17 March 2013 Where is the Spring?

The past week has been really cold, some mornings almost down to -20 degrees, and the Spring has not made much progress at all. It has been sunny though and the light is back which makes life easier.

I did some school work this morning and at the same time I listened to a radio program. A lady was saying that what girls need are not "strong" role models, women that have succeded and done extremely well, but "weak" role models; women that have not been so successful but that know that they are loved, lovely and good enough as they are. As I walked around Boglundsängen today I kept thinking about it and I really agree; There is too much pressure on girls, and boys, to succeed, find well-paid jobs, have a beautiful family and stay fit and "young". I hope I can be such a "weak" role model, a humble role model, and someone who can be positive and smiling even when life is not "a fairy tale".

Today I saw yet another "not so common" bird where saw the siskin and the bullfinches. This time it was a goldfinch (steglits, Carduelis carduelis). They are really special and look a bit out of place here in Sweden I must say, as we don't have many birds that colourful. http://www.ufg.se/images/steglits4.jpg

Nothing much had changed since I last walked around the Boglundsängen I found. The fields are full of snow and not many birds can be seen yet. There were lots of crows, magpies, fieldfares and jackdaws (kaja, Corvus monedula) though. The number of geese have increased, there were at least 15 pairs of greylag.

Here are som pictures from todays walk:

The stone under the motorway with some beautiful ice beside it.

Not much change in the amount of snow here.

The creek, Lillån, is frozen again!

I discovered this gigant "splodge" of lichen on a cliff!

Today I went to check-out the observation tower as well. The view wasn't very different but I really liked the walls of it!

 

On the way back I met the cutest little dog, but mostly I'm terribly annoyed with all the dog owners that let their dogs free in the middle of the field where all the birds will be and already are. Why can't they use the paths as everybody else and keep their dogs on a leach?

10 March 2013 - Not at Boglundsängen

Today I have actually not been to Boglundsängen. Instead I went to Eskilstuna to see my mother and my sister and her family. My mother and I had coffee on her balcony and despite the fact that the temperature was several degrees below zero it was nice in the sun.

I'm afraid Spring has not made much progress this week as it has been rather cold, but it has been a sunny week. On Wednesday when I was walking home from school I heard the common black bird (koltrast, Turdus merula) sing from a roof top for the first time this year. It always brings back memories from Uppsala and my time as a student there!

3 March 2013

This weekend we have had a lovely weather: It has been sunny and clear but the wind has been rather cold.

I started my bird watching by going to another bird sanctuary here in Orebro, the famous Oset, the area where the river that runs through Orebro enters in to Lake Hjalmaren, and where the legendary bird watcher Eric Rosenberg made many of the observations described in his book, Birds in Sweden.

There was a narrow, but rather long stretch of open water at the river mouth and I saw my first whooper swan (sångsvan, Cygnus cygnus) of the year on the ice near it. There were also lots of gulls and geese around. Far out in the open water I could see a pair of common goldeneye (knipa, Bucephala clangula).

I had my coffee and my sandwishes on a bench at what they call the "Café Corner". There is a feeding place for small birds there and when I first arrived I saw a long-tailed tit (stjärtmes, Aegithalos caudatus) looking for food on a wooden post. Long-tailed tits must be among the cutest bird species! Someone said they look like table tennis balls with long tails and that is a pretty good description, I think. I didn't manage to get a photo of it, but I got two other species- and realised the blue tit (blåmes, Parus caeruleus) is really very blue!

Today I went to church at 10.30 and all I was thinking of while sitting there was to get away and out, I must admit. When it was finally over I rushed home and out.

Just like last Sunday I walked along the creek, Lillån, to get to Boglundsängen. As I did so I suddenly met my cousin, Elin, and her family. Or rather they were overtaking me on their bikes. It was a long time since I last saw them!

Where I saw the redpoll last Sunday I now saw a siskin (grönsiska, Carduelis spinus) and also some bullfinches (domherre, Pyrrhula pyrrhula). I actually heard them last Sunday as well, but could not see them then, and wasn't sure I remembered the song right!

The stone in the water, under the motorway, was no longer on a silver plate but looked rather interesting anyway:

I walked all around Boglundsängen today as well and the snow had melted on the road in most places. More dry grass could be seen and in the middle of the area there were at least five pairs of greylag (grågås, Anser anser).
 

 

A fieldfare (björktrast, Turdus pilaris) along the road.

Lillån, the creek was now flowing free, all the ice was gone. Spring is really on its way now!