Sweden Farna Ekopark and Kvismare Valley

After walking in the forest, we visited a lake and were delighted to find a party of five Black Throated divers. After an early supper at our new lodgings, we went to a hide that overlooked the Kvismare Valley to watch the Cranes flying in. Soon they were arriving  by the wind pumps, together with tumbling Greylags, some Whooper Swans and a pair of White-tailed Eagles.

Getting Wet at Lee Valley Slalom Championships

We planned a return visit to the Lee Valley Whitewater centre before we realised that the British Canoe championships started today.  We had a very good morning photographing the competitors going through their qualifying rounds. I tried both fast shutterspeeds (1/1600 or 1/2000th) and slower speeds (1/60th and 1/80th)to get different effects. The light was very limited and flat but I am quite pleased with some of the action portraits. The rain started around lunchtime so we decided the morning had generated enough images to work on.

Colours of the Forest - Sweden

We started day 3 in the forest with a wonderful walk through the forest looking for Woodpeckers and other woodland birds. The colours changed depending on the light; there were lots of colourful fungi, leaves, mosses and lichens and lots of huge ant hills. In one area,  the trees had been destroyed by a forest fire - interested to see Rosebay Willowherb living up to its common name of fireweed colonising the burnt ground

 

Cranes Roosting at Kvismare Valley Sweden

A couple of images and a video of the Cranes coming into roost at Kvismare Valley. Not sure if this is the right quality of video - bit of experimentation needed but the sounds give an idea of the atmosphere as thousands of Cranes fly in off the fields.

In the Black River Forest, Sweden

There was no internet for our second two nights in Sweden so have got a bit behind on posting. Now waiting at the airport and time for one catch-up entry - some images from our second day spent in the Black River forest. I will complete the text when back as access is limited to 30 mins at Stockholm airport.

Sweden - Tranquil Waters and Swarming Darters

One of the aims of my short visit to Sweden is to photograph some personal new dragonfly species and yesterday produced two more - the Yellow-Winged Darter and the Black Darter. The former were swarming laying eggs along the edge of this beautiful lake. There was also time for a couple more fly images to add to my collection. Identification will have to wait!!