BIRDWATCHING IN AND AROUND NYKOPING

This page is intended to get a quick insight on bird watching in and around Nykoping, Sodermanland county, Sweden. The local bird club Tarnan, short form for one of our key species, Caspian Tern, have some 270 members, many with a lot of knowledge of the bird life in this area and also with good English and that are willing (if time) to help other birders from abroad.

Situated along the Baltic coast this part of Sodermanland have potentiality for good birding for seabirds, many well known sites for shorebirds and waders, and larger forest areas for owls and other forest living birds.

This part of Sweden might be of extra interest for British birdwatchers as Ryanair have low-fair flight from Stanstead/London  to Nykoping/Stockholm South 3 times per day. So, from Stanstead, you might only be some 3 hours from you next twitch !

From recent years our part around Nykoping have had stationary individs of Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa), 5 weeks in 2000, 3 Snowy Owls (Nyctea scandiaca) in 1999-2000 for 1-7 weeks, 1 Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) in 2000 for 5 weeks and during the Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) invasions of 1998-99 and in 2000-2001 there have been plenty of stationary individuals. In march 2001 there where a 1st winter/2k Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) stationary for 3 days, visible from shore and another juv. in April, also visible from shore.

Sightings in the archipelago have had stationary male King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) during 4-5 weeks in 1999, 2000 and now also in 2001. It is likely the same individual. Also several Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri) both visible from shore and in the archipelago.

Among the breeding and year around species you have a good chance to spot both Eurasian Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) and Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus), both in wintertime and to hear them in spring. There are also a good chance for Parrot Crossbill (Loxia pytyopsittacus).

A rare but yearly winterguest are the Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), which after some effort might be spotted. There are a few well known areas for them.

If you have any specific 'want-list', send an and we might be able to help you if/when you visit this part of Sweden and let you know when that species is sighted.