Spring long weekend, May-June
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.
As waves of migrating birds arrive from late April, the number of
species increase around the wetlands and in late May, even the last
arriving
Common Rosefinches get
really common.
Look at the
species
list and the
”About
the birds- pdf” and you´ll see what more to expect.
Check the species-list 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.
We also check adjacent Björnön for
Icterine Warbler.
After the break we set off for an extra detour especially to look
for
Ortolan Buntings.
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.
Dinner & Night at
Fläckebo
B&B.
Day 2
Breakfast at B&B
Morning visit to lake Ösjön with
Black-throated
Divers, chance of
Nutcracker
and
Hazel Grouse and some nice
Butterflies like
Camberwell Beauties,
Holly Blue and
Green Hairstreaks.
A short stop along the way to look and listen for newly arrived
Thrush Nightingales.
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,
Honey Buzzards, Hobby, Black Terns, northern Yellow Wagtails, Common
Rosefinch, and Waders and Waterfowl of several species, depending
on the dates.
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
nests. 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
Wrynecks, 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 Black Terns, Little Gulls and
Waders
like immaculate summer-plumaged
Spotted
Redshanks, Ruffs, Greenshanks, and more.
Bittern,
Corncrake, Spotted Crake, Grasshopper and
Marsh Warbler.
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,
Cuckoos and several species of
Woodpeckers
including
Black– and
Grey-headed
appear frequently.
Transfer to airport
Departure at 15:00 from
Västerås Airport.
Extra Day 5
Alternative 1: Coastal lagoons along Baltic Sea (Uppland) with
Caspian
Terns and
Little Gulls,
several species of Waders,
White-tailed
Eagles, Montague´s Harrier, etc.
We visit scenic Eagle Rock and search for
Red-breasted
Flycatcer in the surrounding forest. On the way back, we
stop at birding hotspot Hjälstaviken – wetland lagoon
with
Little Gulls and
Black Terns on our way back.
Dinner & Night at
Fläckebo
B&B.
And Butterflies too. . . .
We also see some good Butterflies on our spring birding tours.
At least
from early May – some years even late April – it´s possible to see plenty
of
Green Hairstreaks, Holly Blues and
Camberwell Beauties. Along with
them of course more common
Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstones, Commas and
Peacocks.
A bit later
Northern Wall Browns, Grizzled– and
Dingy Skippers, appear
along the forest tracks together with
Orangetips, Wood White and
Real´s
Wood White. The later part of May offers
Northern Chequered Skipper,
Common Swallowtails and
Marsh Fritillaries, all in the same areas where we
go birdwatching.
The journey is a collaboration between
BirdSafarisweden and
Karlmark Travel. (Karlmark Travels holds the travel
warranty insurance that covers this trip)