More Swedish Pics from my 2 days in the wonderful Black River Valley area of Svartådalen

Sweden - Vastmanland

for 2 days!

I am just back from a superb last minute visit to Vastmanland in Sweden where I met up with good friend Swedish guide Daniel Green and spent all daylight hours photographing a variety of Swedish birds over just 2 days! I spent one day at a forest feeding station and then a full days hide work the second day for finches and my most wanted - the illusive Hawfinch. Here are a couple images 'hot' out of the memory cards after a very successful trip. I have a good number to go through over the next couple of days . . . . .thank you Daniel for another excellent visit to a wonderful part of Sweden!

'Hogging all the Bread'

We had a really enjoyable long weekend up in Glasgow the weekend before last, visiting friends in their new abode in 'rural' north Glasgow. The journey up was a mere 7 1/2 hours! but with Costa Coffee & Burger King to keep us fat & entertained on the way up, as well as our cheesy music selection, time just flew by. As well as memorable wine sampling, 'wii' playing & meals out in a local pub (where we had our first ever taste of 'Haggis'), Indian Restaurant & a delicious Italian 'at home' we also managed to get out into the air occasionally . . .

I was amazed to see Goosander's scrapping for bread along with gulls & coots at Hogganfield (all pics shown) but not so amazed at dipping a Firecrest at Gosford Estate (great area though & we did see 2 nuthatch). We also briefly visited SOC HQ & had a very fresh walk along the coast at Musselburgh, where we spotted numerous Velvet Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, a couple of GC Grebe, 1 Slav Grebe, Barwits, Knot & flushed a smart Lapland Bunting along the path which we called through to birdline Scotland. After doubling our hosts 'house list' & enjoying his fine river & mountain window views it was time to depart south again! Where's the coffee . . . .