Alan Dalton post's birding diaries and original artwork from Sweden. Established in 2006, this now long running blog is now a complete overview of my birding experiences. As an artist I greatly enjoy sketching birds in the field and you will find a wide selection of that work here, from fieldwork to finished paintings. I am very passionate about my artwork and try to depict birds in their natural habitat, as I see them in the wild. My artwork is for sale and can be viewed at http://www.alandalton.net/
As regards to my photography, since 2008 I have used a Nikon D90 DSLR camera coupled with a Sigma 150-500mm OS lens for since March 2012 for bird photography, all previous images being digiscoped. Regarding sound recording, I have been usung a Telinga Stereo Dat Mic and parabol to record birds in the field, coupled to a Marrantz 661 digital recorder, a superb piece of kit. Interest in butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies has recently seen the accquisition of a Sigma 150mm macro lens. I hope you enjoy the blog and please feel free to leave comments or contact me at alandltn@gmail.com

Thursday, October 28, 2010
Great Snipe; Ågesta
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tyresö Slott; 26th October 2010

Tyresö slott was the first port of call this morning and I arrived early. Birds were rather scarce as one would expect at the time of year. Siskins and Common Redpoll were noted in small numbers straight away and thoughout the visit. Blue Tit were everywhere as always, a few Blackbirds were seen and flushed, whilst Fieldfares were on the move overhead throughout. A Hawfinch brightened the morning, the bird high in the trees and betrayed itself by calling. I carefully checked the lower stream without much joy, a Grey Heron the only bird seen there. A handful of Goosander were present on the Slott, whilst the woods held a Green Woodpecker and a few Bullfinches. Nuthatch were numerous collecting beech mast and I stopped to draw them for a while. Over the bridge to Nottholmen, where a Raven flew overhead. I made my way through the trees to the reeds and waited...
It wasn't long before I heard the sound I had come for, the call of Bearded Tit. The reed exploded with their loud calls every few minutes, but it took a while to see one. After twenty minutes I had a flight view of a female/1st Winter bird. Then one appear high in the reeds briefly. After an hour the whole flock of five birds flew over the reeds on front of me and I latched on to an adult male in the binoculars for a few seconds, very nice indeed!
I headed off a while later to check the upper stream for Dippers. I had only arrived when I saw the first in the shallow rapids feeding. It flew downstream and I moved upstream to find two more at the falls, busily disputing each others presence. I watched them for 45 minutes before packing up my stuff. A glorious day in the sun with a few very nice birds seen just to cap it off nicely..
Argentatus Herring Gull; 3rd Calender; Skeppsbron; 26th October 2010




(a) The outer primary(P10) is white tipped with a dark line separating it from a large white spot which is mainly withing the inner web of the feather, though does extend on to the outer web. The extreme outer edge of the feather is dark. The remaining visible P10 appears largely dark...
(b)The next primary inwards(p9) also his a white spot at the tip, with another smaller white spot plainly visible on the dark primary not far from the tip. Again the visible part of the feather is wholly dark, though the inner third appears greyish here...
(c)A white tip is also present on P9, with the outer third appearing dark. A dark trailing edge is noticable, as is the dark primary shaft..
(d)P7 is white tipped with a broad dark subterminal band that extends up along the outer web. There is also a whitish crescent betwenn the dark and grey..
(e)P6 is also tipped whitish, or "mirrored", with a broad dark subterminal band, which only extends along th outer web a small distance...
(f)P5 is tipped white with a rather narrow subterminal band which narrows toward the feather shaft and possibly just adjoins there
An Argentatus Herring Gull here from today, a third calender bird. I took a range of shots of this individual with a view to dissecting the plumage details here,...
Skeppsbron; 26th October 2010



A check today at Skeppsbron revealed one bird I had not expected, a rather late Lesser Black-backed Gull, an adult bird as well. This bird should have left by now, but for whatever reason it has not and it was nice to see today.
Herring Gulls are still present in numbers, hav attached a few shots here with some notes....
Monday, October 25, 2010
Common Redpolls; Norra Järvafältet; 26th October 2010



Having spent the day around Barkarby I had a wander about 30M Kärret without seeing a whole lot. I walked back for the bus late in the afternoon and was delighted to find a large flock of 160 Common Redpoll fedding close to the feeding station on seed low down. The birds eventually proved approachable and I managed some nice shots in light that was a little difficult....
Barkarby/Norra Järvafältet; 26th October 2010


A day out at Barkarby today, just beside the airstrip. I was saddened to see building has progressed rapidly to the south of this site, much has been lost of what was a superb area for Redpolls and Twite in winter, as well as passage migrants. An Isabelline Wheatear graced this same area a year ago. Apartment blocks and a retirement home now stand in the area and a lot of the seed producing plants are no more.
I moved off to the south and was heartened slightly to find a large planted area of sunflowers just to the south, which I would guess were planted for the birds by the excellent Norra Järvafältet group in response to the disappering habitat just to the south. A lot of birds had been attracted by the sunflowers rich yield of seeds. Yellowhammers were fairly abundant and were flushed as I went. A highlight was an adult male Goshawk in the trees to the west which gave me a lovely view through the scope for five minutes. A flock of Common Redpoll provided interest, up to 100 birds were carefully scrutinized for Arctic Redpoll, alas no joy today. Chaffinch, Greenfinch and a single Twite were also noted before I headed off. A Black Woodpecker was nice flying overhead calling, a typical view of this wonderful bird.
I spent a couple of hours at the site sketching Redpolls on a rather glorious sunny autumn afternoon, it won't be too long until the big freeze comes and it was very nice to sit out drawing for a while...
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Skeppsholm; 5th October 2010

Herring Gull 1st Calender; A remarkably dark individual. The darkest bird in this age group seen at the site in two years. A small percentage show dark coloration. Greater covert pattern of interest, not typical piano key notching as on would expect in Argentatus.



Back to Skeppsbron today after nine days away from Stockholm, nice to be back. Just under 70 Herring Gull present, including several new birds. Nothing rare today, but a few birds of interest, all photographed.
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