EuroBirdNet - since 1990.

SWEDISH AUTUMN RARITY REPORT 11 October - 7 November 1999

Still a warm autumn in most of Sweden, +9 in the south.

The major event during the period was the Chimney Swift, Chaetura pelagicus, 6-7 November, see below.
Sources: Mainly from the Swedish hotline run by Club 300, and compiled by Mikael Nord.
Most of the rarities listed below are not official Swedish records until accepted by the national or local rarities committees*.

Shortenings: m=male, f=female, 2y=second calender year age, w = winter plumage

English name, scientific name (Swedish name)
Number, sex/age, place (Province) day.month
Great Northern Loon, Gavia immer (svartnäbbad islom)
Scania 5, Halland 2, Öland 6, Bohuslän 2, Södermanland 1, Gotland 1.
More and more records every year of this species.

Yellow-billed Loon, Gavia adamsii (vitnäbbad islom)
Scania 2, Gotland 1, Öland 3,

Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus (mindre lira)
1 Hönö (Bohuslän) 11.10, 1 Glommen (Halland) 11.10.

Leach s Storm-petrel, Oceanodroma leucohoa (klykstjärtad stormsvala)
4 Mellbystrand (Halland) 12.10 and 1 13.10.1 Hönö (Bohuslän) 2.11.

European Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis (toppskarv)
1 Träslövsläge (Halland) 13.10, 1 Busör (Halland) the whole of October-, 12 Hermanö (Bohuslän) 4.11, 16 Malön (Halland) 24.10, 50 Väderöarna (Bohuslän) 7.11, 1 Hallands Väderö (Scania) 7.11.

Little Egret, Egretta garzetta (silkeshäger)
1 Värmlandsnäs (Värmland) 4.11, and probably the same at Torkelstorp (Halland) 6-7.11.

Red-breasted Goose, Branta ruficollis (rödhalsad gås)
1 Ottenby (Öland) 10-11.10, 1 Sebybadet (Öland) 13.10.

King Eider, Somateria spectabilis (praktejder)
2-3 ad m Sebybadet (Öland) 15.10, 2 ad m Sandhammaren (Scania) 16.10, 1 f Ånacke (Scania) 17.10, 2 f Faludden (Gotland) 1.11, 1 f Lörudden (Medelpad) 5.11.

Steller s Eider, Polysticta stelleri (alförrädare)
1 m + 1 f Morups Tånge (Halland) 1.11, 2 f Lövöbådan (Västerbotten) 4.11, 1 f Landsort (Södermanland) 5.11.

Imperial Eagle, Aquila heliaca (kejsarörn)
1 3y Falsterbo (Scania) 16.10.

Gyr Falcon, Falco rusticolus (jaktfalk)
1 1y Piteå (Norrbotten) 12.10, another 1y there 14-16.10, 1 1y Eckels udde (Öland) the whole period, 1 1y Landsort (Södermanland) 15.10, 1 1y St. Fjäderägg (Västerbotten) 16.10, 1 1y Kvissmaren (Närke) 19.10, 1 1y Otteny (Öland) 29.10, 1 Heros (Dalarna) 29.10, 1 N. Umeå (Västerbotten) 4.11.

Eleonora s Falcon, Falco eleonorae (eleonorafalk)
1 light phase Eckels udde (Öland) 14.10.

Red Phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (brednäbbad simsnäppa)
1 1y Hönö (Bohuslän) 11.10, 1 Hovs Hallar (Scania) 12.10, 1 1y Örudden (Södermanland) 13.10, 1 St. Ören (Öland) 18.10, 1 ringed Utklippan (Blekinge) 22.10, 1 Hönö (Bohuslän) 31.10, 1 Gubbanäsan (Halland) 2.11, 1 mellbystrand (Halland) 3.11.

Pomarine Jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (bredstjärtad labb)
Lower numbers compared to the previous report, when around 1500 was reported September 23 - October 10 (must be an all time high for Sweden).

This period;
Bohuslän: 44
Gotland:11
Halland: 16
Scania: 42
Småland: 3
Öland: 91
Uppland; 18
Blekinge: 3
Västergötland: 12
Värmland: 3
Södermanland: 1
Västerbotten: 1
In total at least 225.

Long-tailed Jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (fjällabb)
2 Mellbystrand (Halland) 12.10, 1 Hönö (Bohuslän) 2.11, 1 Gubbanäsan (Halland) 3.11.

Great Skua, Catharacta skua (storlabb)
2 Gubbanäsan (Halland) 12.10, 2 Mellbystrand (Halland) 12.10, 1 Malmö (Scania) 12.10, 5 Mellbystrand (Halland) 13.10, 1 Värmlandsnäs (Värmland) 21.10, 2 Hönö (Bohuslän) 2.11, 1 3.11.

Mediterranean Gull, Larus melanocephalus (svarthuvad mås)
1 2y Lomma (Scania) 12.10, 1 1y Vellinge (Scania) 31.10.

Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus (vittrut)
The 2y bird at Glommen (Halland) still there (since last spring).
1 3y Sebybadet (Öland) 15.10, 1 1y Skatudden (Uppland) 6.11.

Iceland Gull, L. glaucoides
1 Lidköping (Västergötland) 12.10.

Sabine s Gull, Larus sabini (tärnmås)
1 1y Glommen (Halland) 3.11.

White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (vitvingad tärna)
1 1y Enköping (Uppland) 7.11.

Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica (lunnefågel) 12

Little Auk, Alle alle (alkekung) 30

Barn Owl, Tyto alba (tornuggla)
1 Faludden (Gotland) 17.10.

Northern Hawk Owl, Surnia ulula (hökuggla) are on the move this autumn (2 in Uppland 16.10, 1 in Scania 23-24.10), and more coming in today 10.11 in Uppland, Södermanland and Scania.
Also guite many records of Eurasian Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium passerinum (sparvuggla) and Tengmalm's Owl, Aegolius funereus (pärluggla) in southern Sweden.

European Turtle Dove, Streptopelia turtur (turturduva)
1 Linköping (Östergötland) 31.10.

ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE, S. orientalis (större turturduva)
1 Falsterbo (Scania) 4.11.
13th Swedish record, the first for Scania if accepted.

Eurasian Hoopoe, Upupa epops (härfågel)
1 Norrbyn (Ångermanland) 14-16.10, 1 Ystad (Scania) 14.10, 1 Iggön (Gästrikland) 16.10, 1 Kåseberga (Scania) 20.10 and probably the same; 1 Hammar (Scania) 24.10, 1 Frövi (Västmanland) 3.11, 1 Borås (Västergötland) 3-5.11, 1 Rappestad (Östergötland) 6.11.

White-backed Woodpecker, Dendrocopus leucotos (vitryggig hackspett)
1 m Råå-Gantofta (Scania) 31.10---
This individual was ringed with 2 white rings on left leg and one on right + one orange ring, which showed that it belongs to a project on increasing the fading population in the middle part of Sweden (Tinäset in Uppland mainly). 7 specimens from Latvia and 12 from Norway have been released in this area, 7 have been found dead, and 6 or so have "dissappeared" from the area according to rumours I have heard. So the one in Scania have migrated 600 km. Maybe it would have been better to release them in Scania instead ...:-)
The species probably bred in Scania in the beginning of the 19th century.
The area at Råån is very suitable, with lots of good trees, and the woodpecker seemed to be in good shape.
The question now for us Scanian twitchers is; Is it twitchable ?

CHIMNEY SWIFT, Chaetura pelagica (skorstensseglare)
An amazing record, one of the major rarities ever in Sweden.
Very few records in Europe.
It was found 3 p.m. 6.11 by a birder who thought he saw a bat !
50 birders managed to see it the same day before sunset.
Sunday morning at 7.03 a.m. when it was still almost dark we were over 200 birders lucky to see this little bat-like bird over the treetops (Scots Pine) at the road junction at Gårdby (Öland).It was seen until 2 p.m. that day, not seen since that.

Records in "Britain and Europe";
Difficult to get hold of facts on records (since UK is not a member of EBN). Before 1990 all records were from Britain (Cornwall and Isles of Scilly; 2 in Oct 1982, 1 Nov 1986, 1 Oct 1987).
After 1990 seen on the Canary Islands and ?the Azores?
This autumn though there have been almost an influx;
About 5 records on the British Isles; among them 1 on the Scillies and the first Irish record; at Cape Clear.
And then the first Scandinavian record last weekend at Öland.
Maybe the Swifts came with the same strong low pressure cell that brought unprecedented numbers of Cave Swallows to Ontario, Canada last week (e-mail from David Mark, Amherst, N.Y.).

Richard s Pipit, Anthus richardi (större piplärka)
Last period 30 records, this period 4.

Water Pipit, Anthus spinoletta (vattenpiplärka)
1 Kråkenabben (Blekinge) 30.10-, 1 Utlängan (Blekinge) 31.10, 1 Skanör (Scania) 2.11.

DESERT WHEATEAR, O. deserti (ökenstenskvätta)
1 ad m Västergårde (Gotland) 21-25.10, 1 1y f Visby (Gotland) 26.10.

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR, Oenanthe isabellina (isabellastenskvätta)
1 Värmdö (Uppland) 9-13.10. The second this year.

PIED WHEATEAR, O. pleschanka (nunnestenskvätta)
1 1y m Närsholmen (Gotland) 16.10.

BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR, Oenanthe hispanica (medelhavsstenskvätta)
1 f Hermanö (Bohuslän) 26.9, 1 m Kåseberga (Scania) 3.10.

LANCEOLATED WARBLER, Locustella lanceolata (träsksångare)
1 1y ringed Utklippan (Blekinge) 19.10. Died the same day.

RADDE S WARBLER, Phylloscopus schwarzi (videsångare)
1 Visby (Gotland) 19.10.

DUSKY WARBLER, Phylloscopus fuscatus (brunsångare)

HUME'S LEAF WARBLER, Ph. humei (bergstaigasångare)
1 Ottenby (Öland) 23-24.10.

Pallas s Leaf Warbler, Phylloscopus proregulus (kungsfågelsångare)
Around 65 records this period. Highest record; 10 at Örskär(Uppland) 11.10.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus (taigasångare)
5 records.

Chiffchaff, eastern race, Ph. collybita tristis (gransångare)
1 ringed Venan (Närke) 16.10, 1 ringed Ottenby (Öland) 19.10, 1 Ronneby (Blekinge) 19.10.

Firecrest, Regulus ignicapillus (brandkronad kungsfågel)
1 Kullen (Scania) 14.10, Kungsmarken (Scania) 25-27.10, 1 L. Frö (Öland) 27.10, 1 f ringed Ottenby (Öland) 5.11, stayed -7.11. 1 Falsterbo (Scania) 5-6.11.

Little Bunting, Emberiza pusilla (dvärgsparv)
1 ringed Utklippan (Blekinge) 25.10.
PROBABLE ESCAPES

Hooded Merganser, Mergus cucullatus (kamskrake)
1 ad m Virsbosjön (Västmanland) 16.10.

Saker Falcon, Falco cherrug (tatarfalk)
1 1y Stockviken and Faludden (Gotland) 21.10.
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Here you also find previous Swedish rarities reports;
http://www.pheromone.ekol.lu.se/Reports/SwReports99.html

The English / scientific / Swedish bird names above follows the Swedish Holarctic list adopted by SOF (Swed. Orn. Union) 1995.
For the whole list incl. explanations, start at;
http://www.pheromone.ekol.lu.se/hollisteng.html

Cheers,
Swedish coordinator, EuroBirdNet / Fugle-nett

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