Hiiumaa (Dagö) on Monday 17th

We got up at 03:45 and had a nice breakfast. At five we arrived to the seawatching point at Ristna. Peter Uppstu and Päivi Sirki were already there. At last, a dream came true, standing there on the westernmost tip of Hiiumaa and counting Common Scoters in an endless stream and flocks of divers passing nearly overhead. But our happiness was short as the fog came quickly about seven. What a welcome by the gods of weather! So we turned back to our house and decided to travel around the island to check several birding sites or potential ones. In late morning the fog disappear and the sun was shining from a clear blue sky. It was a nice daytrip, but the numbers of migrates were not as high as expected. However, the nature and landscape was a wonderful experience!

We had dinner at the same place as yesterday, Rannapaargu in Kärdla. Tandoori Chicken and Pork fillet! We rounded up the day with seawatching at Ristna, but there were not much of movements over the sea.

Some counting results: Red-throated Diver (23), Arctic Diver (239), White-billed Diver (1 in excellent light conditions), Common Scoter (5470) and Long-tailed Duck (540).

Our trip list stands at 157 bird species.

Cheers

Niklas, Ante & Janne

Breakfast in the spacious living room of our house at Puumetsa.
Staijare (Peter and Päivi) at Ristna early in the morning.
A sunbathing Common Lizzard.
A nice Black-tailed Godwit at Käina laht.
At Kassari I found a small clump of Bird's-eye Primrose (Majviva in Swedish. Couldn't be more suitable as a Happy Birthday flower to Maj Cronlund).
Hardcore birders in action. Janne taking a power nap in his own personal style.