Hawk Owl is the bird I most wanted to see in Europe. Not only is it a stunning looking daytime Owl, but it is the last European species I had yet to see. I have missed this species in Poland, Finland and Netherlands in recent years.
All this combined meant I started getting VERY twitchy when I discovered the excellent resource that is http://www.artportalen.se which gives up to date news for the whole of Sweden, not only for birds but other wildlife too. This is accompanied by gripping photos and pretty precise location information. What this told me was that there were two Hawk Owls showing daily in southern Sweden – one north of Vasteras, the other on an industrial estate in Uppsala. Both locations were less than an hours’ drive from Vasteras Airport.
To make this even more tempting, flights with Ryanair from Stansted were £49 return, and Hotels were available form £60 a night.
This was a no brainer.
Trudy and I stayed overnight at the Premier Inn, Stansted, on Thursday 14th January, ready for the 10.35 flight on the Friday morning.
By 14.30, we had picked up the VW Passat from a very cold Vasteras Airport (-14.5 according to the car) and were heading east to try to beat the sunset.
On arrival at 15.20, I had about 40 minutes’ daylight to find the wooden bridge and the bird. I found the right spot, but only a single Waxwing was compensation. At least I knew where to park and walk for the morning’s retry.
We checked in at the excellent Grand Hotell Hornan and ate at the Lingon Restaurant – a very high quality place.
The next morning after breakfast we were out, and I drove to the spot with quite a heavy heart. Since snow had arrived in this area in early January, the bird was being reported on artportalen much less frequently. In fact the last report was Thursday, potentially two days ago. Had I missed another by just one day?
The answer came very quickly when as we walked towards the frozen Fyrisan river, a Blue tit alarm-called as it flew from a pursuing predator. I assumed it to be a Sparrowhawk, which I’d seen briefly the day before in the same spot – after all, I assumed the Hawk Owl would be feeding on rodents, not chasing birds.
The Blue tit’s pursuer landed in the top of the tree in front of us.
I put my bins up.
HAWK OWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a truly stunning bird. What an awesome moment.
We watched the bird for the next hour or two as it went from tree to tree, at one point landing on a lamp post, another landing on the ground next to us and hopping about searching for ground-living prey. At another point it clearly had a bird that it had caught. Initially it looked like a Blackbird but on closer inspection it seems too big, so could well be a Jackdaw! Have a look at the photo’s and let me know what you think.
I make no apologies for including quite a few photo’s of this stunning bird, a birding lifetime’s ambition fulfilled in real style by this showy superstar! Hope you enjoy too!
I took Trudy back into Uppsala then went off to the forest south of the town where there had been a very showy Great Grey Owl for the last 4-5 weeks. This area is very popular with the locals for cross country skiing. Unfortunately, although the Owl was reported as recently as 12th January, it had become much less frequent once the snow arrived. I bumped into Swedish birder Mattias Larsson while I was there, and we searched the various clearings together, but only had a few Bullfinches and Greenfinches to show for it. Disappointing, but at least the Hawk Owl was under the belt.
WHERE TO LOOK
The bird is next to the frozen river Fyrisan, north of Uppsala, on the edge of the Libroback Industrial estate.
Exit the E55 and go north along the 272, “Borjegatan”. Go to the first mini roundabout (about 300m from the E55) onto the industrial estate. Take the first left, then keep going as far as you can, going right then left until you exit the estate. You will come to a bend in the road with fields around you. Turn round here and go back the way you just came for about 50m. Look for the cycle path on your left between two units (denoted by a blue circular sign with a cyclist and walker). This goes a short 75m to the river. As it was Sunday, we actually drove down it to the river (!!) where it joins another cycle path that runs along the river.
See the images. The place has been extensively built on since the google image, but you can still see the bend on the road in the fields at the end of the estate.
The bird was in the tree facing the end of the cycle path, but also got in the trees either side, before you hit the one that runs along the river, and also in the trees bordering the river between the cycle path junction and the wooden bridge.
It is approachable, but it is better to stand still and wait for it to come to you. It generally perches in prominent spots on the tops of trees and posts.
If you want more information please feel free to email me at seancole65@yahoo.co.uk
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