Sweden: Fall Migration at Falsterbo

The Scandinavian Peninsula is a vast region rich in birdlife. Every autumn, countless millions of breeding birds empty out of the northern forests and fells for southern climes. Located at the very tip of this landmass, Falsterbo acts like a very narrow delivery end of an enormous funnel. Consequently, it has long been regarded as one of Europe’s premier birding sites, and indeed the flight of birds there is one of the great natural spectacles on the planet. With migration already well underway in July, beginning with species on long-distance journeys to the equator or beyond, and continuing practically unabated through November, it is difficult to recommend a time to visit Falsterbo. Our tour aims for a transition period between movements of a diverse host of African migrants, including shorebirds, flycatchers, pipits, and warblers, and the staggering later-season flights of doves, finches, corvids, tits, and thrushes bound for continental Europe.  This is also an excellent time for raptors, for which Falsterbo is arguably the best site in all of Europe. When the conditions are right, the sky is an ever-shifting gallery of kites, hawks, and falcons. And there is a good chance for rarities as well – just as Falsterbo funnels Northern Europe’s breeding birds, it is also bottleneck for any stray that might have wandered into the region.

We’ll keep a close eye on the weather (which is very often glorious and autumnal) and plan our days accordingly. Much of the migration takes place overhead, and we may spend an entire morning in one location, waiting to see what passes by and over us. Portable seats as well as tea and coffee will keep us going through the morning. If conditions seem safe to leave, we’ll venture short distances off the Falsterbo peninsula to search for sparse local breeders like Black Woodpecker and Bearded Reedling, and visit good locations for shorebirds, gulls, and terns, always to return to our home base in the hamlet of Skanör (the sister-town to Falsterbo), and to lodgings in a beautiful historic inn. With excellent food, a gorgeous setting, a strong community of local birders, and world-class birding at a relaxed pace, Falsterbo is the place for anyone wishing to increase their experience with European birds, or, perhaps, simply with the wonders of bird migration.