THE WEATHER ON THE SOUTH OF ÖLAND
THE WEATHER RIGHT NOWThe
panel to the left shows the weather at Svalgården right
now and is updated every 10 minutes.
On Öland, bird behaviour is to a large extent governed by weather and wind.
Below is some good advice:
November – March
Now it’s simple. The weather most comfortable for the bird-watcher is also the best weather for the birds. However, moderate SW winds may advance the first signs of spring during the latter half of March. If the SW winds are a bit stronger during the last days of March, a very large number of eiders can be found near the coast of Öland.
April
Moderate S winds alternating with colder N winds, or calm, humid nights, bring plenty of small birds in the thickets along the south coast. Strong SW winds at the beginning of the month increase the number of eiders.
May
During the first part of May, the conditions are the same as in April, however there is cause to be delighted if the winds change to SE. The chance to spot rarities the second half of May increases dramatically with a fresh, prolonged E or SE wind. Around the 25th, it sometimes happens that sudden, ice-cold N winds begin to blow which will force 10.000s of waders to land along the beaches of Öland.
June
Now all you can wish for are calm, windless nights and a few cloudy days without heat haze.
July – August
Wader season! Calm, warm days and nights with sudden outbreaks of rain or thunder are the ideal. Winds should preferably be from NE and moderate.
September
Moderate SE winds may give incredible good numbers of migratory birds along the eastside during the second half of the month. This applies to all kinds of water bird. Clear days with soft winds, preferably N, and accumulating cumuli clouds, provide good opportunities to watch for birds of prey. If the nights are foggy and mild, then you should keep to the southern point the following morning.
October
The longer the E or SE winds blow the bigger the chance of extraordinary guests from the east. If the northern wind suddenly begins to blow, there may be an explosion in the numbers of cranes and geese.