birding

Spotted Crake (Porzana porzana).Småfläckig sumphöna. Our Sora is in the same genus.They netted another, this one substantially smaller than the first, so it had some chowing down to do before taking off for Africa. These birds eat insects and other aquatic yummies found in marshes. [The birds are weighed and checked for body fat, which…

The Flommen reedbeds, just north of the lighthouse, are also set up with mist nets by the folks at the Falsterbo Fågelstation. Here’s a Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia) they netted just before we visited. Gräshoppsångare is more likely to be heard than seen. This was a first netted example for our guide, Evan, who worked…

We attended a ringing demonstration at the Falsterbo Fågelstation. Karin, a volunteer at the observatory located at the Falsterbo fyr (lighthouse) also works there, reporting the weather every three hours. She has a molting Robin (Erithacus rubecula), or Rödhake in hand. Largest size ring here is for swans. A rather smaller one goes on the…

Malmö’s landmark Turning Torso, with Hooded Crows, Rooks, and Jackdaws on the fence. Add the Magpie, and even urban areas in Denmark and Sweden are well represented by the members of the Corvidae.A Rook (Corvus frugilegus) — råka — with some leucristic feather action.Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix), gråkråka, and Magpie (Pica pica), skata.One of the…

This is the all-Swedish edition. We saw twelve species of raptors on our trip. Here are some of the highlights: Tornfalk or Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). These were seen every day, often in multiples. For instance, one morning there were five over fields with a scattering of cattle who had clearly whirlwinded up some insects…