Bird Watchers Delighted as Rare Brown Sole Found on Ferry in Stockholm
One of the ferries that arrived in Stockholm on Tuesday brought a pleasant surprise for several bird watchers. Along with human passengers, a brown sole bird, which is not commonly found in Europe but closest to the Red Sea, was also on board.
Many sea-dwelling birds, like the brown sole, are capable of flying long distances in search of food. Didrik Vanhoenacker, an on-call biologist at the National Museum of Natural History, explains that it is not uncommon for these birds to be seen in places other than their usual habitats.
Vanhoenacker himself had the opportunity to witness this rare bird during its arrival in Stockholm. According to him, the bird was first spotted the day before in Finland when it landed on a maritime patrol boat outside Helsinki.
“It had never been seen in Finland before and has only been seen in Sweden once before,” Vanhoenacker reveals.
The bird then made its way onto a ferry named Silja Serenade, bound for Stockholm.
“It was seen that evening on the boat heading towards Stockholm. Due to bad weather, it seemingly preferred sitting on the boat rather than flying,” Vanhoenacker explains.
Deeming the bird tired upon its arrival in Sweden, the biologist arranged for its proper care and rehabilitation at an animal rehabilitation center in Stockholm.
“While the bird did not appear to be injured, it was quite thin. Now it needs to eat, and we will observe if it recovers,” Vanhoenacker states.
According to Vanhoenacker, this is only the second time a brown sole bird has been observed in Sweden. The first sighting occurred in early November 2021.
Bird watchers and enthusiasts are excited about the unexpected appearance of the brown sole, which serves as a testament to the diverse and often unpredictable movement of avian species across the globe.