2025-05-01–04 Öland with Henrik

A four day birding excursion from Stockholm to the sothern part of island Öland. We were around 25 people in a comfortable bus and stayed at the Ottenby hostel. As usual, many early mornings.

This kind of trip often have birds far away from where we are and really requires a spotting scope, but I don’t own one and my longest camera lens is 840 mm (with the tele converter). (If I understand this corretly, that is about 30% reach as compared to a scope with 60 times magnification.) As a result I often have to crop the images significantly. Another problem is that a few photos were shot through the bus window, that does not help either. So you will have to excuse the quality of some pictures.

Outer Hebrides, September 21-28, 2024

Took a trip with my old friend, Johan, via Edinburgh to the Outer Hebrides. We traveled with a rental car via the ferry from Ullapool to the isle of Lewis. From there went to the northernmost tip, Butt of Lewis. Then we drove through the isles of Harris, North Uist, South Uist, Eriskay and Barra. Lastly we returned with a ferry to Oban and continued back to Edinburgh.

This was not the best time for bird watching, but I managed to capture four new species. It was also a bit late in the season as some tourist attractions were closed (e.g. the Arnol blackhouse). Most food shacks and lunch restaurants were also closed (and they are not plentyful to begin with). As we stayed in pre-booked hotels, we were at least treated to good dinners and breakfasts. Most of the hotels seemed to end their season in October.

027 – Vadare (Waders)

Strandskata (Haematopus ostralegus; Eurasian oystercatcher) Brantevik, Skåne, May 2020 Bilder: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EeMPAYvSZSLDxBzbAWikipedia: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strandskata Skärfläcka (Recurvirostra avosetta; Pied avocet) Lausviken, Gotland, July, 2021 Bilder: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wbJfSmv52HbFeewYAWikipedia: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sk%C3%A4rfl%C3%A4cka Styltlöpare (Himantopus himantopus; Black-winged stilt) Bilder: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TnyKdcBqj2vt1mhEA Wikipedia: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Styltl%C3%B6pare Mindre strandpipare (Thinornis dubius; Little ringed plover) 2025-06-26: Changed name to adhere to new global international standard (AviList). Brantevik, Skåne, May, 2021…