Swedish tick - quail!

Hovs Hallar - rugged and difficult to work for passerine migrants but great for vismig. This is probably Sweden's premier sea-watching location

Still feeling lousy from the stinking virus I nevertheless managed to drag myself out of bed at 0400 for a session before breakfast. This paid off handsomely in the end but brought me to a near standstill for the rest of the day...

With rumours of another visit from Copenhagen I decided to recce the red-breasted flycatchers just off-patch at Dömestorp. No joy here for the flickers, although two male firecrests were ample compensation! Wood warblers and pied flycatchers were singing too and over the canopy I could occasionally hear the flight call of hawfinch - it is a great spot, badly ruined by being 1 km the wrong side of the BK municipality border!

With my recent eviction from Eskilstorps pools still burning in my memory, and not having worked out the next easiest foot access, I decided to end the session with a little time at the newly-created wetland at Klarningen. The bull-dozers have gone, leaving behind a beautifully land-formed wetland reserve (if they levelled it right) - it looks peachy. Just needs water now, I do not care if they ever get the visitor infrastructure in! Not quite clear how they are going to supply the water, but they may be going to pump water removed from neighbouring fields?? Anyway it was a great idea to visit, I beat the bounds and as I got to the river I could hear a quail calling from Eskilstorps pools - a Swedish tick and on-patch too!

Despite the lack of water at Klarningen a single whooper swan was sitting out in the middle of the field, waiting patiently (like me) for the water to rise. Spent a great hour here, logging about 35 species, mostly along the river (highlights including single garden warbler and red kite). Surprisingly could not chase up a little ringed plover - looks good for them at the moment.

Got home for breakfast and Mrs B offered to drive me somewhere and just sit. We went to Hovs Hallar, spread a blanket out of the wind and enjoyed the sun. Things could no doubt have become romantic but Number 3 was with us and repeatedly tried to get down a badger hole. Not many birds about mid-morning although the resident male red-backed shrike showed briefly.