Bird watching Vasterbotten

Holiday packages run from May until October.

Great Grey Owl – photo taken by sweden fishing and birding on 26th May 2022.

Great Grey Owl photo by swedenfishingandbirding taken in June 2022.

Tengmalms – Boreal – Pearl owl in the forest of Northern Sweden.

Pearl owlet. Photographed May 2022 on a sweden fishing and birding guided tour.

Pearl owl with Sweden Fishing and Birding May 2024.

Tengmalm’s Owl viewing with Sweden fishing and birding.

May 2024 with Sweden Fishing and Birding.

We shall aim to get you an encounter with a Tengmalm’s owl.

An example itinerary:

Long weekend Friday to Tuesday.

Friday –

Arrive at Umea airport.

On collection it is possible to then eat a meal at the adjacent Avion shopping centre. Try the Scandinavian MAX burger restaurant or go international with Chinese, Japanese and Korean restaurants being available (at your own choice and cost).

Transfer to accommodation by 7 seat Volvo XC90 takes 1hr. The journey passes grassland, forest, rivers and lakes so the opportunity to spot birds or moose can be immediate. Settle into your new surroundings.

Saturday/Sunday – Visit our forest on foot and a car trip to the UNESCO Vindeln River Biosphere Reserve.

The focus will be on finding owls. The Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) is the most likely one we will spot, but other Scandinavian owl species are very possible. The owls can be very aggressive and territorial towards one another and birds of prey. As such, we will need to visit a variety of locations to have a chance of finding different species of owl. We will do a late evening / night drive to maximise our chances of owl encounters.

We will start with an easy morning walk through the taiga forest (coniferous forest created by boreal species of spruce, fir, larch, pine and silver birch) which we own near your lodgings. The walk will be around 1.5km and is full of places to stop deep in the forest, overlooking grassland and beside the river. We walk over flat grass tracks, which we maintain.

You will be shown access routes, viewing hot spots, bird hides and feeding trees and stations. You can then revisit them in your own time during the rest of your stay.

You can expect to see Hazel Hen / Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia), try to spot Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) visiting their regular feeding trees and hope to observe Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus) or Grey-Headed Woodpecker plus more at our feeding station. Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) are possible but elusive.

Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) visiting its favourite feeding tree in our forest.

Black Woodpecker by Sweden fishing and birding.

Female Capercaillie looking for a male by Sweden fishing and birding.

Handsome chap, by Sweden fishing and birding.

Close interactions with Red-breasted flycatcher among the wood piles is a highlight.

Grey-headed woodpecker (Picus canus canus) male by swedenfishingandbirding.net

Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) taken by sweden fishing and birding - Northern Sweden guided bird watching tour. — Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) taken by sweden fishing and birding – Northern Sweden guided bird watching tour.

Spotted nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes). Photo taken by sweden fishing and birding while bird watching near Vindeln, Vasterbotten, Sweden.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) are common and Beaver (Castor fiber) possible with their felled trees and dam making efforts being ever visible. A close up experience with Moose (Alces alces) is possible and adrenaline inducing!

The forest is home to Eurasian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos arctos), Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) and Pine Marten (Martes martes). However, they have a natural fear and aversion to people so a sighting would be a rare experience. We do find footprints and scat.

You can then utilize the adjacent shop to stock up with foods/drinks. It opens at 9:30am.

During the correct time of year we may wake early to listen for and find breeding Capercaillie and/or Black Grouse.

A walk during the hours of darkness can often be rewarded with the sound of calling owls. Indeed, when we go out to view the northern lights we often get a hooting owl come and investigate us!

DSC_0662 Kristin King great grey owl northern sweden birdwatching holidays — Great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) northern sweden bird watching tour photographed by swedenfishingandbirding.net

In the afternoon we can take a drive around Skivsjo Lake, take detours through forest tracks and drive towards Vindeln Nature Reserve.

Encounters with either Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix), Eurasian Crane (Grus grus), Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) or Northern Raven (Corvus corax) are anticipated.

The Western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), also known as the wood grouse, heather cock, or just Capercaillie. Photo taken by sweden fishing and birding.

We are usually treated to the sight of other raptors and corvids. Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) are very rare but possible, Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus), Northern Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) and Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) are ever present amongst the most noteworthy.

The afternoon is a mixture of driving and walking very short distances to search for Scandinavian specialities (particularly owls, raptors, grouse and woodpeckers) culminating in our arrival at the beautiful Vindeln River where we hope to see White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). Cross the river on an adrenaline inducing suspension bridge and observe a beautiful fast flowing salmon river from a whole new perspective.

Vindeln town offers some urban birding and a chance to use a large supermarket. Close views of Spotted Nutcracker are hoped for. Woodpeckers, Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus), Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea), Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) and many other passerine birds are very likely.

Driving will be dedicated to spotting Grouse, Capercaillie, owls and raptors. Moose and semi-wild Reindeer (owned by the indigenous Sami people) are possible. The area holds Lynx, Bear and Pine Martin but seeing one would be very lucky! Today offers terrific photo opportunities.

DSC_0688 Kristin King Ural owl birdwatching northern sweden holidays — Ural owl (Strix uralensis) bird watching northern sweden trips photographed by swedenfishingandbirding.net

We will keep a keen eye out for the very pale morph of Ural owl (Strix uralensis) that we have in the area. They mainly show along old growth forest edges on dull / overcast days.

We get sightings of Northern hawk-owl (Surnia ulula). It is one of the few owls that is neither nocturnal nor crepuscular, being active only during the day. We shall pause and view from the vehicle at one of their more frequent hunting spots.

September has been the best month to see Hawk owl; which can settle in the local area for consecutive days.

Vindeln UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

Vindeln River by sweden fishing and birding.

Vindeln Nature Reserve has a specific bird watching educational forest trail. Feeding stations, a live webcam feed, bird boxes and numerous information boards and interactive bird call stations are present.

Vindeln Nature Reserve interactive audible bird singing board

You wind the apparatus on the bottom right of the above photo to hear various recordings of singing birds.

Vindeln Nature Reserve bird species information board

Swedish bird houses in Vindeln Nature Reserve

We will take a late evening Owl targeted drive, park up and wait tour in the two hours before darkness.

This is a LOT to do in one or even two days and offers the chance to see locations that you will want to revisit should you be staying extra days with us. Some can be seen on foot from where you stay, others will require a hire car or we me be able to conduct additional visits in future days for a charge. These can be agreed, booked and paid for while you are staying with us. So, if you like what you see we can take you back!

Moose calf (Alces alces). Photo taken by sweden fishing and birding in our forest.

Remember to check our blog for current information or to use as a guide to reference previous months and years.

If you want that Swedish souvenir (whether it be a moose bottle opener, swedish candy or reindeer antler handled cheese slicer) then Vindeln and Umeå offer the chance to buy it.

A late evening owl watch close to home is viable in the two hours before darkness depending upon how long we stay elsewhere.

Viewing displaying Capercaillie and Black Grouse is not an exact science. Start times, duration of the performance and the numbers of birds involved are variable. Best viewed in April and May. March viewing is possible, but access is affected by snow.

Monday –

A day at leisure. Birdwatch around the local lake, forests and village. Revisit the areas you were shown on Saturday, in your own time and at your own pace on foot.

Waterways that enter the lake produce White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) while Eurasian Crane (Grus grus), Black-Throated Diver (Gavia arctica), Red- Breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator), Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) are ever present.

With prior booking it may be possible to take a 2hr guided trip on the lake in our boat.

We only charge 1 300 kr in total for a 2 hour trip (taking up to a maximum of 3 adults plus guide).

This is a very cost effective way to experience Sweden from the water.

Tuesday – Departure day. Transport provided to Umea airport. One last chance to spot during the drive!

Female Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) photographed by swedenfishingandbirding.net

A "ear-full" or "museum" of Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) taken by sweden fishing and birding - Northern Sweden umea vasterbotten birdwatching. — A “ear-full” or “museum” of Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) taken by sweden fishing and birding – Northern Sweden umea vasterbotten birdwatching.

Long-eared owlet photographed near us June 26th 2022.

Long-eared owl on the hunt with sweden fishing and birding.

Bird watching Vasterbotten Overview:

My tours are designed to be affordable and show you the spectacular, the rare and the most wanted. My intention is not to create a list of over 100 species (BUT we do supply a bird list containing 180 species!). You can do the latter yourself. My purpose is to narrow down the vast forest search area, have faith that what we want is there and will appear and most importantly to make sure you have a safe and memorable experience.

If your aim is to spend time with an exotic owl in the wild, watch a rare woodpecker tapping away and marvel at the size and pomp of a strutting Capercaillie then this is the tour for you.

LET US HELP YOU SPOT THEM

BEFORE THEY SPOT YOU

The cost is:

Single guest – £800. Total cost £800 or 960 Euros or 10 800 Kr.

Two guests – £500 each. Total cost £1000 or 1200 Euros or 13 500 Kr.

Three guests – £400 each. Total cost £1200 or 1440 Euros or 16 200 Kr.

Four guests – £350 each. Total cost £1400 or 1680 Euros or 18 900 Kr.

The package does not include;

Pick up and drop off at Umea airport.

Airport transfer via car from Umeå airport to Skivsjö (home of Sweden fishing and birding) costs £85 / 100 Euros / 1150 Kr one way for the whole group.

Collection and drop off times to be agreed at time of booking.

Four nights accommodation in the caravan.

Guided tours as described.

Additional nights in the caravan cost £100 / 120 Euros / 1150 Kr per night. Maximum of 3 additional nights. Making a maximum of 7 nights in total possible.

Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) taken by sweden fishing and birding - Northern Sweden guided birding trip. Late September is best! — Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) taken by sweden fishing and birding – Northern Sweden guided birding trip. Late September is best!

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) by swedenfishingandbirding.

If you wish to stay for a full week then we may offer extra evening tours.

You may wish to book a trip on our boat to visit the islands in the lake and view birds out on the lake. Ducks, geese, gulls, terns, waders and raptors are ever present. Trip costs, departure times and duration can be agreed during your stay with us. This affords the best opportunity to encounter Beaver (sometimes on land but usually swimming in the lake).

We can rise early for a short drive to look for hormonal / displaying Black Grouse and Capercaillie in the forest (Spring only).

Playing peek a boo with Great grey owl by sweden fishing and birding, Vasterbotten, Northern Sweden.

WE AIM TO PLEASE. IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUERIES OR DESIRES OF PLACES TO VISIT OR THINGS TO SEE THEN FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME THE DETAILS. I SHALL ENDEAVOUR TO ADVISE AND ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR CHOSEN ITINERARY.

Hawk owl Surnia ulula birdwatching northern sweden holidays — Northern Hawk owl (Surnia ulula) northern sweden birdwatching holidays photographed by swedenfishingandbirding.net

WE ALSO OFFER SINGLE OR MULTIPLE DAYS GUIDED BIRD AND WILDLIFE WATCHING TRIPS (WITH OR WITHOUT ACCOMMODATION).

PLEASE EMAIL US WITH YOUR REQUEST FOR SINGLE DAY BIRD AND WILDLIFE WATCHING TRIPS; STATING THE DATE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO, WHICH SPECIES YOU ARE KEEN TO SEE AND HOW MANY ARE IN YOUR GROUP.

PICK UP MAY BE AVAILABLE IF YOU ARE STAYING IN GRANO, VINDELN OR THE SURROUNDING AREA. PRICES WILL BE SUPPLIED ON REQUEST.