Inre Slätbaken

The birds start to arrive at Killingholmen in February when the ice starts to loose its grip on the coastal waters. Then ducks start to rest in the shallow parts of the bay; Μαυροκέφαλη Πάπια (at most 100) and around 1000 Χηνοπρίστης can be found. Also the rarer winter ducks like (Ευρωπαϊκό) Κιρκίρι, Γκισάρι, Νανοπρίστης, Σταχτόπαπια and Θαλασσοπρίστης. A few hundred geese and around 100 Αγριόκυκνος feed on the areas fields and coastal meadows around march. In March the other early spring birds also arrive; (Κοινή) Σιταρήθρα, (Κοινή) Φάσσα, (Ευρωπαϊκό) Ψαρόνι and (Ευρωπαϊκή) Καλημάνα. In spring you can find Μουστακαλής in the reed beds.

Year round (Κοινό) Ξεφτέρι, (Ευρωπαϊκός) Θαλασσαετός and (Κοινή) Γερακίνα are the common predatory birds. But Χρυσαετός, Χειμωνόκιρκος and Ψαλιδιάρης pass by the area. Most common passerine birds arrive in March/April. Slätbaken is a stopping point for passerine birds, which makes it common to find uncommonly early Δεντροσταρήθρα and Γερακότσιχλα.

From late February and in March the owls in the area can be heard calling. Χουχουριστής Σπουργιτόγλαυκα and (Κοινός) Μπούφος are sometimes heard. In March more geese start to arrive and not only the common Canada Goose and Σταχτόχηνα. Also Ασπρομέτωπη Χήνα (at most 67) and Barnacle Goose (at most 100). Χωραφόχηνα, Tundra Bean Goose and Pink-footed Goose are sometimes found. Also Νανόκυκνος has been observed.

On the coastal meadows large amounts of passerine bird start to rest in the end of March and in April. Λιβαδοκελάδα, Λευκοσουσουράδα, (Κοινό) Φανέτο are the most common. Among these Θαλασσοκελάδα is regularly seen. In the large grassy areas Βαλτόμπουφος can be found. On the coastal meadows Ακτίτης, Δασότρυγγας, Κοκκινοσκέλης, (Ευρωπαϊκό) Σφυριχτάρι, Καπακλής, (Ευρασιατική) Χουλιαρόπαπια, Λασπότρυγγας, (Ευρωπαϊκό) Βροχοπούλι, (Κοινό) Μπεκατσίνι and Σκουφοβουτηχτάρι. Most common dabbling ducks are found but only (Ευρωπαϊκό) Κιρκίρι is numerous (at most 70). At the Torpa damm (Ευρωπαϊκή) Σαρσέλα and Ψαλίδα (του Βορά) have been seen, along with smaller amounts of other ducks.

In april large amounts of thrushes move past the fields and coastal meadows. Hundreds of (Κοινή) Τσίχλα, Κοκκινότσιχλα, Κεδρότσιχλα and Γερακότσιχλα are seen. In the end of May and April most birds disappear, except for the breeders.

In May the latest passerine birds, and night active birds arrive. On the fields Λιβαδόκιρκος, Πετρίτης and Ορτυκομάνα are found. Μελανόγλαρος sometimes rest on the coastal meadows in May. (Κοινή) Ροδόσπιζα often sings here. On the meadows Barnacle Goose, Σταχτόχηνα, Canada Goose, Καπακλής, Κοκκινοσκέλης, (Ευρωπαϊκή) Καλημάνα, Σκουφοβουτηχτάρι, Μαυροκέφαλη Πάπια, (Ευρωπαϊκή) Βουκεφάλα and (Κοινή) Φαλαρίδα breed. In the area Νανοδρυοκολάπτης, Αετομάχος, (Ευρωπαϊκό) Κιρκίρι and Αγριόκυκνος breed. At Storåns river mouth you can observe (Ευρωπαϊκή) Αλκυόνη.

During autumn Hov strandängar becomes better for birding. From July the area is a good site for wading birds such as (Ευρωπαϊκή) Καλημάνα, (Ευρασιατική) Τουρλίδα, Αμμοσφυριχτής, Ποταμοσφυριχτής, Ακτίτης, (Κοινό) Μπεκατσίνι, (Ευρωπαϊκό) Βροχοπούλι, Πρασινοσκέλης, Κοκκινοσκέλης, Μαχητής, Λασπότρυγγας and Δασότρυγγας. These are all common, while (Κοινή) Νανοσκαλίδρα, Λασποσκαλίδρα, Σιγλίγουρος, Σταχτιά Νανοσκαλίδρα and Δρεπανοσκαλίδρα are more rare.

Other wetland birds are often found. Among the rarer birds (Ευρωπαϊκή) Αλκυόνη, Καρατζάς, Γαλαζολαίμης and Αργυροτσικνιάς can be noted. Large amounts of gulls, geese and terns can be found, especially Σταχτόχηνα which some years have been found as numerous as 3000.

Large amounts of passerine birds are found in the meadow areas. The most numerous passerine birds are (Κοινή) Καρδερίνα (250 at most), σταβλοχελίδονο (500 at most), Καστανολαίμης, Σταχτοπετρόκλης, (Ευρωπαϊκό) Ψαρόνι (600 at most). Later in autumn (Κοκκινόλαιμο) Νανοβουτηχτάρι, Κουφομπεκάτσινο, Twite, Χειμωνοβουτηχτάρι, Νανοπρίστης and Σταχτόπαπια are sometimes found.

Inre Slätbaken is located east of the town of Söderköping. Parking can be found around Hov and several other places. Click on a P in the map for directions to a parking spot.