As soon as upon a time, there was an adventurous Mexican younger girl known as Miriam. She packed her luggage, waved her household goodbye, and left for Sweden. At Lund College she studied economics, braved the chilly, and located love: a pleasant ABBA-loving Viking known as Fredrik. They purchased a wee home and lived fortunately ever after. The tip.
Ah, no! I want to jot down a complete put up so higher begin throwing in additional particulars, possibly even a chicken or two… Earlier than the “ever after” there’d be a marriage, after all. To be held in Could 2024, and I had been invited. By no means to say no to a great social gathering, particularly with the opportunity of including a number of days’ value of birding I packed the vitals: binoculars, clear underwear, horned helmet, go well with and tie. Off to Skåne!
Skåne is a part of the Continental biogeographic area, however the county lies simply south of the place the Boreal area begins. I could possibly be anticipating birds from each these areas with possibly a straggler or two from the Atlantic area. The phrase “boreal” acquired hijacked by one of many Dutch extreme-right events as a supremacist euphemism – clearly with out understanding what the time period actually means. Or is it a aware alternative, a subterfuge: hiding the brown-shirted stench of fascism behind a picture of pretty northern woods? By no means fairly positive, higher keep alert! Let’s simply transfer again to birds, we could?
I flew to Copenhagen, picked up my rental drakkar and drove throughout the Øresund bridge to Sweden. There’s a really handy and less expensive prepare service immediately from the airport to Malmö, however I needed to cease midway and scan the ocean for birds. Turned out to be an ideal waste of cash since you’ll be able to’t cease wherever on the bridge and half the bridge turned out to be a tunnel! My preparation was clearly not nice, however I wish to blame the assorted web sites I consulted. This one on birding in Skåne claims that “in winter, golden eagles, buzzards and werewolves are sometimes seen”. I dipped on each the Golden Eagle and the werewolves, which left me with combined emotions. The Jackdaw welcoming committee helped me elevate my spirits.
The primary cease was the stunning village of Torna Hallestad. I stayed within the Lillan cottage (web boasts a number of methods of reserving). Lilac would have been a extra acceptable title as this shrub was in all places – appears to be an invasive species. The entire city smelled like my grandmother’s eau de cologne. The cottage’s proprietor is into tree-hugging however in a high-tech manner. He’s give you a detachable platform so you’ll be able to sit excessive up in a tree and luxuriate in nature. His cottage lies on the Trollskögsvägen – the highway to the enchanted forest, which sounded far more like the higher solution to see some birds… I dropped my luggage and walked in direction of the forest. As any respectable birder is aware of, one has to donate to nature conservation. I began donating – blood – to the native mosquitos the second I entered the forest. Seems these trolls are mozzies. It was properly value it. The panorama is kind of open, with ridges, meadows and forest. Singing birds have been in all places. The city is central to many different hotspots and it must be attainable to get to greater than 100 species in a day or two.
The subsequent day I used to be higher ready for the flying parasites – DEET wafting round me like a cloud. Even the butterflies saved away. Be aware to Bayer-Monsanto: that’s a joke, don’t exit blaming birders for the drop in insect populations. It’s actually your pesticides and never quite a bit else regardless of your obvious lack of expertise of the particular details. My search space for the day was Krankesjön–Silvåkratornet. The positioning is properly indicated on the highway northeast from Silvakra. Flip left on the Fågeltorn signal. Alternatively, observe your GPS, get misplaced and violate no less than three site visitors codes. That’s what I did. The realm is improbable and value spending no less than a day. There are lakes, bogs, agricultural fields and forests. The encompassing space is utilized by the army for stay hearth follow so my little detour might have had severe penalties. Watch the indicators!
The hides, the watch-tower and the facilities are all glorious. A wide range of species of geese, geese and swans swim on the lake whereas the woods and reeds have each warbler conceivable. The place was crammed with singing Thrush Nightingale and I did handle to see this final skulker very clearly within the roadside tangles. Getting {a photograph} is one other matter altogether. The Yellowhammer was extra obliging.
As I had risen on the extremely early hour of three:15 I nonetheless had time to go to one other web site. Utilizing a mix of the eBird explore-function and Birdingplaces I discovered Klingavälsåns utlopp. This web site is a mix of a small river and a flooded meadow. It’s stuffed with waders, geese and geese. A gentleman-birder kindly identified the Noticed Redshank, the Ruff in full breeding plumage and a bunch of different waders and in return I practically didn’t inform him in regards to the Blackwinged Stilt. Practically. Turned out that chicken was the rationale he had pushed 3 hours from Småland – to see what’s actually an infinite rarity in Sweden. Like all different birders I met in Sweden, he was the archetypical birder of lore: middle-aged, floppy hat and barely eccentric. I’m used to the youthful birders in Portugal, who’re cool, fairly and have piercings in peculiar locations however I fitted in properly with the Viking birders and felt proper at dwelling. Some free election recommendation: if you’re a misogynist however don’t wish to vote for Trump, transfer to Sweden and go birding! It’s a males’s world on the market…
Whereas making ready for the journey I had recognized some Black Grouse spots additional north in Småland. Whereas Skåne resembles upstate New York, Småland feels extra like Minnesota (kära svenska folks, jag vet att det är tvärtom, ber om ursäkt). Dense woods, interspersed with bogs. I hoped to see some roadside owls and stopped for owl-like options on timber and poles a number of occasions, however all in useless. So as to add to my distress, it turned out that the lekking peaks in April so I used to be far too late. Nevertheless, the lodge reservation had been made and I used to be loth to alter it for I used to be going to remain on the IKEA Hotell! IKEA is LEGO for adults or that’s how I’ve all the time skilled it. The web site promised a lodge stuffed with IKEA furnishings and though I used to be a bit underwhelmed by the ornament (no Billies!), the keep got here with a free go to to the IKEA Museum throughout the highway. For a greater timed second go to in April: the Black Grouse leks at Väko Myr Nature Protect and Taglamyren Nature Reserve are close to. These are moderately bleak bogs with dying timber and thriving peatmoss.
I went to Väko Myr to check my luck and though the Black Grouse have been a no-show I did see a pair of Bullfinch within the car parking zone. That is certainly one of my nemesis birds. I’ve seen its island cousin, the Azores Bullfinch (a lot rarer) however the unique had eluded me thus far. I used to be subsequently satisfied to have lucked upon them. Not my nemesis I’d see Bullfinch each single day thereafter, after all.
The subsequent day I had a little bit of a sleep-in till 6:00 and drove again south to Ängelholm. My goal location was Ängelholms Kronopark. That is the place in Could 1946 a UFO has been sighted by Gösta Carlsson. There’s a duplicate of the particular spacecraft and a few very informative indicators. It’s all very properly achieved and freed from graffiti or vandalism. Take a look at the Wikipedia web page and draw your individual conclusion. The reality is on the market.
The park borders a dune reserve and seaside known as Sibirien. Neither web site options on eBird as a hotspot. Undeservedly so, as each locations have been brimming with songbirds. It’s additionally very lovely. I scored two lifers, the Lesser Redpoll and the Wooden Warbler.
The Nice Noticed Woodpecker nest cavity was clearly occupied and I managed to get an honest image (for my doing). One other chicken flew away that I couldn’t determine so I wrote it down in eBird as “unidentified”– it solely appeared acceptable.
In the event you assume UFOs are the craziest factor in Sweden, try what they placed on a pizza…
I nonetheless had the marriage to go to. Moreover, Kullaberg was ready for me the place I hoped to seek out myself Black Guillemot and Widespread Rosefinch. You’ll have to examine whether or not I did within the second put up on Sweden, that may even characteristic a man known as Jesus, and Hamlet – simply so what to anticipate.