Finally got Arctic skua for the year today - this particular one is from the archives however.Well the predicted sea-watch was a bit of a non-event today, although a single Arctic skua saved the day (my first for the year). Spent the period from dawn to midday at Yttre Kattvik, totals included; teal (7), common scoter (17), velvet scoter (7), goldeneye (1), red-throated diver (1), red-necked grebe (1), gannet (5), sparrowhawk (1), oystercatcher (23), ringed plover (8), golden plover (6), grey plover (18), knot (1), dunlin (5), ruff (1), whimbrel (2), redshank (8), lesser black-backed gull (1), black guillemot (2) and stock dove (1). Lots of waders slipped through unidentified today including two possible little stints. With pomarine skua and Manxie claimed just to the north during the watch there was every reason to feel a little robbed by the eventual outcome.
Took the kids for a run on the beach at Eskilstorpstrand in the afternoon and had another hour of watching. Highlights included my first Halland black guillemot (1), knot (7 south), bar-tailed godwit (1 south) and ringed plover (ditto). I was hoping to catch up with three pomarine skuas reported on the pager system that were coming south - I had three skuas together way north (off North Mellbystrand) briefly at 1530, before they landed out of sight on the sea, but they were too far away to id and definitely off-patch! They made it to Skummelövstrand (just north of Eskilstorpstrand) by 1800 apparently - taking their sweet time about it. The conditions look OK for sea-watching tomorrow so I may give it another morning of effort. Got to be in it to win it etc, etc.
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