Spring long weekend, April
Enjoy quality birding in Taiga forest and wetlands around Svartådalen
– The Black River Valley of Västmanland. Magnificient birds
like Owls, Woodpeckers and Grouse are the focus of this trip.
We offer close encounters with
Ural –
and
Tengmalms Owls on ringing excursions,
that also provide good photo opportunities.
Great
Grey– and
Pygmy Owls
are seen totally in the wild, hunting at sunset over small meadows
in the forest.
Woodpeckers drum in early mornings – six species if you´re
lucky – with Three-toed– and Grey-headed as the jewels
in the crown.
Look at the
species
list and the
”About
the birds- pdf” and you´ll see what more to expect.
Check
"When
to see the bird?" thoroughly and you´ll know when is the best
time for the species most important to you.
Day 1
Arrival: 14:50 to
Västerås Airport
Meet & greet stop with coffee/tea and sandwiches over
Slavonian
Grebes in small wetland area by Ängsö castle.
Black- and L
esser
Spotted Woodpecker and
Osprey
also frequent the area.
Before sunset we put ourselves in position to await the
Great
Grey Owls evening hunt. An unforgettable experience that
often provides breath-taking views on these stunning and obliging
birds.
As
Woodcocks rode and the forest
choir of thrushes and Robins is
quieiting down,
Pygmy Owls appear
to announce their territory.
Naturally we look for Moose along the way back to the B&B.
Dinner & Night at
Fläckebo
B&B.
Day 2
Breakfast at B&B
Morning visit to lake Ösjön with
Black-throated
Divers, chance of
Nutcracker, Capercaillie
and
Hazel Grouse and some nice
Butterflies like
Camberwell Beauties,
Holly Blue and
Green Hairstreaks.
We pay a visit to the winter feeding station where
Crested–, Willow–, Marsh– and
Long-tailed
Tits still might appear, together with
Nuthatches
of the white-bellied Scandinavian race.
We continue down to the Black River Valley and its rich wetlands
to enjoy good scenic views, a nice outdoor lunch and to look for
the locally breeding
White-tailed Eagles,
flocks of
Bean Geese, Smew, and
other wildfowl.
Raptors like
Hen Harrier, Rough-legged
Buzzard and
Merlin are on
passage through the area and winter-visitors like
Great
Grey Shrike and
Golden Eagle
might linger on.
Picnic lunch with a view.
Ural Owl ringing excursion with
close encounters with Ural Owls. In April we ring incubating females,
in May it´s time to ring the chicks before they leave the
nest. Meanwhile the parents often appear, sometimes aggressively
and close. Moments of good photo opportunities.
Dinner at Fläckebo B&B
Pygmy Owl or
Eagle
Owl evening-excursion.
Night at
Fläckebo
B&B.
Day 3
Early rising for Woodpecker Morning with
Three-toed–,
Grey-headed–, and
Black Woodpeckers.
Ringing of
Tengmalms Owls, breeding
in nestboxes. Excellent opportunity to get really close views and
to photograph these charming, little owls.
Black-throated Divers, Capercaillie
and
Goshawk breed in the area,
as do
Woodlark and
Parrot
Crossbill.
We enjoy the breakfast outdoors and get back for lunch at the B&B
around noon.
Afternoon Siesta.
Relaxed evening excursion around the beautiful wetlands of Svartådalen
with drumming
Snipes and singing
Curlews.
Dinner & Night at
Fläckebo
B&B.
Day 4
Early forest morning with leking
Black
Grouse on a large bog with breeding
Common
Cranes, Osprey, Wood– and
Green
Sandpipers.
In the surrrounding forest
Crested–
and
Willow Tits, Crossbills and
several species of
Woodpeckers
including
Black– and
Grey-headed
appear frequently.
Transfer to airport
Departure at 15:00 from
Västerås Airport.
The journey is a collaboration between
BirdSafarisweden and
Karlmark Travel. (Karlmark Travels holds the travel
warranty insurance that covers this trip)