Autumn 2019

It has been a while since I posted any news from Svångemåla. The main reasons are a longer trip to the US and laziness :)  Anyway, it is getting dark and damp and therefore time to leave our paradise for this year. There are not many leaves left on the trees and the grass is always wet.

As always, click on the picture to see it full screen!

Compared to other times of the year, there are very few birds around. This one looked at me in an angry way and probably wondered why I was still around :)

So this is the end of this season. A new one is just around the corner and I hope I will see you then!

Butterflies

This year has been the year of the butterflies!  Many animals are here all the time in smaller or larger numbers and we don't think much about them. The wagtail, the wood pecker, the starlings, the mosquitoes and so on but every year there is either something new to watch or a regular species that show up in larger numbers than what is normal. This year we have had far more butterflies than before and, unfortunately, far more ticks than we normally have.

The butterflies have been a real joy to watch and even if they can be difficult to take photos of, here are some that I managed to document. Unfortunately I am not a butterfly expert so please help me identify them if you can!

Painted lady (Vanessa cardui)

European peacock (Aglais io )

Silver-washed fritillary  (Argynnis paphia) 

Small White (Pieris rapae)

Black-veined white (Aporia crataegi)

Poplar admiral (Limenitis populi) 

 Morning cloak or Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiopa)

Common brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni )

The wagtail family has got kids :)

We have now seen the new members of the wagtail family. Just out of the nest the chickens cannot find their own food and have to rely on the parents. It is a very busy job to feed them and I feel for them.

Hunting mosquitoes and other insects is not easy but it is amazing how fast the wagtail can run and fly very short distances.

The chicken can be heard and the parents have no problems finding it.

 Mouth to mouth feeding!

Big and small flowers

Early summer is the best time to watch the flowers we have in the garden. Although we have not had enough rain, the relatively cold weather has kept them fresh longer than normal and colors are still very vivid.

Frog

Lack of rain has not stopped the frogs from reproducing and I was happy to see this little fellow jumping around on the lawn. It was not more than five centimeters long and looked a bit out of place. 

Örarevet again...

There are few places as calm and relaxing to visit a warm summer day as Örarevet. Regardless of what time of the year you go there, you can be sure to find both beautiful flowers and gracious birds.

European pied flycatcher

A very useful bird when there are too many mosquitoes is the European pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). At least I hope it can reduce the number of mozzies a bit in addition to contributing to the birds' choir. 

White Wagtail

The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is my absolute favorite among the common birds in Svångemåla. It is not spring until it has arrived and started to run around our lawn. We eagerly await them and think they are happy to be back "home". Not a spectacular singer but very social and good looking bird.

Eurasian Blue Tit

Among the most common birds in Svångemåla is the Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). It is a very cute little bird but don't be fooled! It can be both  bold and aggressive when it feels threatened. 

Marsh Tit

Some birds are so tiny and grey that you hardly notice them and if their song is less than spectacular, you can easily forget that they are there and part of the big bird family. The Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) is one of those birds that I have hardly noticed before and I am therefore posting several pictures so that  you get to know it a bit better!

European Robin

The European robin (Erithacus rubecula) or just Robin is a common bird in Svångemåla, this year more than ever. This time of the year you can hear it singing almost constantly. Lovely! Here are some pictures of one happy fellow :)