Øygarden 23 August 2008 - Alarm clock blunder

Goldcrest fuglekonge
The flare at Kollsnes....any effect on nocturnal migrants?

New tripod head.....Manfrotto 501HDV
Northbound Shags toppskarv - one of the few species on the move today

Finally a few hours birding.....and this time with my new tripod head, a Manfrotto 501HDV. A necessary purchase since my trusty old head well and truly gave up the ghost during a recent trip to Falsterbo.

Started the day off unwittingly early, having set my alarm clock to 00:30 and not the more conventional 04:30. Despite a number of not-so-subtle clues to this mistake I remarkably didn't notice this until after I had watched a hunting Eagle Owl hubro (seeminlgy at a Hooded Crow kråke roost) for several minutes at 01:30.....



I continued out to Skogsøy where nocturnal migrants heard passing included Ringed Plover sandlo, Common Sandpiper strandsnipe and Oystercatcher tjeld.





A couple of hours seawatching were generally quiet but a Peregrine vandrefalk flew past, at least one Red Knot polarsnipe fed on the rocks and a couple of Red-throated Diver smålom meant it wasn't a waste of time.



Few seabirds, just several Gannet havsule, a Fulmar havhest and at least 30 "guillebills" alke/lomvi in groups on the sea.

Migrants seen on the way home included a couple of Whinchat buskskvett at Herdlevær and a Spotted Flycatcher gråfluesnapper at Breivik - the latter being the first I have seen in Øygarden this year.