December | Öland

Birds in December

Some years, December is just an extension of the autumn with rain, haze and gray tones in the landscape, other years the winter arrives with snow and cold. Mild pre winters means that many birds such as Thrushes and Bohemian Waxwings remain in large quantities, especially when there are plenty of rowan berries.

Bohemian Waxwing, © Markus Tallroth

Redwing, © Lars Lundmark

If winter comes suddenly can single Long-eared and Short-eared Owls, that have not yet left the country, show up in the lighthouse garden on the southern tip of Öland. Bare blown costal meadows with winter seed heads and dry seed heads of a number of plants sticking up above the snow, attract Finches and Siskins.

Strong wind combined with snowfall, “fåk” can sculpt a strange landscape with meter-high snowdrifts at the stone walls and other obstacles in windswept positions, while higher and more open positions of farmland and fields can be more or less free of snow. This phenomenon is called “fåk” on Öland, blizzard weather with strong winds and drifting snow, especially where the snow gathers on roads and around buildings and other structures as walls and so forth. The open fields attract Grey Partridges.

Along the coast eagles are now patrolling for the surplus tired seabirds provide. Rough-legged Buzzard, Hen Harrier, Northern Goshawk and Golden Eagles are other birds of prey that can be seen during a drive on southern Öland at Christmas time. Now it’s tough for all the bird species that have chosen to spend the winter on the island of Öland.

Northern Goshawk, ©Lars Lundmark