May is the month of the year with the highest number of bird species seen on Öland, and it is also the tropical migratory birds, tourist birders and rarities month above others. Just the chance to see something extraordinary is perhaps the main reason that many thousands of birders visit the island this time of year. The expected is to see the unexpected, and therefore, week no 21 and 22 in the middle and the end of May, is sacred to many birders.
That from the dawn monitor Öland’s northern or southern point in May is exciting, almost anything in bird way can appear. Loons, Auks, Brent Geese and Terns migrate past and are sometimes joined by Pomarine Skua, Loons and Pallid Harrier and Red-footed Falcon. In the short grazed grasslands near Ölands north and south point, it happens that an Ortolan Bunting, Red-throated Pipit, Citrine Wagtail or even Greater Short-toed Lark is blending in among Western Yellow Wagtails, and in the air space above can at any time an European Bee-eater, Red-rumped Swallow or an Red-footed Falcon pass.
Bee-eater, © Lars Lundmark
Red-footed Falcon, © Lars Lundmark
Now also a large numbers of small birds arrive to the island. The very first of those who wintered down in Africa have already arrived, but in the first half of May, the really big numbers arrives. Not only the birds that stay on the island, but also those passing through on their way north. Our common small bird the Willow Warbler, therefore, exhibits two distinct migration peaks in Ottenby Bird Observatory ringing materials: a peak of those that stays and nest on Öland and a peak at the end of those that will go further north.
This time of year it is an incomparable experience to walk in one of Öland’s all groves. The sound backdrop is deafening. The choir of Common Chaffinch, Willow Warbler, Song Thrush and Tree Pipit mixed up with the Eurasian Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Wood Warbler and Icterine Warblers, and it can also be seasoned with the Collared Flycatcher and, more rarely, with the Red-breasted Flycatcher.
A series of Öland Specialties also shows up in May. Newly arrived Montagu’s Harrier is wobbling over the Alvar and Nightingales are playing in the grove. Last of all, some of Öland’s most characteristic birds arrives, like the Black Tern, Corncrake, Barred Warbler and the Eurasian Golden Oriole.
Bluethroat, © Lars Lundmark
In the world of birds, almost everything can happen in May, and a week of birding at the end of the month can provide over 150 bird species for the one that gives a little extra in the hunt for species!
Black Stork, Eurasian Dotterel, Great Snipe, European Turtle Dove, Bluethroat, Common Grasshopper Warbler, River Warbler, Greenish Warbler, European Serin and Corn Bunting.
Serin, © Lars Lundmark
Red-breasted Flycatcher, © Lars Lundmark
Great Snipe, © Lars Lundmark
Black Stork, © Lars Lundmark
Source: Ölands Fåglar © Ölands Ornitologiska Förening ÖOF ÖOF (authors this chapter: Pav Johnsson, Anders Waldenström)
Translation: Visitoland.com
Pictures: see each picture
The book: Ölands Fåglar, 496 pages (only in Swedish), can be ordered at Naturbokhandeln
ISBN: 9789188124555
