When to see the birds?

Everybody´s got their own favourite birds within the target species on the itinerary. To make sure you´re coming over with realistic expectations, we want you to read this guide first! Some birds are more tricky to see than others. We also inform you on that.

Common Rosefinch: One of the latest arriving migrants. Not sure before around the 20:th of May til around mid summer. After that normally quite easy to see in the Svartådalen area

Nutcracker: Absolutely easiest to see at feeding stations from September to February where they also appear close and offer good photo possibilities

Siberian Jay: Absolutely easiest to see at feeding stations during January–February, where they also appear very close and offer good photo opportunities. Reasonably easy in Lapland during spring – early summer as well.

Grey-headed Woodpecker: Easiest to see and photograph at feeding stations during January–February. Easy to see in spring also, but gets increasingly difficult from mid May onwards.

Hawfinch: Easiest to see and photograph at feeding stations during January–March. Easy to see in spring also, but gets increasingly difficult from mid May onwards

Pygmy Owl: Normally easy to find during the whole spring. Some years also relatively easy to see in wintertime.

Ural Owl: Easy to see during breeding season when we visit nestboxes together with ringers. Otherwise a very nocturnal owl that is hard to see spontaneously. April–May is the best period with some variation between the years.

Tengmalms Owl: An owl with big variations between years. Some years no breedings at all take place, other years plenty and can produce several clutches and extend the breeding season well into August. When breeding, easy to see when we visit nestboxes together with ringers. Otherwise a very nocturnal owl that is hard to see spontaneously. April–May is the best period with some variation between the years.

Great Grey Owl: Spreading south and increasing since 10 years back. Still not numerous, but normally reliable. This owl we don´t visit at nesting sites, we enjoy them on their hunting grounds where they appear most nights in April– May, some years even into mid July.

Capercaillie: Most reliable during leking season the last two weeks in April. Can be difficult other times of the year, but is normally seen during the whole spring. If you are really dedicated to see and photograph "Capers", book our portable hides and spend the night and morning at a leking site!

Hazel Grouse: One of the most difficult birds to show to people. The individual variation in behaviour is big. Some birds get easily attracted by imitating calls and whistles, others don´t. You can never count on this jack-in-the-box, see it as a bonus if it turns up, mostly in April–May.

Hawk Owl: A winter visitor to central Sweden most winters. Normally very resident and obliging during it´s stay. Often frequents the same winter territory during November - February, when starting to move north. Can breed (several pairs in 2006) in central Sweden, but normally do so in the Lapland mountains, with big variations in numbers between the years.

Gyr Falcon: Exclusive Lapland mountain breeder with an unpredictable appearance. Don´t breed every year on the same site, hence difficult to guarantee.

Siberian Tit: Most wanted passerine with a sometime as elusive as other times obliging behaviour. Early breeding seasons (like 2007) with sometimes elusive and other times obliging behaviour.

Pine Grosbeak: Invasion bird from the taiga. 2004 was the last really good year. Some birds turned up in December–February 2006–2007. Invasion trends normally visible from late October, but best period December–January. After that they tend to run out of food and travel further. We´ll let you know when they come!