FALSTERBO, SWEDEN – BIRDING TRIP SEPTEMBER 30TH TO OCTOBER 8TH 2024

CHRIS MILLS, JOHN HOPPER, MANDY MYERS & ALISON GORDON

This was John’s 5^th visit to Falsterbo’, Chris’s 3^rd and Mandy and Alison’s first. We had promised the girls, skies full of finches, this never really materialised (best day 10,000!), but was more than made up for by some other quality birds and migration! We stayed in self-catering Falsterbo and there’s plenty of accommodation available in late September. We can also recommend the excellent Anna’s Bakery, for food and coffee! https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g3464130-d12858071-Reviews-Annas_Bageri-Hollviken_Skane_County.html

SEPTEMBER 30^TH: We took a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Copenhagen which took one hour 35 minutes. After some slight difficulties with the car hire we were on our way out of Denmark driving over the awesome Oserund Bridge and in to Sweden. A few Red Kites and Common Buzzards were noted from the car and as we drove through Hollviken we noticed a flock of large birds some way off in the distance. We assumed that they would probably be geese but as the birds got closer, we soon realised they were in fact Common Cranes!

A flock of approximately 250 Cranes, a great start to our trip. Birding around Falsterbo usually means watching from any one of four main view points which are Nabben, Kolabacken, The Heath and The Canal. Today a short stop at The Heath produced several more Red Kites and a nice close Green Woodpecker.

We then took the decision to spend the remainder of the afternoon at Kolabacken, a small hillock adjacent to the car park at Falsterbo Golf Club. Almost immediately we picked up several more flocks of Common Cranes in the distance. They were making slow progress but eventually many of the birds passed directly overhead. It was a wonderful experience to hear their evocative calls and watch these magnificent birds undertaking their migration south. Multiple flocks followed and in the three hour period we counted 2195 Cranes!

The count at Nabben earlier in the day was in excess of 8000 birds. A few raptors were still on the move including a single Rough-legged Buzzard and an immature White-tailed Eagle. Small numbers of Siskin moved through and a Great White Egret passed distantly over the sea. After a long day it was then time to settle into our comfortable accommodation, a pleasant three bedroomed property in Falsterbo village.

OCTOBER 1^ST: Following breakfast we made our way out to Nabben. This is where the counters are positioned and where the majority of birders go to first thing in the morning. It was very windy and at times quite uncomfortable. Passerines were moving through but the numbers were nothing exceptional. Raptors were also on the move. However, Common Cranes were once again the highlight. The flocks were smaller than yesterday, but the passage was constant and during our morning stint we saw approximately 1000 birds.

The commonest raptors were Red Kites and Sparrowhawks. Also noted were singles of Honey Buzzard, Merlin and Peregrine Falcon. White-tailed Eagles are sometimes described as ‘flying barn doors’, a description that is hard to disagree with, they really are enormous. This morning, we were treated to five migrating White-tailed Eagles and two other individuals loafing around the point. The two immature birds around the point would in fact become an almost daily feature.

After lunch we tried The Heath where a further 300 Common Cranes passed through. A superb male Hen Harrier afforded wonderful views and a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier flew overhead. Later in the afternoon we moved on to The Canal where once again flocks of Common Cranes were still on the move and numbered around 600 Cranes giving us another day total around the 2000 mark.

A single Peregrine Falcon was observed as well as a few Barnacle Geese.

OCTOBER 2^ND: Although it was still rather windy as we made our way out to Nabben it was much better than yesterday and more comfortable. Passerine numbers were almost non-existent but raptors were moving in small numbers. Two White-tailed Eagles passed through and the regular one or two birds made their way out to the point causing the usual chaos amongst the Cormorants and ducks.

It had been fairly quiet, but then a call went out for a Greater Spotted Eagle. Initially the bird was rather distant but gradually came closer so that so that all the salient features could be noted. It then flew back inland but returned on two more occasions and migrated later in the day, always a rare species at Falsterbo this was the first bird of the year.  Amongst the groups of migrating Red Kites and Common Buzzards we recorded single Rough-legged Buzzard, Honey Buzzard and a Black Kite. Common Cranes were moving in smaller numbers with 200 birds noted. At one point our attention was drawn to a squealing noise close by as we witnessed the rather gruesome sight of a Mink attacking a Rabbit.

After lunch we spent some time at The Heath where we saw six different White-tailed Eagles, 2 Hen Harriers and another 400 Common Cranes. We decided to walk through an area of woodland to a large bay. Here we enjoyed close views of a Black-throated Diver on the sea and a magnificent Rough-legged Buzzard passing directly overhead. Ten Great White Egrets were present along with a selection of wildfowl which included Pintail, Shoveler, Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser. Walking back to the car we had a frustratingly brief view of a Black Woodpecker flying into the woodland. As we approached the area where the bird had flown to, a second individual called several times and once again gave a frustratingly brief view as it flew through the trees. We quietly approached the area where the bird had disappeared and our luck was in, there it was a Black Woodpecker in full view perched in the top of a dead Silver Birch. We enjoyed prolonged views before it flew a short distance and sat in the top of another dead Silver Birch before flying off.

Just afterwards we watched 2 Green Woodpeckers feeding unconcerned in the nearby camp site and got some very nice close views. We all agreed that the Black Woodpecker was bird of the day with the Greater Spotted Eagle a close second.

OCTOBER 3^rd: A relatively quiet day with low numbers of passerines. Nabben produced 2 Rough-legged Buzzards and 2 Hen Harriers amongst the increased numbers of Common Buzzards and Red Kites. The Common Crane movement was stalling with a mere 200 birds seen. Barnacle Geese, however were increasing and 2750 moved South.

There was a good movement of Wood Pigeon with some large flocks passing at great height and barely visible to the naked eye. At the end of the counting period 15400 Wood Pigeon had been logged. Six Little Gulls flew over the peninsular and a mobile flock of 8 Spotted Redshanks were seen. A single Osprey became our fifteenth raptor species of the trip.

As we got back to the car a juvenile Hobby was putting on a terrific performance catching dragonflies above our heads. After lunch we stood at Kolabacken where we recorded 100 Common Buzzards, a single Rough-legged Buzzard, four White-tailed Eagles, four Hen Harriers and the usual Red Kites. The juvenile Hobby was still putting on an impressive show.

OCTOBER 4^TH: It was a bright morning out at Nabben and the wind had eased considerably. The numbers of passerines were again disappointing, although there were more birds moving than yesterday with 1050 Chaffinch recorded during the counting period. The regular small flock of Tree Sparrows, around twenty birds, were a constant feature amongst the Rosa rugosa bushes.

A female Greater Scaup was present briefly amongst a flock of Tufted Ducks. Suddenly an excited shout went out, in Swedish unfortunately, and all the birders present were focussing their attention in one particular direction. Lots of shouting followed, again in Swedish, so we didn’t know what we were actually looking for!

Several more seconds elapsed before we managed to find out that the bird was in fact a Hoopoe. Fortunately we managed to get on to the bird as it flew over the golf course and headed off inland. Afterwards the counters told us that it was the first Hoopoe they had seen here in the autumn for many years, hence all the commotion.

Not long afterwards a Great Grey Shrike appeared in some adjacent bushes. Raptors were enjoying a good day and at the close of the counting period 479 Common Buzzards and 171 Red Kites had been recorded. We saw 6 Rough-legged Buzzards (the day count was 17) including two birds that temporarily delayed their migration to spend some time hunting over the point. It was interesting to see several pale variant Common Buzzards which can pose a trap for the unwary observer. Seen well their identification is not a problem but distantly they can initially look rather like a Rough-legged Buzzard or even an Osprey, so beware!

Yet again Common Cranes were on the move with a day count of 2210 birds. Other species were recorded in decent numbers and included 8600 Barnacle Geese, 27700 Wood Pigeon 237 Skylarks and 28 Woodlarks. We finished the day at The Heath with a couple of White-tailed Eagles and a few Common Buzzards. In the evening Chris and Mandy located a Yellow-browed Warbler in an area of woodland not far from our accommodation.

OCTOBER 5^TH: It was a lovely morning out at Nabben with light winds and clear skies, unfortunately not the best conditions to bring us lots of birds. Passerines were thin on the ground with the best being a single Great Grey Shrike and a Serin which alighted briefly before moving on. Over the sea a single Gannet and White-fronted Goose were seen. Raptors took a while to get moving and when they did the numbers and variety were low with 3 Hen Harriers and two White-tailed Eagles the best. The Hobby was still around Kolabacken. Today was actually notable for the fact that we didn’t see any Common Cranes for the first time on the trip. It has been an excellent year for them and up to this date over 19000 Cranes had been counted from Nabben.

In the afternoon we decided to try The Canal which proved quite successful. Unfortunately, the weather conditions meant that the birds were passing over at a great height. During our time there we saw 4 Rough-legged Buzzards, 100 Common Buzzards, 30 Red Kites and singles of Peregrine Falcon and White-tailed Eagle.

OCTOBER 6^TH: The weather was more overcast this morning with a gentle breeze and there was some improvement in passerine numbers passing Nabben, with 3250 Chaffinch and 155 Brambling. A Common Crossbill and a Lesser Redpoll added to the variety along with several small groups of Woodlarks which at the end of the counting period numbered 35. Two Great Grey Shrikes together was a nice sighting. A Water Rail was calling from an adjacent reed bed and a second individual vacated from cover and was walking around on the sandy shore of the lagoon. Raptors consisted of a further 3 Rough-legged Buzzards, a Black Kite, Peregrine Falcon, Common Buzzards, Red Kites and the usual two or three White-tailed Eagles. Two Short-eared Owls were of interest.

Just before we left Nabben, we were made aware of a roosting Eagle Owl in a park near Malmo 40km away so after lunch we headed there. We easily located the attractive Alnarp Park Arboretum and after a short walk found ourselves joining a small group of observers who were looking at the owl. The bird was sat in an Oak tree and although partially hidden still gave great views. A Red Squirrel was also in the tree and at one point decided to make its way along the branch towards the owl. The owl seemed to be sensing an easy meal but fortunately the squirrel lost its nerve and did a hasty retreat.

OCTOBER 7^TH: Walking out to Nabben it initially appeared that not too many birds were moving but once we were in position on the point passage began to gain momentum. For the next two hours a steady number of birds passed overhead, nothing spectacular by Falsterbo standards but still very enjoyable.

Close to ten thousand birds were counted consisting of 6100 Chaffinch, 1710 Siskin and 1110 Linnet. The official count of Brambling was 100 birds which we thought was an underestimate. It was pretty much a no show for raptors with just two Merlin, six Red Kites, one Hen Harrier and a single White-tailed Eagle. The sea produced some interest and as well as the usual species we noted 5 White-fronted Geese, a Long-tailed Duck, an Arctic Skua and three different Caspian Gulls. A single Black-tailed Godwit flew over and a distant flock of Golden Plover probably numbered around 5000 birds. The weather closed in during the afternoon resulting in an early finish to the days birding.

OCTOBER 8^TH: Out to Nabben for our final morning. It was quiet with a light movement of passerines. Notable birds included a Tree Pipit, two Merlins, three ‘flava’ wagtails and a flock of 16 White-fronted Geese. Rain set in from late morning so we called it a day and returned to our accommodation. There was then ample time to pack our bags before driving to Copenhagen Airport for our evening flight home.

So, another successful and enjoyable visit to Falsterbo, a place that never disappoints. Whilst we didn’t hit on a ‘big’ passerine day there was so much to enjoy. There were several highlights but the spectacular passage of Common Cranes probably stole the show. Definitely a very different trip to our last one in 2019 when the skies filled with crazy numbers of finches – https://www.norfolkbirding.com/migration-at-falsterbo-southern-sweden/

Systematic list of birds recorded