Big arrival

A nice fall greeted me this morning, pied flycatchers were the stars but also plenty of lesser whitethroats, tree pipits and redstarts.

Had a sunny early morning session at Gröthögarna this morning. Arriving at Norra Ängalag, the small block of tall trees here was buzzing with activity - a bucket-load of migrants had dropped in. At least three pied flycatchers flitted about, my first of the year. Plenty of blackcap in too and another year-tick in the shape of the first of many lesser whitethroats for the morning. Redstart and tree pipit were also about in small numbers. Walking on the coast produced shoveler (pair), dunlin (2), little tern (2, another year-tick) and common tern (4). Ripagården delivered a singing reed warbler and more common passerine migrants and a calling greenshank.

Took Team B offpatch for a BBQ at Påarp in the afternoon. Påarp was great as usual - I just wish I could move this reef a bit further south! The highlights were; oystercatcher (110), avocet (2 briefly), golden plover (8 dropped in), whimbrel (7), curlew (24), redshank (20) and little tern (4). A quick look at nearby Trönninge ängar revealed garganey (male), four little ringed plovers and wood sandpiper (3).

Last stop of the day was Klarningen. Duck numbers have dropped way down now, just 18 teal remain. Waders included ruff (5), curlew (3), greenshank (1) and wood sandpiper (3).