Live view a substitute for night goggles?

Hope this doesn't sound too silly, but I have been photographing some criters that only come out of hiding at night e.g. Squirrel Gliders (camera is a 30D). I have been setting-up my camera on a tripod, pointing it at a hole in a tree and waiting for nightfall, then using an external flash. This is a bit hit and miss however as it is difficult to see when to press the shutter. I've been considering getting some night vision goggles, but they are very expensive.
Does the Live View on the 40D get around this problem?
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Roy Ward