Öland 170601 Going home again

Öland 170529-170601

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© NF Photos 170601

Today it was time to go back home. I woke up rather early, as expected. I went up, packed my belongings and cleaned up the room. Had the last breakfast and prepared something to eat during the day. Coffee, bread, boiled eggs and fruit. Enough to bring me home.

Leaving the hostel I first went down to South Point. And was greeted by some beautiful Fallow Deer.  They are free and wild animals but this morning they stayed close to the cattle. A little mist was still in the air.

Arriving at the Lihgthouse Långe Jan I spotted a Mute swan with three young. What a treat! Loved to see them. Behind them were a person from the staff carrying cages for catching waders for examinations.

A last look at Långe Jan seen from the beach.

And good bye to the House Martins. All the Swifts I had seen yesterday was all gone again.

Common Shelduck and Redshank

Cormorant
Leaving Ottenby I went to a place I had not visited yet. In Grönhögen there are a golf course and the beach alongside it are great for birding.

Pied Avocet

Continuing north I made a stop t Eckelsudde to see the Avocets one final time and was greeted with beautiful and clear weather and a few birds not too far off.

Now it was almost lunch and time to go up to the bridge that would take me to the mainland.

An hours drive and then, at Emån time for lunch and a short nap.

Four more hours of driving and I was home around 17.30h  Tired, but happy with the trip.


Linking up with: Saturdays Critters   Sky Watch Friday    WATW   Our World Tuesday     Wild Bird Wednesday

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Öland 170530 mist and whooper swan

Öland 170529-170601
Day 2.  © NF Photos 170530 additional!

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Eckelsudde and Whooper Swan
© NF Photos 170530

This was quite cool to watch. It was a misty and windy day and this Whooper swan had real trouble to get it´s way through the wind. It was flying against the wind and had to use both wings and feet to fix it. Talk about running in the air. Never seen that before.


Linking up with: Bird D´Pot   Wild Bird Wednesday

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Öland 170531 Going north

Öland 170529-170601
Day 3 © NF Photos 170531

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Lots of writing today I´m afraid. Hope you stay with me! I will have to make an additional post for more images. :)

The plan for this day was to go north and visit the Byrums Raukar and Trollskogen. (the links tell you a little of the places) It was 150 km up and 150 km down So, a lot of driving. And it turned out to be a very strange day.

When I left the hostel just after 8 a´clock in the morning it started to rain exactly when I turned the key to start the engine. It started softly so I figured it will stop after a while. But it did not. I took the road in the middle of the island to as it is the fastest road north. The rain increased instead of dissappear. I made a short stop when I did see a peculiar colored horse. Took some shots in the rain.

After I passed the road to the bridge and was on the horth part of Öland the rain increased but then I thought, If I came this far I will at least see the plaaces. So. I continued. Passing the old ruins of Bornholm castle   it was hardly visible because of the rain and mist. It is used today for differnet events like concerts and other things.

Finally arriving at Byrum and the parking lot at the Raouk areafom the rain almost stopped. I could go out with the umbrella but just a little rain. The place was wet of course but probably more beautiful then if it was sunshine and dry. No hard shadows to spoil it. I thought it would be slippery but it was not. But it was windy with much waves on the Baltic sea. This side of the island is facing the Swedish mainland.  I had a nice time exploring the area even if managing the umbrella was a bit challenging. When I headed back to the car a bus with many tourists arrived so I was happy I was already finished.

I got in to the car and turned on the key. Guess what, It started to rain again. As soon as I got out from the parking lot it already rained heavily. Driving through a beautiful birch forest I turned northeast to go to Trollskogen (trollforest). The rain changed from light to hard and light again. It was not that far. But closing in at the Trollforest I spotted people standing in the ditches, still raining, and taking photos. Had to stop and check out what was going on. There was flowers, orchids, probably rare ones.  They was beautiful.

Arriving at the Natural Reserve Trollskogen the rain stopped and all of a sudden it was sunny and very nice weather. After checking the area map I started to walk to the shore. This part is facing the Baltic sea and it was calm. Protected from the eastward wind. After a 2 km walk I found the ship wreck Swiks I was looking for. It was smaller then I remembered, I have seen it once before many years ago. You can read about it HERE. I had my lunch here as I wanted to stay for a while. It is a strange beach really where the wreck is. No sand just rocks and pebbles.

The forest is strange too. Lots of trees are deformed, maybe because of wind and maybe salt water. This forest is as close to a rain forest as you can get in Sweden. I even found ivy that strangled the pines. Looked very strange to me.

Trollskogen - The enchanted forest

Back to the parking lot, turning on the key, the first raindrops appeared on the windshield. Driving through the fence around it, it started to rain heavily. And it rained more or less all the way down to Färjestaden where the Ölandsbridge are.

Entering the south part of Öland the rain eased but not the wind. I first went to Eckelsudde where the Avocets should be but they were gone.  It was still late afternoon so I thought I would visit Eketorps Borg (Fortress). A place they rebuilt from archaeological remains. In 1984, Eketorp's museum opened.

Before I went back to the hostel I took the road down to Ottenby where I was greeted by Fallow deer, Oystercatches and a LOT of  Common Swifts that had arrived since yesterday. They were very busy trying to fly in the hard wind. I had a lot of fun watching them and take shots. The air was filled with swifts and House Martins.

Time was now 20,00h and I still had no dinner :) Back to the hostel!

Linking up with: WATW   Sky Watch Friday

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Öland 170530 A misty day

Öland 170529-170601
Day 2.  © NF Photos 170530

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When I woke up and looked out the window I saw nothing! Nothing but a grey world outside. No need to rush then.

Around 9 a´clock it started to lift a bit and I went out.  Just outside the hostel area there was a lot of cars and people standing along the road.


 I stopped and asked a person what was going on. Out on the other side of the field a rare eagle was almost hidden in the fog. A Greater spotted Eagle (större skrikörn). My 400 mm lens gave me this image. (Below!)

In Sweden there is a system where birders can alert each other about rare birds and where to find them, hopefully! That is why a bunch of people visit the same place. The Eagle seemed to have been in Öland for a couple of days so I continued down to South Point. I took some misty shots of horses, cows and sheep. But hardly even saw the lighthouse Långe Jan (Tall Jan). I had to get rather close before I could actually see it.

Sheep

Långe Jan and Ottenby Bird Station, one of the best places in Sweden to watch migrating birds. Well, not a misty day like this though :)

Done with Ottenby I headed for Eckelsudde, where the Pied Avocet (skärfläcka) are. Now there are mist over the Baltic Sea but just little over land. It was interesting to watch the mist rolling in over land from the sea. As I live inland I never see that.

But there is a lot more to Öland then birds. If you have not seen a windmill, you have probably not visited the island.

 Not to mention rape fields.  With poppies at the edge.


After having a lunchbreak I headed to the east coast of the island. Up to Stenåsa where the birding community has it´s center and a bookstore.

 I found a little old-fashioned house at a campingsite at Stenåsa.

A lot of artists live on Öland, This is one of them close to Stenåsa who has a gallery and creates glass art. And paintings as well. In the old style buildings.

In  the evening, back at Eckelsudde, the mist was finally gone and I found some Red Knots (kustsnäppor).

To finish off the day I went back to Ottenby just in time to see a group of Oystercather´s putting on quite a show.

On Öland there are a lot of limestone so that was the main builing material in the old days. They try to keep the old style on the south half of the island. And that is classified as a World Heritage Site.

Linking up with: WATW  Trough My Lens   Our World Tuesday     Wild Bird Wednesday

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170529 Beijershamn Öland

Öland 170529, birds at Beijershamn 

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First view of the area from the high tower at the entrance.  The bridge is the bridge connecting the main land to the island of Öland.

This barn swallow were sitting right in front of me. On top ot the tower.  Staring!

Northern lapwing

Common shelduck

Lapwing and Common shelduck. The only shot I got where the lapwing chicks is visible.

© NF Photos 170529, Beijershamn

Linking up with: Bird D´Pot

  NF Birds around the world   

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Birding on Öland 120505, Saturday

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120505 Saturday, going home day

I woke up too early to be good for anyone. At 4.15 in the morning, I tried to sleep a while longer but at 5.30 I was in the kitchen for a cup of coffee and the boiled egg I´m getting used to.  Then I went to Ottenby at 6.40. It was mist over the land and I took some shots on my way down.

I arrived at the Garden at 6.20 in time to see the young staff releasing the first batch of birds from the nets. Then they took them inside for checking their condition and to ring those who had no ring.

There was some small birds in the gardens but at the point it was almost empty. A mute swan was spreading it´s beautiful feathers in the rising morning sun. Seems like it enjoyd it. :) A few minutes later I discovered it´s mate sitting, or rather sleeping, on a nest. Some Eiders flew by.

It was a chilly morning, not more then +5 ° C and windy. A few birders gathered at the wind shelter. Not daring go out watching the few birds still on the shore. Just me walking around.

At 7.45h when I left Ottenby for the last time I got a nice go away present. I finally saw some newly hatched Northern Lapwings. Not cute, but so charming. :) You find images HERE.


Back to the Hostel to pack and a cup of coffee. I also took a short nap before leaving for Bejershamn up at the bridge to the mainland.  


At Bejershamn were about the same birds as when I arrived so I took the forest way back to the parking lot passing the nice old cottage.


Then I went to a surfing beach close by to eat my lunch and enjoy the ocean for a while before leaving.

Ölandsbron - Öland bridge

12.20 I headed north. Passed the bridge and turned north. After leaving Kalmar I was seeing a Red Kite above the road. Last bird for this trip. Took me 5h to get home. And I had a hard time with the windy weather.

I counted 75 different species and 4 lifers from them.

To see the birds from Öland go HERE

To see Öland Photography go HERE

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Birding on Öland 120504, Friday

Our World Tuesday    Outdoor Wednesday 178
World Bird Wednesday LXXXI
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120504 Friday

I woke up just before 6 in the morning, I went up and had a cup of coffee and an egg and then I went to Ottenby at 6.40.

When I arrived they had just spotted a Glaucous Gull (vit trut) so I spend some time with getting a shot of it. It was far out,of course, but I managed to get a shot where you can see it is that bird. A new one to me so I did really want a shot I could idenify the bird.  So it was nice that I saw it too. A new species on my list. Then I asked Göran and another about the ID of the vader I had shot the first day. And they could not give it to me. Somehow I felt good about it. Even the experts don´t know it all. :) When I was about to leave there was a peculiar light on the Baltic sea side of the Observatory area. Had to take some shots of course.

Some birds this morning; Glaucous Gull (vittrut), Merlin far away (stenfalk),   flying Red-Breasted Merganser (småskrake), flying Tufted Duck (vigg), Wood Sandpiper (grönbena), Canadian goose(kanadagås) and the the Common Scoter on a frame (sjöorren på bild). OK just like dots, but still. 

Ottenby bird obs and Långe Jan

Then I was supposed to go to the hostel and eat something. Instead I went to Södra Lunden to check out the new tower. It was cold and a little rain now. As I went on the path I heard some noice I could not recognice. Later on, at the tower, I met a couple and I heard the noice again. They knew it. It was the sound of the wings of the Common Snipe (enkelbeckasin). Nice to know. :) Not much birds but I had some photo session in the Lund also. A woman need to have some fun.

Back at the Hostel I made lunch, coffee and bread that is. And then I slept for 40 min. Tried to find a bird at Artportalen but was not succesful. I thought it was silkeshäger but it turned out to be an Egret heron that was seen some 50 km up north. Well, if it is still there tomorrow I might try to see it on my way back home.

Instead I went to find the closed damm, kalkstensbrott in Albrunna, where there was supposed to be gråhakedopping. I found it but it took a while and a long walk in a national park, Albrunna Alvar, and among cows. There were many Northern Weahtear (stenskvättor) in the area, It is Ölands Alvar, somehow looking like a thundra in the northern part of our world. 

The entire sothern part of Öland is a World Heritage area. It is a special ground made of chalk and it is also a very old cultural ground. Lots of Kings lived here.

Now my legs and feet don´t like it anymore but I had to get back to the car. My back is painful too. But at least the sun started to come out again. It was now about 16.30 and I was getting hungry.

Gråhakedopping - Red-Necked Grebe

Back at the car I headed to the next place. A small birdlake south of S Möckleby. That one too a remnant from an old factory. It was quite nice but I did not see much more then swallows. :)

Now it was dinnertime but on my way south the mist was coming in from the ocean as the sun shoen through the clouds.  So, I took a short additional trip to Ottenby. Not much to see though so I went for dinner.

After dinner the mist was still there so I took a new trip to Ottenby. Now it was cold and windy again. Not much of either birds or birders, So I took some shots and went back. Now I am writing and tomorrow I ´ll be going home.

To see the birds from Öland go HERE

To see Öland Photography go HERE

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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

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