Northern Sweden & Norway trip - end of May 2015

A friend and I spent a few days birding around Härjedalen in the southernmost part of northern Sweden. We also wanted to see Norway, and since it was so close to us, we spent a whole day on the other side of the border, around Røros. Despite not seeing any Gyr Falcons or Snowy Owls, and the weather being terrible most of the time, we had a wonderful time and will most likely return to these beautiful birding grounds many more times. Here follows some of the pictures from the trip.

Golden Plover – Ljungpipare - Aranylile (Pluvialis apricaria)

Arctic Tern - Silvertärna – Sarki csér (Sterna paradisaea)

Lapland Longspur - Lappsparv – Sarkantyús sármány (Calcarius lapponicus)

Great Snipe – Dubbelbeckasin – Nagy sárszalonka (Gallinago media)

Great Snipe – Dubbelbeckasin – Nagy sárszalonka (Gallinago media)

Willow Ptarmigan – Dalripa – Sarki hófajd (Lagopus lagopus)

Willow Ptarmigan – Dalripa – Sarki hófajd (Lagopus lagopus)

Long-tailed Skua – Fjällabb – Nyílfarkú halfarkas (Stercorarius longicaudus)

Siberian Jay - Lavskrika – Északi szajkó (Perisoreus infaustus)

Reindeer - Ren – Rénszarvas (Rangifer tarandus)

Reindeer - Ren – Rénszarvas (Rangifer tarandus)

Reindeer - Ren – Rénszarvas (Rangifer tarandus)

Reindeer - Ren – Rénszarvas (Rangifer tarandus)

Mountain Hare - Skogshare – Havasi nyúl (Lepus timidus)

Mountain Hare - Skogshare – Havasi nyúl (Lepus timidus)

Red-necked Phalarope – Smalnäbbad simsnäppa – Vékonycsőrű víztaposó (Phalaropus lobatus)

Red-necked Phalarope – Smalnäbbad simsnäppa – Vékonycsőrű víztaposó (Phalaropus lobatus)

Red-necked Phalarope – Smalnäbbad simsnäppa – Vékonycsőrű víztaposó (Phalaropus lobatus)

Long-tailed Duck – Alfågel – Jeges réce (Clangula hyemalis)

Bluethroat – Blåhake – Kékbegy (Luscinia svecica)

Willow Ptarmigan – Dalripa – Sarki hófajd (Lagopus lagopus)

Whimbrel – Småspov – Kis póling (Numenius phaeopus)

Whimbrel – Småspov – Kis póling (Numenius phaeopus)

Black-throated Loon - Storlom - Sarki búvár (Gavia arctica)

Willow Ptarmigan – Dalripa – Sarki hófajd (Lagopus lagopus)

Short-eared Owl – Jorduggla – Réti fülesbagoly (Asio flammeus)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Hawk Owl – Hökuggla - Karvalybagoly (Surnia ulula)

Capercaillie – Tjäder – Siketfajd (Tetrao urogallus)

Boreal Owl - Pärluggla – Gatyáskuvik (Aegolius funereus)

Hungary - March/April 2015

I took a three-week trip to Hungary in the end of March to visit relatives and enjoy the beginning of the Hungarian spring. This was the first time I had the chance to drive around in Hungary all alone and I was hoping to do a lot of birdwatching. I was not very pleasantly surprised by the abundance of terrible roads and signs saying "No trespassing", "Private area", "Area protected by dogs and weapons", etc. It was not until now that I realized how amazing the Swedish "Freedom to roam" is, and what it really means for people. Tragically, a country who does not have a chance to discover its own natural treasures will remain ignorant about the problems too. Anyway, the wildlife of Hungary is still amazing and I finally crossed the 200-mark on my Hungarian list. One of my target species was the Middle-spotted Woodpecker, which took me a very long time to find but I was rewarded by exclusive views of a beautiful male. Here are some photos from the trip:

European Ground Squirrel - Sisel – Közönséges ürge (Spermophilus citellus)

Great Egret – Ägretthäger - Nagy kócsag (Casmerodius albus)

Spoonbill - Skedstork – Kanalasgém (Platalea leucorodia)

Marsh Harrier - Brun kärrhök - Barna rétihéja (Circus aeruginosus)

Pygmy Cormorant - Dvärgskarv – Kis kárókatona (Phalacrocorax pygmeus)

Moustached Warbler - Kaveldunsångare – Fülemülesitke (Acrocephalus melanopogon)

Imperial Eagle - Kejsarörn – Parlagi sas (Aquila heliaca)

Black-tailed Godwit - Rödspov – Nagy goda (Limosa limosa)

European Pond Turtle - Kärrsköldpadda – Mocsári teknős (Emys orbicularis)

Firecrest – Brandkronad kungsfågel – Tüzesfejű királyka (Regulus ignicapillus)

Eurasian Nuthatch - Nötväcka - Csuszka (Sitta europaea)

Syrian Woodpecker – Balkanspett – Balkáni fakopáncs (Dendrocopos syriacus)

Green Woodpecker – Gröngöling – Zöld küllő (Picus viridis)

Blackbird - Koltrast - Feketerigó (Turdus merula)

Green Woodpecker – Gröngöling – Zöld küllő (Picus viridis)

Green Woodpecker – Gröngöling – Zöld küllő (Picus viridis)

Blackbird - Koltrast - Feketerigó (Turdus merula)

Middle-spooted Woodpecker – Mellanspett – Közép fakopáncs (Dendrocopos medius)

Middle-spooted Woodpecker – Mellanspett – Közép fakopáncs (Dendrocopos medius)

Middle-spooted Woodpecker – Mellanspett – Közép fakopáncs (Dendrocopos medius)

Corn Bunting - Kornsparv - Sordély (Milaria calandra)

Great Bustard – Stortrapp – Túzok (Otis tarda)

Hoopoe – Härfågel – Búbos banka (Upupa epops)

Collared Flycatcher - Halsbandsflugsnappare – Örvös légykapó (Ficedula albicollis)

Black Stork– Svart stork – Fekete gólya (Ciconia nigra)