A Focus On Nature Tour in 

Southern
Sweden

in the countryside of SKANE 

For Birds and Other Nature
At two Places with Some of the 
Best Bird Migration
 to be found Anywhere:

Falsterbo & Öland

During a Week, about half the time at Each Place,
both known for an Outstanding Phenomenon of Bird Migration
in a Beautiful Settings of Moors and Dunes by the Baltic.

(tour: FON/SW-1 '15) 

September 19-25, 2015

FONT first conducted this tour in 1996.

This Sweden tour can be done in conjunction with 
the Iceland tour (which would follow it) Sep 25 - Oct 3, 
or apart from it.

Tour to be led by Armas Hill, with expert local birding guides.

Information follows below about the places to be visited during this tour, 
and the birds to be seen

Links:

Birds during previous FONT Tours in Sweden    Mammals & Other Wildlife in Sweden 

A List & Photo Gallery of European Birds, in 2 Parts:
Part #1: Grouse to Puffin     Part #2: Sandgrouse to Buntings

A  Feature of Photos from the FONT Sweden Tour in September 2007

Highlights of Some Previous FONT Sweden Tours

Tour Registration Form

A representation of the town where we stay in southern Sweden,
Skanor, adjacent to Falsterbo 

FALSTERBO:

At the southernmost point in Sweden, the location of one of the world's finest and most accessible bird migrations from late-August to late November. Large numbers of landbirds, shorebirds, and waterbirds, that follow the long coasts of Scandinavia, concentrate here before crossing the Baltic Sea to Denmark and Germany.

The annual migration of raptors at Falsterbo has been impressive, historically and continues to be.
In the sky, throughout the day, there are kettles of Common Buzzards and Red Kites. Sparrowhawks stream by, as do other hawks and eagles. Good looks can be had of Honey-Buzzards, Harriers, and Hobbies. Common Buzzards vary in coloration from light to dark. Rough-legged Buzzards in Europe are only the light morph. During one of our previous tours (in 1999), there were the most Sparrowhawks and Red Kites ever recorded at Falsterbo during a single day. Records have been kept at Falsterbo for years.

Red Kite (above), ©photo by Jens B. Bruun.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk (at right),
many can be seen in a day during our tour at Falsterbo,
 © photo by Jens B. Bruun.

During one of our recent tours, near Falsterbo, Golden and Lesser Spotted Eagles were seen. During other previous tours, we've seen Greater Spotted and White-tailed Eagles.

Landbirds are seen in tremendous numbers at Falsterbo at the time of our tours. From pipits and wagtails on the golf course, to various crossbills and other finches flying by in the air, many birds are on the move. The trees can be filled with many jays, some nutcrackers, and numerous tits, finches, and warblers. 

Shorebirds (known in Europe as waders) and waterbirds (geese and ducks) commonly migrate through Falsterbo. Uncommonly others too: one year, during our tour, there were Common Murre and Sabine's Gull.   

In all, over 300 species of birds have been recorded on the peninsula at Falsterbo. Dependent upon weather conditions and other factors, the migration varies, but during the FONT tours over the years, each day has been interesting. 

A station for bird-banding, or "ringing", has operated on the peninsula at Falsterbo for years, and, on the average, 10 to 20 thousand birds have been banded every year. Many birds, during their migration, visit the groups of trees around the lighthouse or by the golf course.

Birders at Falsterbo, at the southernmost tip of Sweden 
(photo during the September 2007 FONT tour by James Scheib)

Tour participants will arrive in the Falsterbo area of southern Sweden in the afternoon on Saturday, September 19.

During our visit, we'll spend 3 nights (September 19, 20 & 24) in pleasant accommodations in the quaint village of Skanor, adjacent to Falsterbo.

ÖLAND:

This is a long narrow island off the southeastern Swedish coast of the Baltic. Non-commercialized and a bit like a picture postcard, the island is also an avenue in the autumn for migrating birds.

There are raptors, waterbirds, and landbirds, as there are at Falsterbo, but the character of the migration is rather different, as other birds pass through as well. Among them, flocks of cranes and geese. All of the European geese have been recoded. Among them, as many as 60,000 Barnacle Geese gather prior to flying to their Dutch wintering grounds. With them, usually a small number of dainty Red-breasted Geese. The Lesser White-fronted Goose is also an annual, as is the Snow Goose from North America. On occasion, another white goose from North America has even occurred - the Ross' Goose. That makes a list of 11 species of geese having occurred at Öland.

A single Barnacle Goose,
just one of the many geese seen during this tour
(photo by James Scheib, 
during the FONT Sept 2007 Sweden FONT) 

Öland can also be particularly good for Siberian strays - warblers and others. The cumulative list of these strays from Siberia is very impressive, and includes:  Yellow-browed, Pallas's, and Dusky Warblers, and Richard's Pipit, just to name a few. 

Other rarities can occur as well. For example, during our previous tours, highlights at Öland have been a Eurasian Dotterel along the shore, a Pectoral Sandpiper from North America, and during one tour at Öland, there was a Steller's Eider.   

Not only should there be a large number of birds, there's also in October a large number of birders, who share information, and with whom it's fun to share an experience.

With migration, it's hard to predict and plan precisely what will happen when, so our specific tour schedule will be flexible, dependent upon circumstances. 

For 3 nights (September 21, 22, 23) we will stay at a comfortable hotel on Öland Island, near the best birding action.

During our travel between Falsterbo and Öland, we have had some fine birding. Particularly so, during one tour, when we found in an area of coniferous forest, a group of 4 Capercailles.  

Price: US $2,895 per person, based upon double occupancy.
Single Supplement: US $325.

Includes:
All overnight accommodations, and ground transportation.
Most meals: all breakfasts and lunches.
The services of the FONT and the local birding leaders. 

Does not include:
Air transportation.
Dinners. Drinks and any items of a personal nature.
Gratuities. 

"Focus On Nature Tours" can arrange air travel.

A deposit of US $500 per person, is required to register for this tour.

Some logistics:

Following overnight flight from North America departing Friday, September 18.

The starting point of the tour, is the international airport at Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday, September 19. From there, travel, by van, to Falsterbo would be about an hour (crossing the new bridge). Of course, along the way, there will be birds for us to see until the end of the day. 

The tour will end in Copenhagen (at the airport) on Friday, September 25, from where participants would return home to North America, (or fly to the tour that would follow in Iceland, September 25 - October 3, 2015).

Itinerary Information and bird-lists, relating to the Iceland Tour (FON/IC-1), Sep 25 - Oct 3, 2015