Back To Reality

Coming down after two weeks in Costa Rica has been tough. The jet-lag has been an absolute killer.

Saturday was a chance to absorb some daylight and fresh air down in maarintorni.

It was nice to reacquaint myself with the European warblers on the walk down, with lots of juv Blyth's Reed and Icterine warblers tacking and chacking away in among all the Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers.

In front of the tower itself were many of the usual suspects, plenty of juv waders and the same few Great White Egrets as there's been all summer.

Great White Egret

My first Red Throated Pipits of the autumn also were calling around in front of the tower and a few Honey Buzzards floated south, passage migrants on their way out of Dodge.

Big numbers of Sparrowhawk were also on the move with dozens mooching through, far out numbering the one juv Goshawk present. 

Sunday started late. Finally we beat the jet-lag back with a record 12 hours of unbroken sleep, and not getting on the road until midday. We opted for a country drive, checking likely spots for migrating Harriers, but the Pallid passage seems to be on either the low or late side. We managed 1 distant pygmac ringtail at Myrans, and a juv Hen at Saltfjarden but that was our lot when it came to the Harriers.

Plenty of migrating cranes, a couple of White Tailed Eagle, Hobbies and Goshawks were the best of the rest

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