Winter fayre

Photos: Waxwings (first two) and Smew in flight

Although we are in the middle of winter, it really doesn't feel like it. With temperatures consistently a good 5 to 6 degs C above the seasonal average, it feels almost Spring-like at the moment. And certainly not the sort of temperature or weather that I was expecting during my first Scandinavian winter. It means that there are few scarce winter visitors here that you would expect in a hard winter (eg Nutcrackers, Hawk Owls, Pygmy Owls, Tengmalm's Owls etc) but there is still plenty to keep me interested. Yesterday I cycled around the west coast of Amager to view the freshwater reedy pools on the Vestamager Reserve and also the strait of sea between the islands of Amager and Sjaelland. Tufted Duck were in huge numbers - I lost count at about 1,500 on the main lake - with a good number of Scaup in amongst them. On the sea were a few Great Crested Grebes, a few Wigeon, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Cormorants and 50+ Smew. It is great to see so many of these gorgeous black and white ducks together in one place. I can remember getting excited at seeing my first Smew on Martham Broad in Norfolk many years ago and they continue to be a scarce winter visitor to the UK.

A bit further around the track at Kongelunden, on the south coast of Amager, I stumbled across a mixed finch flock, including good numbers of Chaffinch, Brambling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and a single Hawfinch. Then, as I was watching the finches, a flock of 20+ Waxwings alighted in the berry bushes nearby and I was able to take a few photos in the lovely low sun. There are very good numbers around at the moment and I seem to see at least 100+ on each outing.