furthermore, this seems to be the only pinpointed Hawk owl in southern Sweden right now. We can just hope it remains. (they usually do)

More Hawk Owl

30:th of December 2010
I usually prefer them from the side, showing some nice backpattern.

First Hawk Owl for the season

30:th of December 2010
After 2 months of rumours and the odd confirmed, but no documented sightings, a Hawk Owl finally materialised in the valley today. In a garden! When I got there it was only some 50 m away from that garden, in a treetop by another garden. Funnily, I got 3 phonecalls this morning, the other was about a Pygmy Owl in yet another garden in the valley and the 3:rd about a Rough-legged Buzzard hit by a train nearby. (Surviving though)

Wolftracking with Grosbeaks

28:th of December 2010
A great day in the forest, tracking wolves on skies. We followed 2 wolftracks for several kilometres. In the process we saw some Black Grouse, 2 male Capercaillies and found a little party of three Pine Grosbeaks. I know it´s blurry but what a lovely colour on a lovely bird!

Pine Marten revisiting

A quick little tour to refill bird feeders in the relativally mild weather (just –5°) but the norherly wind is chilling. 9 gorgeous Bullfinches, (photo: Max Green) and 1 Hawfinch on the first sight. Plenty of Yellowhammers in the garden and fresh footprints of the Pine Marten in the appletree, so he gets some new sandwiches and a good piece of fat. No live sightings of him yet.

26 below zero

22:nd of December 2010
26° c below zero is what we have today. Incredibly cold, but beautiful light.

Grey-head at dusk

21:st of December 2010
Mrs female Grey-headed Woodpecker shows up at the "Inn" just before dusk. A Rouh-legged Buzzard along the road as well.

New Grey-head

20:th of December 2010
Another Grey-headed Woodpecker -this time a male - was found on another feeding station in the Black River area today. Check out this video taken last week!

Pine Grosbeaks again

15:th of December 2010
Another brilliant day with –19° C and encounters with 5 Pine Grosbeaks in the forest of Rönnbacken. 2 gorgeous adult males in the flock. No time for pictures though. Another group of 20 where seen nearby by other observers.

Pine Marten visit

12:th of December 2010
A Pine Marten´s been climbing my appletree and stealing the fat I put up for the Woodpeckers. Hmm... Interesting visit.

Stalking a Black Wood

12:th of December 2010
A female Black Woodpecker is found fouraging just outside Fläckebo and for a while I stalk it and manage to get almost close enough, but with this expert in hide and seak, it´s not easy.

Fieldfare and Waxwings

9:th of December 2010
A flock of 20 or so Waxwings are showing interest for some berrybushes outside a mall. But cars keep scaring them off and a Fieldfare is the only one willing to pose for the camera. Also a great bird though!

Capercaille on the road

4:th of December 2010
It´s always nice to spot these massive birds on the road. An unmistakable silhuette! Caperaillie male.

Caper´s closer

4:th of December 2010
Closing in a bit and he´s still standing.

Caper´s flying

4:th of December 2010
Eventually he goes...

Grosbeaks on the feeding station

7:th of December 2010
Another cold, brilliant day, with –10° C and sunshine on frost and snow. On the feeding station for Nutcrackers there is full show, but all of a sudden I react on a call I haven´t heard for long now. A fluting, melodic, almost joddeling call. My instinct leads my thoughts straight towards... can it be? Yes it is! Pine Grosbeaks! A bunch of around 10 birds appear and perch in the treetops around the clearing. Wow! What a great feeling. These really northern birds don´t come down every year and this is possibly looking to be the best year since 2004. Another flock was seen two days ago in the area. There where males, females and youngs in this flock but only the young ones got caught on picture.

Two Grosbeaks

7:th of December 2010
Two of the birds, both looking juvenile.

Juv Grosbeaks

7:th of December 2010
And a little better perhaps. What a great little bird they are!

First Grey-head on feeder

5:th of December 2010
Today the first Grey-headed Woodpecker for the season was seen and even filmed (by Lars Karlsson) on the feeding station by Lake Fläcksjön. This is very good news because last year was the first year of 5 without any Greyhead present. This female bird seemed a bit shy, but they often get very used to people and quite tame. We have identified at least 4 different Grey-headed Woodpeckers on the feeding site through our 6 years running it. One was ringed in Medelpad in the middle north of Sweden. If the film below doesn´t upload try this link!

Brighter times for Nutties

30:th of November 2010
Today we cut down to furry Sprucetrees on the Nutcacker feeding station in the forest. For the benefit of Nutcracker photography. This heavy-billed specimen overviewed the action with 3 of his best friends. The picture was taken before the trees where down.

First Greyhead for the season

29:th of November 2010
The first Grey-headed Woodpecker for the winter season is seen today. It caught my suspicion as it just flew over the road as I came driving along the lake. I followed it with my bins and it soon landed in a treetop. A bit distant but I got a record shot at least, proving it was a male with his red cap.

Brilliant Woodpecker

29:th of November 2010
A briliant, but cold day. – 10° C. Plenty of birds in my garden with Bullfinches, Redpolls and Goldfinch on top of the common Great-, Blue– and Marsh tits. A Great-spotted Woodpecker male is a stunner in my appletree, attracted to the suet I put up.