Scania, Sweden May 13, 1997

Today Scania, the southernmost province in Sweden, experienced an incredible influx of White-winged Black Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (vitvingad tärna).

517 !!! observations from 11 places in Scania (only 2 birds seen outside Scania, at Segerstad on Oeland).
Maybe some of the observations can be double-counts, since the birds were moving around, mainly eastwards, but many of the observations were made at the same time. I was at Lake Krankesjoen myself at 6 pm and saw 150 on the same time in the lake, 65 in one flock ! Here are the numbers:

Lake Krankesjoen: 250
Oertofta 79
Arloevs aengar 47
Lomma 19
Lake Finjasjoen 2
Lake Vombsjoen 3
Haasloevs aengar 28
Haerloevs aengar 43
Lake Arasloevssjoen 42
Herkulesdammarna 11
Jeppadammen 5

All came today with warm winds from SE, 18 degree Celsius.
Surprisingly few other unusual species recorded today.

Today 14 May, also already many reports, mainly from Scania.

Erling Jirle
EuroBirdNet / Fuglenett coordinator Sweden

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May 15

Contrary to expectations, even MORE white-winged Black Terns was seen yesterday, May 14. 1793 was seen in Sweden in total, all but 1 in southern Sweden.

In Scania correlations with time were made to minimize double-counts, so probably less than 100 were doubles.


1372 terns was seen in Scania.

The highest number was 370 in one flock at Lake Vaestra Ringsjoen at dusk.
That should be the largest flock ever in Sweden.

Krankesjoen 262 + 27 Black Terns
Isternaeset 120
Hasslarp 42
Farhult 16
Roenneaans mynning 50
Arloevs aengar 73 + 1 Little Gull
Sorroedssjoen 24
W. Roenneaan 70 + 70 Little Gulls
Between Aralsloevssjon and Hammarsjoen 120
Sotemosse 36
Soevdesjoen 46
Ellestadssjoen 17
Krageholmssjoen 50

Most birds moved towards NE. The weather was fairly warm, but with showers.

From other provinces:

Halland 175 (largest flock 24, Skottorp near Scanian border..)
Smaaland 200
Gotland 33
Oeland 3
Vaestergoetland 3 (Hornborgasjoen)

The Lesser Yellowleg, Tringa flavipes (mindre gulbena) at Froetunaviken, Lake Sundbosjoen (Uppland), was still there this morning.

Yesterday also 2 Red-rumped Swallows, Hirundo daurica (rostgumpsvala), 1 at Oeland and 1 at Vaermland.

With this I will stop make daily reports since there are 3 or 4 more Swedes who likes to do this, so please continue.

Erling Jirle
Swedish coordinator ebn/funett