With the success of our now established spring trips to Southern Sweden, we are now pleased to offer a long weekend in the northern winter, with crisp, cold air birding in snow covered landscapes.  We will maximise the relatively short days in our quest for Hawk and Pygmy Owls, Siberian Jays and other specialities. Pine Grosbeaks can also be seen in invasion years. Expected mammals will include Moose, Roe Deer and Red Fox and there’s always a possible chance of a Lynx or Wolf.  This small group trip will be led by Daniel Green, our ever popular spring trip leader. The area should be heavily carpeted with snow, a winter wonderland and we will max the 7 hours of daylight with lunch on the run. Expect temperatures down to minus 20. We will spend most of the time driving and at stakeouts rather than lots of walking. Photographic opportunities should be excellent.

 

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Itinerary

 

Day1: Depart London Stansted at 1740 and arrive Vasteras at 2050. We will drive to the Black River valley to our accommodation and overnight.

Day 2: We will spend the morning at a forest feeding station for Nutcrackers and Grey-headed Woodpeckers. Other birds around the feeder include various tits including Crested and occasionally the beautiful white-headed Long-tailed Tit plus the Scandinavian race of Nuthatch. Red Squirrels also visit this site. We may also walk by the nearby lake for White-tailed Eagle. After a winter barbeque lunch we will move deeper into the forest to another feeding station with chances of Black Grouse, Capercaille and Golden Eagle. As dusk falls we will check roadside spruce trees for Pygmy Owls.

Day 3: We will spend the day in search of Hawk Owls, whilst Golden and White-tailed Eagles and Ravens can be seen plus a chance of Goshawks. Other birds we will keep an eye out for include Waxwings , Pine Grosbeaks and Hawfinches. If time permits we will visit Farna Ekopark for Three-toed, Lesser-spotted and Black Woodpeckers. This area will also give us more chances of Capercaille, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Pine Grosbeak, Common and Parrot Crossbills.  

Day 4: For our last day we will visit Ockelbo for Siberian Jay and yet another chance of Grey-headed Woodpecker. We will also look for black-bellied Dippers and check the treetops for Pygmy Owls. Fly Vasteras back to London Stansted, arriving back at 2230.

 

Please note the above itinerary is a guide only as we will maximize our birding opportunities subject to local bird news at the time.

 

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Holiday Info

 

Dates: 21^st – 24th January 2010

Leader: Daniel Green

Cost: £879 per person sharing twin rooms

Single supplement: £95

Deposit: £200

Group size: 8 plus the leader

 

Price includes: return economy class flights including prepaid taxes, ground transport throughout, accommodation in twin rooms with private facilities, all meals, hot and cold drinks in the field, services of WildWings/Birdwatch Magazine leader and bird and mammal checklist.

 

Price excludes: other drinks, travel insurance and other items of a personal nature.

 

Birds: Expected no of species 40-50+.