June | Öland

Birds in June

What many do not know is that the bird’s migration to, or past, Öland continues well into June and that this month is the best for some bird species which have their main distribution in the south or southeast of Sweden. It is now that the chance to see or hear the Eurasian Golden Oriole is the greatest, when the males gladly sing all day long. Other from the south coming guests as Common Quail, Greenish Warbler, River Warbler and Blyth’s Reed Warbler can now also be found. The latter two are mainly night singing. A remarkable number of even more rare bird species also tend to emerge now, making June the third best rarity month.

Blyth’s Reed Warbler, © Lars Lundmark

Red Crossbill, © Lars Lundmark

At the same time as the last spring birds are passing Öland to continue north, the first southbound migrating wader’s starts to leave the country, mainly of the species where only one parent takes care of the young birds. The Green Sandpiper is usually the first returning migratory bird, followed closely by the Eurasian Curlew. Other birds that carry out their nesting’s early, such as Crossbills and Starlings, are often seen migrating in June. The latter young birds gather in large flocks and at a leisurely pace moves south. Thus, autumn sensing before Midsummer!

June is a confused time. Many birds, such as ducks and some waders, have begun to moult off their beautiful breeding costumes and looks far from always like those depicted in bird books. Toward midsummer has much of the territorial birdsong silenced and been replaced with warning and begging sounds. Most birds are busy feeding the young birds, and not fully developed young bird costumes and yellow mouths confuses. At night can the fledgelings from Tawny Owls and Long-eared Owls be heard calling from the woods. Dabbling Ducks males begin to moult to darker costumes – more discreet, more female looking that they grow in the summer while the wings flight feathers are replaced, and for a time they lose or have impaired ability to fly.

Green Sandpiper, © Lars Lundmark