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Description
Just as any season at Gärstad, the area is overflowing with gulls even in winter. Most common are European Herring Gull and Great Black-backed Gull. But also smaller amounts of wintering Common Gull and Black-headed Gull. During cold winters even Glaucous Gull has been found. The gulls also attract large amounts of wintering birds of prey like White-tailed Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Common Buzzard, and Sparrowhawk. If the dams are ice free smaller amounts of ducks, geese and swans can be found in the area. Around Gärstadverken there are smaller amounts of wasteland enjoyed by birds during winter and alte autumn. Rare birds like Common Chaffinch (rare in winter), Linnet (rare in winter), Twite, Jack Snipe and Black Redstart have been found along with many more common wintering birds. Along with the gulls large amounts of crows also winter in the area. Most numerous are Hooded Crow, Common Raven and Jackdaw.
During sping most of the Common Gull and Black-headed Gull return to Gärstadverken. Rarer gulls like Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Caspian Gull are also found during this period. Early spring birds are also often found here first like Common Starling, Eurasian Skylark, Northern Lapwing, and Common Wood Pigeon. The fields around Gärstadverken are also often filled with geese and swans during this period. When the dams open up most dabbling ducks common in the area can be found.
Gärstadverken is a quite surprisingly good location for wading birds. With Common Redshank, Eurasian Oystercatcher, and European Golden Plover being common. During autumn even some arctic waders can be found.
During summer Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover, Slavonian Grebe and Black-necked Grebe, who arrive in spring, all breed in the many dams in the area. Black-necked Grebe is extremely rare (only breeds in one other area in Sweden since it recently disappeared from Skåne) and might have left this location for good since it wasn't found in 2022.
During autumn gulls are most numerous. Thousands of Common Gull and European Herring Gull. Although they often venture into lake Roxen. Here Caspian Gull is relativley numerous, and Yellow-legged Gull can be found. Other rare gulls like Kittiwake (very rare) and Little Gull can also be seen.
Details
Access
Gärstadverken is located between the city of Linköping and lake Roxen. There is a parking lot. Click on a P in the map for directions to a parking.