Sweden - Oland in Spring Naturetrek Tour Report 29 May - 4 June 2017 Report by Christian Cederroth Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Sweden - Oland in Spring Tour participants: Christian Cederroth (leader) with six Naturetrek clients Day 1 Monday 29th May After flying from the UK, we landed at the handy airport of Kalmar where we met Christian. We then drove though historical Kalmar and over the impressive bridge to Öland, where Kroppkakor-lunch awaited. Thrush Nightingales sang all around. After a good lunch we went to Blåsås where we enjoyed the abundance of orchids. Above us was a Red Kite, and later a surprise Red-footed Falcon! Then it was on to Gettlinge Grave Field with all of its tombs and standing stones. It had been in use for a thousand years up to and including the Viking Age. Later Gammalsbygården awaited us with lovely food and drinks. Day 2 Tuesday 30th May We started the day watching a pair of Montagu's Harriers dancing outside Segerstad. From there we drove to Ås where a young Greater Spotted Eagle was enjoying a newly harvested Bambi at close quarters - what a start! We left this foggy area for some sunshine further north, and it quickly paid off with an adult White-tailed Eagle soaring above us. This was followed by a longer Alvar Safari drive on tiny tracks. Much botanising took place, looking at the minute but pretty flowers of the plain, interrupted by the odd nice birds such as singing Wryneck and cracking Red-backed Shrike. We returned to the fog by the sea and got to hear horror stories on top of Sandby borg castle, where a slaughter was frozen in time under our feet. The splendid nature bookstore of Birdlife Sweden ended our day in the field. Day 3 Wednesday 31st May Today was mostly windy, but warm and day. Starting at the Segerstads fyr (Victory City Lighthouse), we were greeted by Sweden's rarest plant, the Russian Gladiolus, though not yet in flower. Black-tailed Godwits and other waders displayed. On the lee side of the garden the western wind had brought down lots of Spotted Flycatchers and others. We had excellent views of breeding Icterine Warbler and Thrush Nightingale, and two Cranes passed overhead. Lunch was had at Stenåsabadet, which provided some shelter too. Young and mother Long-eared Owl were noted. The core of the Mittlandsskogen forest was productive plant-wise, and the original locality Arontorp still had two Arontorp Roses in flower. Collared Flycatchers were heard calling. A stop at Öland's largest Iron Age fort, Gråborg, finalised the day. It was repeated later though, when Christian showed slides of what we had seen during the days, plus some Öland winter shots including alpine skiing from a rooftop! Then to bed with full brains and stomachs. Day 4 Thursday 1st June There was almost no wind today and it was sunny. A pair of Caspian Terns were unexpected, as well as six Red- necked Phalaropes floating about in the point pool: there were lots of things to see. Later, at lunch by Ottenby lund forest, we saw two singing Red-breasted Flycatchers and one female, picking tiny fibres for nesting material from the gravel road just in front of us. A Golden Oriole was heard calling and singing; a rare event in this forest although they breed here. A singing Collared Flycatcher did not match its standard description: it looked like a Pied Flycatcher and was thus a hybrid! In the afternoon we passed an ambiguous ancient grave stone and visited an attractive little bird lake in an ex-stone industrial area, now a green ravine. © Naturetrek September 17 1 Sweden - Oland in Spring Tour Report Day 5 Friday 2nd June We had an early start for our big day, starting at Gårdby sandhed, a rare sand heath. Then we continued to the mystical Ismanstorps borg fort in the centre of the island. We wondered what it had been used for? It was spectacular; and rich in orchids too. We paid a visit to Kapelludden with its church ruin and intriguing lighthouse. Then we went all the way up to the northern point of the island and its lighthouse, Långe Erik. An adult Scarlet Rosefinch showed well, and there were kindergardens of Eider ducklings; lovely to see some reproduction in this threatened species. We returned south via King Neptune's Ploughed Fields, a near sterile wonder of nature. We then drove south along ‘The Stone Coast’, enjoying the views and visiting the world's only windmill for the polishing of rocks. The day was crowned with (drum roll) Lady’s Slipper Orchids and Linnea borealis. Day 6 Saturday 3rd June Today we had a gentle start by the sea at a lovely spot for more Spring Adonis. Then on to Västerstadsviken for lots of birds including four Caspian Terns, Black Tern, arctic waders, Marsh Warbler, Little Gull really close and a Harbour Seal cub. A breeding Red-necked Grebe showed well on the way to Beijershamn, where we had lunch under nesting Collared Flycatchers. Lunch; well a "Smörgåsbord" provided by Gammalsbygården which included smoked salmon, homemade Swedish meatballs, pickled Herring etc. etc. Later nice varied habitats awaited us with lots of sightings from Little Stint and Broad-billed Sandpiper to the downy young of several species, most memorable being downy "Avocetlings" taking shelter in their mother's fluffy breast. The local watercolour artist Peter Nilsson later opened up his gallery for us to see his lovely paintings, whilst outside his window Montagu's Harriers and a White-tailed Eagle were spotted. Day 7 Sunday 4th June We revisited Ottenby, this time the southern part of the lush forest Ottenbylund. Lunch was taken at the southern point before going to a birder’s garden at Tiberga, where a normally nocturnal Blyth's Reed Warbler was singing mellowly - a treat! Then it was time to head to the airport where we said goodbye and thanks to Christian before boarding our flight back to the UK, where another Naturetrek adventure ended. Receive our e-newsletter Join the Naturetrek e-mailing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departures and new dates, tour reports and special offers. Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk to sign up. Naturetrek Facebook We are delighted to launch the Naturetrek Facebook page so that participants of Naturetrek tours can remain in touch after the holiday and share photos, comments and future travel plans. Setting up a personal profile at www.facebook.com is quick, free and easy. The Naturetrek Facebook page is now live; do please pay us a visit! 2 © Naturetrek September 17 Sweden - Oland in Spring Tour Report Species Lists Birds 1 Brant Goose Branta bernicla 3 at Ölands norra udde on 2.6 2 Canada Goose Branta canadensis 7 at Kalmar on 29.5, 3 at Ölands södra udde, Ottenby on 1.6 and 15 observed on 3.6 3 Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis 10 at Segerstads fyr on 31.5, 40 at Ölands södra udde, Ottenby on 1.6 and 12 observed on 3.6 4 Greylag Goose Anser anser 4 en route 31.5. Observed on 4 days in total 5 Mute Swan Cygnus olor Observed on 6 days in total 6 Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii 1 at Västerstadsviken, Smedby on 3.6 7 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus 1 at Dröstorpsmossen on 31.5 and 1 en route 2.6 8 Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Observed on 5 days in total 9 Gadwall Anas strepera 2 at Segerstads fyr on 31.5 and 2 at Ölands södra udde, Ottenby on 1.6. Observed on 3 days in total 10 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Observed on 6 days in total 11 Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata 2 at Kapelludden, Bredsättra on 2.6 and 5 at Västerstadsviken, Smedby on 3.6 12 Garganey Anas querquedula 1 at Dröstorpsmossen on 30.5 13 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 4 at Dröstorpsmossen on 1.6, 6 at Ölands södra udde, Ottenby on 1.6 and 2 en route 2.6 14 Common Eider Somateria mollissima 35 juveniles and 35 ♀ at Ölands norra udde on 2.6. Observed on 2 days in total 15 Common Merganser Mergus merganser 10 at Ölands södra udde, Ottenby on 1.6 and 2 en route 3.6 16 Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator 70 at Ölands södra udde, Ottenby on 1.6 and 2 at Ölands norra udde on 2.6 17 Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus 1 en route 1.6 and 2 en route 2.6 18 Black-throated Loon Gavia arctica 3 adults en route 2.6 19 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 1 heard at Fågelsjön Degerhamn on 1.6 20 Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena 1 en route 3.6 21 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus 1 at Kalmar on 29.5 22 Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus 2 at Fågelsjön Degerhamn on 1.6 © Naturetrek September 17 3 Sweden - Oland in Spring Tour Report 23 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 1 at Segerstads fyr on 31.5, 6 at Ölands södra udde, Ottenby on 1.6, 10 at Kapelludden, Bredsättra on 2.6 and 5 at Ölands norra udde on 2.6. Observed on 5 days in total 24 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Observed on 6 days in total 25 European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus 3 en route 3.6 26 Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga 1 juvenile at Ås kyrka, Ottenby on 29.5 27 Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 1 en route 1.6 and 4 en route 2.6.