Sweden trip

On Friday 31st January, Rob H and John H and myself took a flight from London Stansted to Sweden Stockholm Vasteras. A big thank you to Rob for all the organisation everything rang like clockwork due to the excellent preparation beforehand, thanks to John for the driving to and from the airport and to both for their good humour, company and great observational skills. Our objective was to try and see both Hawk Owl and Great Grey Owl, Pine Grosbeaks and photograph these and other Northern species but the forecast wasn't great with rain on both Saturday and Sunday only improving on Monday, not good for a long weekend's birding/ photography. As it turned out only half of Saturday was grey, overcast with light rain, the rest of the week was bright and sunny, with a harsh hoar frost on the Monday morning, temperatures were notably mild for this far north, being around 4 degrees Celsius and significantly with no snow. Daylight birding time was limited in mid winter from 8am to 4pm. Whilst waiting outside the airport to get in (a half an hour wait!) We saw a Hooded Crow fly in and then a few Scandinavian Jackdaws. A little later a second Hooded Crow flew by and perched on a tall post. A flock of 30 Fieldfare flew west over the airport too. We picked up our hire car, unfortunately it was an automatic, so I couldn't drive it! We drove to Slagarda and parked up just off the road and walked down a track a clear partially logged area with silver birch one side and pine trees the other. Just a few metres down the track then Rob spotted the excellent Hawk Owl perched on a silver birch tree stump to the left of us but fairly distant. Views were poor as we were directly looking into the sun. We decided to move on (try for the Owl later) and try for the GGO further down the road, no sign of that but some "peuu" calls eventually revealed a fine male Northern Bullfinch when I walked down the track it was perched in a group of small Larches but unfortunately flew (just as I saw it), into the forest before flying back ver the track and into a close of trees. 2 Roe Deer also seen in the field. Driving back to our accommodation at eden's Garden, a Tawny Owl seen briefly hunting flying around the vegetation just beside the road. On Saturday 1st February we tried again for the GGO the the Hawk Owl at Slagarda but no sign of either. A male Sparrowhawk darted left over the road in front of us. On route 66, driving through Skultuna (our nearest local town) a flock of 20 Jackdaws seen by the side of the road including several with white flashes on their necks indicating they were of the Scandinavian 'Mondula" race. A Hooded Crow was also seen here too. Driving along we saw a group of 80+ Fieldfare flying high and right over a field. Only a few miles from our accommodation we drove along a forest road and after a gap in the road on the right, we pulled into a muddy area on the left in front of some Silver Birch trees with a gently rising area over to Pine Forest beyond. Here was the rather muddy stop for the Skilsberg feeding station and we walked around 300 yards following a path on a gently inclining route to an area of several rocks and an this was scattered with a range of bird food. Looked the absolute ideal spot for photographing birds, but only if the sun came out, sadly it was dull, grey, overcast and accompanied by a drizzle of rain! In a small open area between the trees this was area was constantly being visited by a variety of birds the commonest were the c5 Blue and c10 Great Tits being the most frequent visitors. Also coming over to the lichen covered rock feeding on the peanuts were the frosty Northern race Nuthatches, 2+ seen, which would fly down to the smaller trees overlooking the feeding area and quickly flying over to the rock have a quick feed then flying off again. There was quite a lot of activity from the local Northern race of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, with up to 4 seen, thicker and more stubby billed this race. Occasionally 2+ Willow Tits seen too, always briefly flying in before quickly flying off again. A Continental Coal Tit also flew in too. We didn't see any signs of the Nutcracker/s on this visit, although Rob briefly saw one and we did hear them too, not far away. Suddenly some Crossbill- like birds flew in but calling strange calls "plait" calls, originally the cry "Crossbill" went up but I said "Grosbeaks" and they flew and settled in a Pine tree up against the skyline. As we looked at them, although red and green they were plump with white wing bars and not crossed bills. They were fabulous c20 Pine Grosbeaks or Talbits. They settled for a couple of minutes before flying off. I saw a dark bird fly over the Pines at the back, initially I thought it was a Raven but it turned out to be a magnificent Golden Eagle that flew over the clearing and then the distant Pines and then away. We also heard a large flock of at least 250 Siskin and also heard the whooping calls of a Whooper Swan too. A fantastic place and definitely worth another look. Next stop was the lake by our accommodation, Lake Hallsjon and I saw a adult White- tailed eagle was seen perched in the trees briefly whilst another adult White- tailed Eagle flew left over the distant Pines and then flew in our direction over the left side of the lake. We met an older Swedish birder and unusually he didn't know much English but he indicated via our Collins Bird Guide that he had a RLB and sure enough we saw a fine Rough- legged Buzzard perched up in a very distant bush over to the left. A pair of Whooper Swans flew right over the Lake and settled and another third Whooper Swan seen too. A hot tip that Beavers were to be seen at Skultuna bridge and we parked up just before the bridge and although we spotted a tell tale indentation where a Beaver had gnawed through half the trunk of a tree, there was sadly no sign. A boardwalk to a hide passed some Silver Birch trees, where 2 Redwings called and flew into the trees. By bushes to the left, 4 Great Tit were seen. Not much seen from the three tiered hide over a looking a small lake. Back at Slaggarda about 3pm for the GGO, again no Owl but we heard the call of a Bullfinch. In the evening we tried for Owls along the local road sides, we diid see 2 doe Red Deer in the headlights in the field of the farm as we drove out at night plus a Hare and by the road side near Skilsberg 2 Hare, 1 brown and 1 whitish coloured with smaller ears. Don't think this was a Mountain Hare though. On Sunday 2nd February, outside the Farm, we heard the distinctive calls of Black woodpecker, Looking behind our accommodation we saw a distant adult White- tailed Eagle perched high up in a tree but it was an obscured view. Rob played the call from his phone and John & I got into a Woodpecker which must have flown over from the lake island, we only saw its back end, looked black straight flight and notched primary feathers angled down, almost definitely a Black Woodpecker? but not tickable. Back at the Skilsberg feeding station, as we drove up we heard the unmistakable "kee-kee-kee" call of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. We saw Willow Tit and a Nutcracker flew to nearby Pine trees it came down to head height and I could see its head and shoulders framed between 2 tree trunks before it suddenly flew off and not to be seen again that day by us. Blue & Great Tits and 2+ Great Spotted woodpeckers also seen. plus 1+ Northern Nuthatch and again a big flock of Siskins was heard. Back at Slaggarda for the Hawk Owl, initially we couldn't see it, some Swedish birders said it flown to the next stand of trees and clearing area. We drove a very short way walking around the side of the trees, John spotted the Owl, but in the field to the right a lone Whooper Swan was seen. Plus a calling frosty Mealy Redpoll flew over. As we walked over to the Magnificent Hawk Owl, it disappeared and we went back to the original site and it was right at the back, we walked around the main path and circled round and met our Swedish birder friends where we got some nice shots as it perched on bowed horizontal thick branch of the tree. It looked around and was totally unperturbed by our prescence. We heard Siskins and saw a few calling Crossbills flying over. As we walked back incredibly a group of 5 Swedish birders were scoping another second distant Hawk Owl perched at the very pinnacle of a row of distant Pines. We then drove 45 minutes north to Fagasta. By the estuary by Fagasta, I saw some Goosanders, at least 3 with 1 male and at least 2 females on the water. Power station opposite was a clearing surrounded by trees very sadly no sign of GGO, but we heard the tantalising call of a Black Woodpecker that again eluded us. 200 Canada Geese seen by the side of the road as we drove back. At Slaggarda site 2 another go for the more local GGO, again no sign but Raven flew over and a dark, Black? Woodpecker flew straight over some trees. Not enough to tick off as a new bird, but surely it? I also heard a Pygmy Owl call once but again we didn't see it. On Monday 3rd February, at the farm there had been a hoar frost and everything was frosty and white, by the gate, 2 Yellowhammers seen and 2 Tree Sparrow by the bush. On the feeders was 1 Willow Tit. Again Rob used a tape to lure out and already calling Black Woodpecker, and this time there was no mistaking, I finally managed to see a magnificent Black Woodpecker fly over, straight flight and fingered primaries obvious as it flew over and disappeared into Pines/ Silver birch beingd John, our landlord's house. My big European bogey bird, that I have missed countless times finally laid to rest. Back at Skilsberg feeding station, glorious early morning golden hour light revealed 2 stunning Nutcrackers, 1 came down several times to feed from the moss covered rock, although I missed shots the first time (I blame the monopod) it come down twice more and I was able to get some great shots including one with a walnut in its bill. A Willow Tit visted a few times, whilst 2 Northern Nuthatches were showier and posed beautifully for the camera on the moss covered rock. 4 Northern Bullfinch seen on a path, and a male Northern Bullfinch flew in to the right and called a nasal "children's toy trumpet" call, great to hear this finally, it is so distinctive. 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen around the area too, plus a Treecreeper. Our penultimate stop was the Skultuna bridge, again no sign of Beaver and our final stop just before the airport was Eckliden feeding station, parking by an abandoned house, a group of people had gathered, (they weren't birders) perhaps a popular walking spot? We went to area of bushes by the side of a field the other side of the house with a couple of trees with bird feeders and bird table set up. 4 Tree Sparrows seen feeding on the ground. these were later joined by 2 Bramblings (1 male, 1 female) initially perched up in a bush. Also in the bushes were 2 female Yellowhammers. 2 Greenfinches also seen in the bushes. A pair of Northern Bullfinches flew into the bush and fed from the feeders. Another showy Northern Nuthatch particularly liked the food put out on the bird table. Whilst a Great Spotted Woodpecker liked a fatball contained within a banana shaped fatball feeder. The big prize here, were Hawfinches and a pair flew in, always more nervous than the other birds. One male flew into the tree and perched on a boughed branch but they never made it to the feeders. An excellent trip all in, which exceeding expectations but shame not to see GGO, we were unlucky in this respect as we tried 4X at one site and 1 at another (where it was seen again the day after we visited)!