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Uppland and Västmanland, Sweden continued Species ListBlack-throated Diver Gavia arctica Eight migrating north past Sennerby Haken Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Singles at Lake Hallaren and near Sennerby Haken, and a pair displaying at Hjalstaviken Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Thirteen noted at various sites Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Thirty recorded, with most near Lake Tämnaren Mute Swan Cygnus olor Recorded in small numbers daily, max. 10 near Lake Tämnaren Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Up to 250 around Lake Tämnaren at the start of the week, but many of them had cleared out by the end of the week. Perhaps over 100 at Lake Hallaren. Also numerous small groups and pairs on flooded fields and small lakes Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus Four among Whoopers at Lake Tämnaren early in the week, and two still there at the end of the week Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis Common throughout, with flocks of up to 400 in several areas, mostly around Lake Tämnaren Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrrirostris At least one near Lake Tämnaren among large numbers of its commoner relative Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus In southern Sweden, birders try to pick Pinkfeet out of Bean Geese flocks, rather than the other way round! Three and then two on successive visits to fields south of Lake Tämnaren White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons One with other geese south of Lake Tämnaren Greylag Goose Anser anser Up to 150 on most days Canada Goose Branta canadensis Present throughout, in somewhat lower numbers than Greylag Goose Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope About 100 noted at various sites, with most at Lake Tämnaren and Hjalstaviken Gadwall Anas strepera Two with other wildfowl south of Lake Tämnaren Common Teal Anas crecca About 100 noted, mostly near Lake Tämnaren Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Up to 50 seen daily Northern Pintail Anas acuta Two south of Lake Tämnaren Northern Shoveler Anas clyptea A pair at Hjalstaviken Common Pochard Aythya ferina 18 at Hjalstaviken Tufted Duck Aythya fulifula16 at Hjalstaviken Common Eider Somateria mollisima About 350 offshore at Sennerby Haken Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis About 30 offshore at Sennerby Haken Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 3 offshore at Sennerby Haken Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Over 100 noted, mostly in pairs on smaller lakes and rivers Smew Mergus albellus A pair in flight south of Lake Tämnaren, and two pairs on the river there later in the week Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Six at Killskar and two males offshore at Sennerby Haken Goosander Mergus merganser Seen daily in varying numbers, max. 50+ Osprey Pandion haliaeetus One at Hjalstaviken White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla One subadult over the forest near Djupa, two at Led, another at Killskar, another north of Uppsala, and finally a superb adult at Hjalstaviken Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus A ringtail near Lake Tämnaren Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus A male at Hjalstaviken Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisusThree singles noted Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis One, probably a female, perched up in trees north of Oster Buzzard Buteo buteo A total of 33 noted, often in pairs displaying over woods Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus Three noted - two near Lake Tämnaren, and another over the trees at Fjarn Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Heard only on several occasions Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus One heard in flight at Tinnasets NR, and one flushed from the roadside near Djupa Hazel Grouse Bonasa bonasia One flushed from the roadside very close to Olas Skifte Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus One heard and another seen near Hjalstaviken Common Crane Grus grus Common throughout, with large migratory flocks in evidence in several areas. Also many local breeders evident, paired off and sometimes displaying Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus One at Uppsala, and two at Hjalstaviken Common Coot Fulica atra Several at a pond just east of Uppsala, and 30 at Hjalstaviken Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Four at the coast near Sennerby Haken Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Common - up to 100 daily Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Four at Led, and one at Hjalstaviken Common Redshank Tringa totanus Two at Led Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 22 displaying birds seen over various forests and bogs Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Seven roding individuals seen, and one flushed from open forest at Pansarudden Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Upwards of ten drumming males noted Dunlin Calidris alpina Two at Led Common Gull Larus canus A few inland, and 100+ at a colony at Sennerby Haken Herring Gull Larus argentatus A few inland, and 50+ at Sennerby Haken Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Four noted (form intermedius) Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus Four recorded Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Up to 200 at various sites Caspian Tern Sterna caspia One freshly arrived at Led Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Two at Led (Feral) Rock Pigeon Columba livia Just ten noted, and only on one date Stock Pigeon Columba oenas This species is not common in Sweden in winter - six noted on two dates Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus Very common, with a marked wave of 500+ migrants on Day 2 Eagle Owl Bubo bubo One heard at night at a site north of Oster Ural Owl Strix uralensis One flushed in daylight at Olas Skifte Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum After much searching, listening and hunting, we finally saw a calling male, with Ulrik's help, not far from Djupa Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Frustratingly common - 30+ heard and/or seen Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius Five seen and a further 10 or so heard Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Two heard, and another seen at Sennerby Haken Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus Two superb individuals seen at a site north of Oster, and another a few kilometres away. Also perhaps two or three others heard Sky Lark Alauda arvensis 22 noted, and seen daily White Wagtail Motacilla alba 41 noted, and seen daily Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Seven noted on four dates Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus One at Sennerby Haken (of the Scandinavian form littoralis) Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor One in a clearfell north of Oster [Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus Sadly not seen in Sweden, but a big bonus was four in the Pink Elephant car park back at Stansted Airport] Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes About seven noted Hedge Accentor Prunella modularis About 4 heard singing European Robin Erithacus rubecula About 20 heard and seen Common Blackbird Turdus merula Seen daily in varying numbers Fieldfare Turdus pilaris The commonest and most obvious thrush - 100+ on some days Redwing Turdus iliacus Many heard singing in the forests, and lots on passage in surrounding fields Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Seen daily, but always in single figures Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus This species is very much a forest bird in Scandinavia, but on passage, can gather in agricultural areas. The largest such flock we saw was of about 30 birds Goldcrest Regulus regulus Seen in small numbers on every day bar one Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Seven noted on two dates (of the beautiful white-headed form caudatus) Willow Tit Parus montanus Nine seen, of the ghostly pale Scandinavian form ? Coal Tit Parus ater Three seen on two dates Crested Tit Parus cristatus Nine noted in coniferous forest areas Great Tit Parus major A common bird Blue Tit Parus caeruleus Rather less common than the above species European Nuthatch Sitta europaea About 10 heard and seen (of the pale northern form ?) Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris 20+ noted on five dates Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Noted almost daily Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus About 25 noted, mostly at wetland sites, but also some in forest clearfell areas Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Common throughout, with large feeding flocks in fields and many singing males in the forests Brambling Fringilla montifringilla About 20 seen among feeding Chaffinch flocks European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris A few seen daily, max. 20 Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus Seen daily, with some very large flocks of passage birds, and many singing males in the forests European Goldfinch carduelis carduelis Three seen near Hjalstaviken on the last day of the trip Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea At least 100 seen every day, with several flocks of 100+ in the forests near Djupa 9th April, a day when over 1000 were seen Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret A few mixed in among the predominant Common (Mealy) Redpolls. Only very extreme examples could be assigned with any confidence to either form at any distance [Crossbill sp. Loxia sp. Two single Crossbills flew over at Pansarudden, but defied specific identification] Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Thirteen noted on 5 dates Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Two flew overhead near Lake Tämnaren House Sparrow Passer domesticus The scarcer sparrow, with about 10 seen in a very few gardens Tree Sparrow Passser montanus Some pleasing flocks in gardens and woodyards, max. 25 Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris Common, with many large flocks in agricultural areas Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius About 20 noted in forest areas Black-billed Magpie Pica pica Common Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula Very common, with many large flocks in fields. Distinctly different in appearance from British birds, with a strong whitish mark on the side of the lower neck, but perhaps not sufficiently well-marked to be described as classic soemmeringii Rook Corvus frugilegus Only present in and around Uppsala, where there were several active rookeries Hooded Crow Corvus corone Very common throughout Common Raven Corvus corax About a dozen noted in scattered localities, always alone or in twos 112 species click here to return to main report |
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