September 4th - 9th   Falsterbo, Sweden

 

Falsterbo lighthouse and ringing station

A small group of the birders and photographers scattered around the area

Anne and I have just spent five days birding and sightseeing in the Falsterbo area of Sweden one of Europe's top migration hotspots. We arrived at Copenhagen Airport in heavy rain and drove to our hotel near Vellinge but found little about due to the torrential rain. This rain however was a bonus because the next day there was a large fall of migrants, mainly Robins, of which the Falsterbo Ringing Station at the lighthouse caught 929 out of their days total of 1,180 birds ringed.
During our five days birds were continually passing over with common species like Greylag Geese, Siskins, Chaffinches, Tree Sparrows and Yellow and White Wagtails in large numbers with the occasional Tree Pipits and Crossbills.

Some of the Greylag Geese flying south

Highlights for us were totals of 2,272 Barnacle Geese, 48 Common Cranes flying S, 29 Red Kites, 189 Sparrowhawks, 76 Honey Buzzard, 100 Common Buzzard, 4 Pallid Harriers, 1 White-tailed Eagle and 3 Nutcrackers.

Falsterbo