Sub zero temperatures, powdery snow and sun filled days put me in a great mood since usual winter weather conditions in Malmö are quite gloomy. This Sunday we took a stroll around Lövö Nature reserve which provided us with a much needed dose of vitamin D and plenty bird watching opportunities.

Unfortunately Lövö lacks any prehistoric remains due to a 10 meter higher sea level in the past. Therefore these are not Bronze Age cairns, but piled stones that were cleared away for farming.

This year’s excitement about snow tracks is off limits. If I’m not mistaken these belong to a rabbit.

Kingfisher

My first kingfisher encounter since childhood. Here it can be easily confused with an old rusty leaf, but before it landed on a branch I saw it glide over the frozen shore.

Goldcrest

I’ve met a female goldcrest in a juniper shrub. She was hopping from one branch to another at a speed of light and I could only hear her chirping at first. Spotted at last, she was busy looking for hibernating insects. Given that ‘king of the birds’ weighs only 6 grams and has to eat constantly to keep warm – I don’t think she minded me at all!

Another goldcrest spotted later in a thicket. This one might be male.