A folder in Swedish can be downloaded
here as a pdf-file Activities at Haparanda Sandskär Bird Observatory
The observatory is operated by Norrbotten Ornithological Society (NOF).
It is manned from the middle of July until the middle of October. The work is carried out by
volunteers and mainly consists of
Ringing More than 100 000 birds have been ringed since the start in 1981. The
most common species to be ringed is Willow Warbler with more than 34 000 individuals ringed.
Then follow Common Redpoll with about 14 400, Brambling and Reed Bunting, each with
about
The birds are caught with mist nets. In addition Ottenby cages are used to catch
waders. The ringing is usually carried out between 05 and 11.
A ringing hut near Vanahamina (old harbour) on the Southern part of the island makes
the work easier. The main part of the ringing takes place there. The ringing hut is situated less
than 700 meters from the accommodation in Kumpula.
In the northernmost part of the Bay of Bothnia close to the border
between Sweden and Finland there is a small group of islands that
was set aside as a national park in 1995. Haparanda Sandskär
is the main island of the group.
The island is also very beautiful and often enjoys sunshine even
when the weather over the mainland is bad. For this reason it
is common that people visit the island for a few days to relax,
bask in the sun and swim along the long sandy beaches. That the island has good potential for fishing is obvious, since
the fishing at Sandskär has been an important part of the
economy of the region during several centuries.
July
August
September
October More about the work at the Bird Observatory Ringing
is the main study method at Haparanda Sandskär Bird Observatory
for studies of birds with emphasis on migration routhes and migration
behaviour. Standardized ringing is conducted between July 20 and mid-October.
Earlier there was also standardized ringing in the Spring, but
due to lack of personnel and because of logistic problems this
is no longer so. (Transport to the island then takes place via
snow mobile on the ice, and from the island by boat when the ice
is gone.) However, if there is a crew interested in taking on
the spring ringing, this can be arranged. Birds are caught with mist nets and during July and August with
wader cages. In the beginning of July there is also an extensive
investigation of breeding success and ringing of chicks of gulls
and shorebirds on the small islands in the park.
The folder gives information about Haparanda Sandskär Bird Observatory and
about birds and bird watching sites on Sandskär. The size is A4. The file size is 4,5 MB.
5 700 individuals ringed.
Haparanda Sandskär
Once
upon a time there were several fishing villages here and as many
as 300 persons stayed on the island from the break-up of the ice
until july 25 to fish for herring and salmon. Now it is only populated
for part of the year by the personnel of the bird observatory
and a few fisherman and tourists.
The total area of the park is 6 000 hectares, of which 770 hectares
are land and the remainder sea. The area of the main island is
400 hectares. It is about 5 km from north to south and about 3
km from east to west.
The island consists of sand and has risen out of the sea with
the land rise after the last ice age. The land rise is still going
on at a rate of about 1 cm per year. The oldest part of Sandskär
is from the 5th century and the north spit was still under water
200 years ago. With time vegetation has colonised it and the great
biodiversity now present is one of the factors making Sandskär
such an interesting and diverse birding site.
However, not only the birds make Sandskär a worthwile goal
for a visit. Around the island one can see Grey Seal and Ringed Seal,
Phoca hispida botnica, an endemic subspecies of
the Bay of Bothnia and on the island Elk, Red Fox and Weasel,
are often seen in the summer.
For the person interested in the flora there are som real rarities,
for example Grove Sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora) and
Alisma wahlenbergii (Does not seem to have a name in English).
Birds month by Month
Autumn ringing season starts around July 15. Still many birds
are in the middle of their breeding season. Everywhere Meadow
Pipits, Willow Warblers, Sedge Warblers and
Reed Buntings are singing. At sea Velvet Scoters,
Greater Scaups, Red-Breasted Mergansers, and Goosanders
are seen followed by their downball chicks. Around them Arctic
and Common Terns and Parasitic Jaegers are hunting,
sometimes accompanied by a few Caspian Terns.
The passerine migration has not yet begun. Often fledgling chicks
are caught in the nets, frequently more than once. 
The wader migration
is well in progress, and it is not unusual to see 2-300 waders
in "Östviken" (East Bay). However, peak wader migration
is not until August.
Among interesting species at this time of the year are breeding
Little Bunting, Greenish Warbler or with some luck
a few Little Terns. Of course one should also check for
rare waders like Curlew Sandpiper or Terek Sandpiper.
During the first week the wader migration intensifies and more
Tringa waders like Wood Sandpiper and Common Greenshank
now reach their peaks with 2-300 and 50-100 individuals respectively.
Also Whimbrels increase and good Redpoll-years these
now begin to fly in. Good Crossbill years this is the time for
Two-barred Crossbills.
The second week of August the Willow Warbler movements
are becoming clearly noticeable. Towards the end of the week the
daily ringing of Willow Warbler may exceed 200.
The Common Snipes now reach their peak. Most birds now have fledgling
chicks and this means that after Willow Warbler the most
abundand species are Sedge Warbler and Common Reed Bunting.
During the third week the Willow Warblers have normally
peaked and the conditions are ideal for catching Greenish Warbler
and with some luck Arctic Warbler. Species now appearing
in greater numbers are Flycatchers, Redstart, Yellow
Wagtail and Wryneck.
During invasion years the island may now be full of Greater
Spotted Woodpeckers that make life hard for ringers. During
this time also Rustic Bunting and Bluethroat show
up. The waders are decreasing, but it is an ideal time for more
exotic waders like Red Knot, Broad-billed Sandpiper,
Curlew Sandpiper, and Sanderlings in the flocks
of Dunlins.
During the last week the groups of waders have thinned considerably
and only some 30 are left in the East bay. Most terns have disappeared
and the warblers have peaked. However, the number of Rustic
Buntings, Red-throated Pipits and Hen Harriers
are increasing.
Around the open ground large groups of pipits are moving
around, dominated by Tree Pipits, but also up to 50 Red-throated
Pipits on the best days. The Rustic Buntings and the
Bluethroats have peaked. If the Little Bunting was
missed in July there is still hope. Not everyone who says "tick"
is a Rustic Bunting.
Almost all waders have now disappeared, as well as the terns.
Now the migration of the Tengmalm´s Owls has begun
in earnest and an attempt to catch them at night is not a waste.
For raptors this also seems to be the best time. Interesting species
like Black Kite, Gyrfalcon, Pallid Harrier,
and Peregrine can be seen between the common species if
you stay alert.
Towards the end of the month Common Redpoll, Siskin,
Arctic Redpoll and the tits increase much and the
Great Grey Shrike has taken the place of the Greater
Spotted Woodpecker as the most hated bird. Also Lesser
Spotted Woodpecker and Three-toed Woodpecker help even
if few in numbers. For the one set on rarities the Yellow-browed
Warbler are on the go as well as Richard´s Pipit
and why not a really heavyweight Siberian species.
During 2001 were seen among others 1 Greater Pipit, 2 Steller´s
Eiders, 1 Pallid Harrier and 2-3 Yellow-browed Warblers
during September.
The temperature drops and the long distance migrants are gone.
The clearly dominating species are Common Redpoll and tits
with additions of Arctic Redpoll, Waxwing, and Great
Grey Shrike.
The actual end of the season depends on when the snow arrives.
It is no longer only a dance on roses to work on the island now
when the mornings are very cold, but rewards await the persistant.
Among the common species Siberian Tits and many Arctic
Redpolls have been trapped and also rarities like Pallas's
Leaf Warbler. This should also be the best time for those
who wish to catch rare eastern warblers such as Dusky and
Radde's Warbler.
Already in 1963 the first ringing was performed in order to study
the potential of the island as a standardized ringing site. The
results from the first year were clearly positive, but nevertheless
it took almost twenty years before the activities really got going.
Until now a little over 100 00 birds of 137 species have been ringed.
Very little research on bird migration has been carried out in
the north of Sweden compared to more southern bird observatories
and there is thus still much to be done here. For those seeking
to see many species, this is a good place for eastern rarities.
This is as close to Russia as you can get in Sweden.