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)

Västmanland

Some pictures from today that I took around Surahammar, Ramnäs and Skinnskatteberg:

Greater Scaup, Tufted Duck - Bergand, Vigg - Hegyi réce, kontyos réce (Aythya marila, Aythya fuligula) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/500, ISO-160

Spotted Flycatcher - Grå flugsnappare - Szürke légykapó (Musciapa striata) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/1250, ISO-250

Cuckoo - Gök - Kakukk (Cuculus canorus) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/4000, ISO-400

Green Sandpiper - Skogssnäppa - Erdei cankó (Tringa ochropus) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/1250, ISO-250

Black-throated Loon - Storlom - Sarki búvár (Gavia arctica) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/640, ISO-250

Black-throated Loon - Storlom - Sarki búvár (Gavia arctica) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/1000, ISO-250

Treecreeper - Trädkrypare - Erdei fakusz (Certhia familiaris) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/1250, ISO-100

The Great Gray

Last night brought me two Black-throated Loons, a beutiful Great Gray Owl and a Short-eared Owl. Unfortunately the Short-eared Owl didn't show up until it was very very dark.

Black-throated loon - Storlom - Sarki búvár (Gavia arctica) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/500, ISO-100

Black-throated loon - Storlom - Sarki búvár (Gavia arctica) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/640, ISO-160

Great Gray Owl - Lappuggla - Szakállas bagoly (Strix nebulosa) 400mm, F/5.6, 1, ISO-100

Great Gray Owl - Lappuggla - Szakállas bagoly (Strix nebulosa) 400mm, F/5.6, 1/2, ISO-200