Birding on Öland 120503, Thursday

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Outdoor Wednesday 177    Our World Tuesday  Water World 29

Click to enlarge All photos 120503, South part of Öland

120503 Thursday

I woke up earlier then expected. First time at 5.00h. Next time at 6.15, Then I went up. I had a cup of coffee and eat a boiled egg. I realised that egg so early is better then eating bread. Well, I left for Ottenby att 7.00.

There is supposed to be two Sanderlings next to a gull on this shot. Can you see them? 

It was not that much birds this morning. But I met Göran who stood at the point counting birds. As he usually do I think. This is a scientific exercise and the counting is done the same way by everybody who works with it.

I saw Common Scoter (Sjöorre) flying by but did not manage to get a shot. They seems never to go down on the water close to the shore. Only flying by. Then Göran showed me 2 Sanderlings (sandlöpare). They seem to be rare here. A new bird to me as well. I don´t think I have seen it anyway. That makes for two new birds I think. For tomorrow he promised me that there would be some Ortolan Bunting (Orlandosparvar) on the road to Ottenby. :) Well, we´ll see about that.

Talk about being redlegged. :) In the backlight it is very red. Common Redshank (rödbena) 

Done at Ottenby for the morning I went back to the hostel to make coffe and bread. And prepare to go and look for another bird that was seen at Seby. March Sandpiper (Dammsnäppa). A sandpiper with very long legs. Didn´t help, I did not find it. It should not come to Sweden at all. So, maybe it was a false alarm. I had a hard time finding this location too. In the meantime, as I was trying to find the right road, I tried to get to Segerstad lighthouse but ended up backing my car as there was a huge waterpuddle on the dirtroad and I could not see how deep the water was. I did not dare continue through it. The time was not all wasted though as I saw some Northern Wheatear (stenskvättor) and a lot of curiosus cows that was wondering what I was doing. :)

Well, finally I found the place at Seby, but I did not find the bird. Instead I found a nice part of the coast. This part is located on the east coast of the island. Facing the Baltic Sea.   :)





The island is full of hare. I wonder how that happened? Have not seen that many before.

After that I drowe across the Island to Degerhamn and continued to Eckelsudde. The waterlevel was very low as it had been on the other locations also. Lots of stone and gravel where it normally was water. Maybe that was one reason for the lack of birds. Some ducks still there, shelducks mostly,  and geeze, But hardly any waders. Or maybe just the fine, sunny weather made the birds heading north and left me to see nothing. :(

I went to Mörbylånga Suger factory wetland, same thing almost empty of birds. Then south again, visiting Sandvik and Grönhögen golf clubs coastline. Same thing hardly any birds, only the Common Shelduck (gravand) was in rather great numbers and a passing by Oystercatcher (strandskata). 

Took a quick look at Ottenby again before going back to have dinner. Ottenby was empty of both birds and birders. :( Only 2 Yellow Wagtails (gulärlor) was there and a few Eurasian Oystercatchers (strandskator) and gulls. And Common Linnet (hämpling) , at least 15 of them. 

I had my dinner and then had a chat with some other birders staying on the hostel.

Södra Udden - Sout Point of Ottenby in the light of the setting sun. 

At 19.00 h I went back to Ottenby. A female Blackcap (svarthätta) was in the garden and some more terns had showed up. Some seals were in place too. I did not wait for the sun to go down before I headed back.

Took a quick shower and washed my hair. My alarmclock don´t work. The battery is out. But I guess I will wake up early anyway.

More about Öland here:  The birds   Photography

Labels: Resor, travel, trip, journey, vacation, , Öland, Sverige, Sweden, airplane, flygplan, sky, photo, photography, Monica Johansson, NatureFootstep, nfphoto, NF_photo, nature, natur, fågelskådning, birding,  hare, ottenby, öland, rödbena, Seby, Eckelsudde, Västrevet,