Itinerary:

Day 1:

as above

Day 2: Svartådalen

Our birding tour starts with an early morning excursion to a Black Grouse lek and to the Common Crane breeding grounds. It will be light forest trekking in impressive Capercaillie, Goshawk, Hazel Grouse, Nutcracker and Black Woodpecker habitats, with views over lakes with Black-throated Divers and nesting Ospreys. We will have a picnic style lunch with great birdwatching by the wetlands of Svartådalen. We should see breeding White-tailed Eagles, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Common Cranes and more. Wildfowl, (Smew, Pintail, flocks of Bean Geese), Waders (Spotted Redshank, Ruff), Black Terns, all depending on dates. We will transfer westwards towards Hällefors with its breeding grounds for Black and Red-throated Divers.

Overnight: and dinner at Hällefors.

Day 3: Knuthöjdsmossen and Björskogsnäs

Our morning excursion will be to Knuthöjdsmossen which will provide excellent, close views of several breeding pairs of Red-throated Divers. We also visit the beautiful peninsula of Björskogsnäs or the hilly, vast Virgin forest reserve of Kindla. There are great lake and forest views with the chance of Ring Ouzel, Capercaillie, Hazel Grouse, Three-toed and Black Woodpecker, etc. On our way back we pay a gastronomique visit to the farm and café of Bredsjö, famous for it's cheese - Bredsjö Blue - best enjoyed with a small glass of the local Cloudberry wine! This evening we spend outdoors enjoying the nightly choir of the wetlands in Svartådalen. Black-headed Gulls, Water Rail, Bittern and Snipe do the background vocals as we await solos from Spotted Crake and the magical sound of the Jack Snipe. Overnight at Sätrabrunn.

Day 4: Feeding Station

We will have a lazy morning recuperating from our flat out birding. After a relaxed breakfast we visit a feeding station for forest tits and woodpeckers. Crested, Willow and Coal Tits are always present and (Northern) Bullfinches may still appear. Nutcracker and Grey-headed woodpeckers are regular visitors in winter but they must be considered a bonus at this time of the year. After lunch we go on a ringing excursion for Ural Owls. Expect close, daytime encounters with these large, impressive owls. Be sure to bring the camera! Transfer to overnight and dinner at Gysinge.

Overnight: Gysinge

Day 5: Upland Coast

This will be another very early morning start with an excursion for Three-toed, Grey-headed and Black Woodpeckers, and - depending on date - Wryneck. A local specialist guide should assure us of close views of these relatively shy and elusive but inquisitive birds. We then move further out towards the Upland coast with it's really dense population of White-tailed Eagles. In the shallow coastal lagoons flocks of Caspian Terns will be fishing and Little Gulls roost alongside ducks and waders like Ruff, Wood and Green Sandpipers, Greenshank, and immaculate summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank. Overnight and dinner at Gysinge.

Day 6: Boat-trip - River Dalälven

Today we take a relaxed boat-trip in the vast archipelago of the river Dalälven. We explore the impressive waterways in the Färnebofjärdens National Park. This was formerly the core-area for the Swedish population of White-backed Woodpeckers. The bird is now virtually extinct from the area (as in Sweden as a whole) but a large re-introduction scheme has started. We will be hanging out with White-tailed Eagles, Osprey, Black-throated Divers, Common Crane and some Woodpeckers. After lunch we explore the beautiful surroundings of Gysinge with its streams and islands of old, deciduous forests where the ground is totally covered with Anemones in bloom. Goosander will be fishing in the streams and we will look for Black, Green and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers as well as newly arrived migrants like Redstart, Wryneck and Pied Flycatchers. Dinner and overnight at Gysinge or Sätrabrunn.

Day 7: Ängsö Castle

Today we will take an excursion to Ängsö castle with its breeding site for Slavonian Grebes in a small wetland surrounded by old oak forest. There will also be a short stop at a feeding station for Hawfinch. Transfer to airport.

NB: A Moose safari can be arranged on request one of the evenings.