Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - Torslandaviken Big Day
Since I seem to have caught a cold I haven't been able to keep up with events lately, but here goes.
Sunday, May 18 was the day of this year's spring 'square hunt'. Me and E weren't participating but went on a competition of our own, to compare two locations - Torslandaviken in western Sweden and Roxen in the east. We were supposed to start at 5 and stop at 17, but our competitor at Roxen overslept and couldn't start until 5:15. As the day went, we agreed to quit at noon.
The dredge pond, normally a paradise for stints galore at this time of year had dried up quite a bit and there were only Redshanks and Ringed Plovers to be seen, and not many at that. We also saw the first Red-backed Shrike of the year.
 Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
We searched thoroughly around all of Torslandaviken but found nothing really specatular, except maybe that we had in all 23 singing Common Whitethroats. The Sand Martins had increased from about six last time to several hundred this day along with lots of House Martins, Barn Swallow and an ever increasing number of Swifts.
 House Martin (Delichon urbicum)
 Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava flava)
As we doubled back and then went up the western shore we stopped by where a square hunt-team stood, and catched a brief glimpse of a Long-eared Owl before it got back into hiding in the treetops below us. Very unexpected life tick for Torslandaviken.
Further north on the west side we had the second shrike of the day, an adult this time, and also a nice Sedge Warbler. As we had a lunch break in the tower there, we observed a perching Cuckoo and another adult Red-backed Shrike.
 Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)
 Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
In the end, we lost the competition, 67 to 70, but we were distinctly in the lead for most of the day, save the last few hours... We'll have to do it again sometime.
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About Me
26 year old birder from Gothenburg, Sweden.
My goal for 2007 was get above 200 life-ticks. I managed 215 and will attempt to get to 250 in 2008. A lot harder!
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Last ticks
• 256: Aquatic Warbler
• 255: Balearic Shearwater
• 254: Manx Shearwater
• 253: Quail
• 252: Great Skua
• 251: Rustic Bunting
• 250: Gyr Falcon
• 249: Ptarmigan
• 248: Willow Grouse
• 247: Rough-legged Buzzard
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