Common Shelduck [gravand]

Two common shelducks strolling in the low tide. Lanesund, on June 5, 2015.

Pentax K50, ISO 200, 300mm, f/11, 1/400.

A True Caribbean ”Pain in the Ass”

My favorite Puerto Rican bird is the chango, or greater antillian grackle [antillerbåtstjärt]. Just look at its tail! I don’t know if to compare it with our magpies or blackbirds. Or perhaps the jackdaw? Anyway, it’s all around, whistling loudly from sunrise to sunset, very curios, always hungry as it seems, and a real teaser – on several occasions, I saw them ambushing the iguanas from above to pick  on their tails (!) just for the fun of it. San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 20–25 2015.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/1250.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/250.

Iphone 4, ISO 80, 4mm, f/2.8, 1/686.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/125.

High Above San Juan, Puerto Rico

On my conference trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, I remembered to search the skies for raptors and other big birds. I saw a red-tailed hawk patrolling the highway, and some american oystercatchers patrolling the beaches (that’s my fourth species of my favorite bird!). I also saw these two patrolling the capital city on high altitude.

A brown pelican [brun pelikan], on May 24, 2015.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/1000.

A magnificent frigatebird [praktfregattfågel], on May 25, 2015.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/1000.

The Botanical Garden in San Juan, Puerto Rico

I've been on a conference trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lots of work, but also some birding. The Botanical Garden at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, holds not only lots of flowers, bromelias, palms and orchids, but also lots of birds. Most of these I only heard (I'm not used to birdspotting among palm-trees), but I saw some. On May 25, 2015.

I almost missed this lovely striated (green-backed) heron [brunryggig häger], fishing in one of the almost dried out streams.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/100.

There are lots of common gallinules [amerikansk rörhöna] in the ponds, waiting for the visitors to throw them some bread and hoping to catch it before the freshwater turtles or the fish does.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/160.

The pearly-eyed thrasher [vitögd härmtrast] is a lovely singer! But not at all cooperative when it comes to posing for a photographer!

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/125.

The pitirre or gray kingbird [grå kungstyrann], is a flycatcher and sits most of the on a branch, waiting to spot a fly. When it does, it makes a quick raid to snatch it, and then it's back to the branch to wait for the next snack.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/400.


The zenaida dove [zenaidaduva] is the national bird of Anguilla. There's plenty of these very curious birds in Puerto Rico as well.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/250.

Common Gull [fiskmås]

Gåsevik, Skaftö, on April 19, 2015.

Pentax K50, ISO 400, 300mm, f/9, 1/320.

Eurasian Oystercatcher [strandskata]

My favorites. Skaftö, on April 19, 2015.

Pentax K50, ISO 200, 300mm, f/11, 1/400.

Common Crane [trana]

Just outside home. A quick glance in the sky caught these cranes, just passing by on high altitude. Uddevalla on April 21, 2015.

Pentax K50, ISO 200, 300mm, f/10, 1/320.

Northern Lapwing [tofsvipa]

One of my spring favorites, and one of the first to return. Naturum Hornborgasjön, Broddetorp, on April 10, 2015.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/160.

Common Crane [trana]

Hornborgasjön is well known among bird lovers. In a few weeks in the spring, up to 25,000 cranes come together to dance, before they migrate further north. The whooper swans like to mingle. Trandansen, Hornborgasjön, on April 10, 2015.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/160.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/160.

Mute Swan [knölsvan]

A slightly odd angle but a common bird. Naturum Hornborgasjön, Broddetorp, on April 10, 2015.

Canon PowerShot A620, ISO 50, 29mm, f/4.1, 1/640.