A 4am start saw us heading down with Stefan, another top Swedish birder and long-time friend of Lars and Ingrid, to the bird observatory in great anticipation to see what the overnight rain had brought in.  We were not disappointed.  Immediately on our arrival, we were amazed to see warblers literally falling out of the sky.  Every bush contained a gang of Lesser Whitethroats.  Migration was happening all around us as birds were heading north over the observatory seeking shelter from the cold grey winds.  Peering at the bushes in the observatory garden was like opening a box of chocolates:  which one do you open first?  So many birds were moving around, desperate for food and shelter.  Goran from the observatory invited us into the garden as a special privilege.  As we entered the garden, one girl from his ringing teams came by with a Thrush Nightingale in one hand and a Lesser Whitethroat in the other.  This was looking good!  As we watched the heligoland trap was driven, and a whole gang of birds was quickly and expertly trapped.  We followed the team into the ringing room and watched in awe as they quickly processed the birds.  Marsh Warbler was ringed alongside Reed Warbler and we were shown the subtle differences in plumage and structure.  Next up was a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a gorgeous little bird.  Back outside into the gusting wind and we checked the bushes around the lighthouse and quickly discovered dozens of Lesser Whitethroats, Garden and Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Common Whitethroats, Red-backed Shrikes, a very late Waxwing.  Sharp eyes then drew our attention to a roosting Common Nightjar, resting on the stone wall in the shady, protected corner of the garden.  Turning round, we discovered a female Bluethroat hopping along the ground at the base of the lighthouse.  How fantastic to be literally immersed in migration.  Birds were everywhere and it was hard to know which way to look and which bush to check next!  A message went out and we rushed back to the ringing centre.  A Barred Warbler had been trapped and ringed and we were lucky enough to have a quick but extremely close up look at the bird in the hand before it was released.  We then tried our luck at sea-watching and witnessed vast flocks of Brent Geese heading north over the Baltic Sea.  Smaller numbers of Barnacle Geese were also on the move, along with Black-throated Divers and a single breeding plumaged drake Long-tailed Duck.  We then picked up a long-winged grey bird heading straight towards us.  What was this?  At first we couldn’t place it, but then as it turned slightly, we realised we were watching a Cuckoo way out over the sea.
We dragged ourselves away, but there was a key bird we wanted to catch up with and our local experts knew just the spot.  We went back to the deciduous woodland of Ottenby-lund and walked the tracks.  Our target bird eluded us but we enjoyed more great views of Icterine Warbler and Red-breasted Flycatcher.  Then, just as we were on the point of giving up, there was a flash of black and white in the trees and there it was:  Collared Flycatcher!  This was a beautiful piebald adult male – what a looker as he flitted in the treetops in the full sunshine.  What a magical place Oland is proving to be for birding!