. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

On Friday the 14th of August I had to wait for frustrating long until Hanna finally got off work at 3 p.m. A quarter of an hour later we headed towards south and Virolahti where the second ever Masked Shrike for Finland had been found in the morning. The first one had been in 1982 and only 4 birders had seen it, so this was a mega-twitch. We parked to Virolahti church at 5 p.m. and already saw the shrike from the parking place. There were lots of twitchers and of course many friends of hours but I just took my camera and went to say hello to Mika Bruun as I knew he already knew what was the best way to get good pictures. And soon we were photographing the shrike together as it was moving between some bushes behind the church and in the middle of the garden.

We were watching the shrike and talking with many friends for an hour or so before we had to continue driving. We drove until Kirkkonummi to my parents where we had an accommodation.

Next morning we woke up early with my father and drove to Espoo Soukka harbor. There we met my old friend Kai Hilditch who ha his Marineri company and he organizes different kind of bird and nature trips to archipelago of Espoo, Helsinki and Kirkkonummi.

Soon we were boating towards the sea and went quickly to first islets in the open sea. There we found Common Ringed Plovers and Dunlins but also a young Common Shelduck and so on.

Our main target was to find waders so we continued to next open sea islets to Kirkkonummi where we found more Common Ringed Plovers and Dunlins but also a Grey Plover, a Little Ringed Plover, a Ruff and a Rock Pipit before we got to Örskät island where we went ashore. We walked a little on the island and saw a Bar-tailed Godwit flying over us and a Red-backed Shrike. But soon we were ready to continue our journey.

We headed even outer to the sea but the outermost islets had no birds. But we saw some Black-throated Loons, one Red-throated Loon and a young Little Gull. We also saw some Grey Seals here and there. Views were stunning and even the weather was getting better and better,

Then we still hurried to Helsinki to check some more islets and found more Common Ringed Plovers and Dunlins, another Ruff and then also 6 Red Knots.

Then it was time to head back to Espoo and we hoped to see a Sandwich Tern on the way as there had been quite a few in last days in the area. We weren’t lucky at all as later we heard that there had actually been more records of Sandwich Tern than ever in whole country in seas and islands nearby but we didn’t bother but continued out journey and finally were back in Soukka. Then it was time to say thanks to “Kaitsu” and with my father we continued in a tight schedule.

We drove to Helsinki Viikki where BirdLife had Birdfair going on. There we went straight to eat but later I met again (too) many friends and did also some shopping. Hanna and my brother Pirkka were working on the fair as they both are in BirdLife board. Also Pirkka’s daughter Iina was on the fair.

Finally it was 4 p.m. and wit my father and Iina we drove back to Kirkkonummi to my parents. In the evening I still headed to Espoo Laajalahti where in a couple of hours I managed to see a Little Grebe, 2 Curlew Sandpiper, a Little Stint and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and so on.

On the 16th of August I woke up early and headed to Porkkala Pampskatan where I finally was at 7:!5 a.m. My target was finally to see Sandwich Terns. This species had been my boogey-bird even though I had seen one several years ago. I started to scan the sea and islets and almost immediately saw 3 terns landing to an islet. There were an adult and 2 young Sandwich Terns. I decided to keep on scanning as there had been amazingly 19 birds seen nearby on the island of Rönnskär on the previous day. But there was nothing else to be found and when I checked the islet where the birds had been again, they were gone.

On the next few hours I saw just gulls, Common Terns and one young Arctic Tern but also some migrating ducks (215 common species), 30 Common Scoters, 3 Velvet Scoters, a Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Black-throated Loons, a Red-throated Loon, a Great Egret, 8 Oystercatchers, 13 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Grey Plovers, 7 Golden Plovers, 10 Dunlins, a Green Sandpiper, a Merlin and 95 Yellow Wagtails and so on.

Again there had been Sandwich Terns in many other places, even in some that I could see. Finally I found 3 Sandwich Terns flying towards west fishing on the way, but they were again very far. Luckily the next four birds came much closer so I could even get some pictures of them. While I was photographing I started to feel that there were Sandwich Terns everywhere and in best moment there were at least 6 birds visible.

I was still watching there birds when my father and Iina arrived higher to the rock. But once they got down to the shore where I was, all the terns were gone. Next hour or so I was scanning the sea while they were having their packed lunch and watching Alisa Vainio win EC-marathon, but I just couldn’t find any more terns. Finally we had to start walking back. But we still climbed to the rock first and there were surprisingly some twitchers searching for terns. They hadn’t seen any yet but luckily one was soon found from the area that I hadn’t seen from the shore and my father and Iina also saw this normally so bird.

Once we were back at my parents, I went to pick up Pirkka from the railway station and soon we ate again. Finally I had to start my long way back to home and Pirkka and Iina jumped to our car too. I drove to Itäkeskus where Hanna had been shopping after all BirdLife-meetings. There I picked up her and Pirkka and Iina went shopping in turn as they still had some hour before their train to Kemijärvi. With Hanna we started a drive back to home to Parikkala. On the way we stopped in Luumäki Taavetti to twitch a young Black Redstart that we found after some searching and it was posing nicely.

Finally we were back at home – but for once we had got some luck. And Hanna had also bought new binoculars.

J.A.

During the week I didn’t hear Savi’s Warbler anymore, but a couple of Corn Crakes and a Spotted Crake were still calling. The same Greater White-fronted Goose, Black Kites, Great Bitterns and Great Egrets were seen daily. On the 14th of July we did duck-counts in Siikalahti and saw the same Greylag Geese family, 5 female and 17 juvenile Common Pochards, a couple of Gadwalls and the biggest surprise 1 female with 2 young Northern Pintails. Also a Grey-headed Woodpecker and a Thrush Nightingale were seen.

On the 18th of July we did a trip to Saari with Pekka Punnonen and in Akonpohja we had a good start when we saw a big flock of Northern Lapwing flying over us and there were 5 Black-tailed Godwits in the flock. When we reached the fields we saw that a soaring Black Kite was the reason why all birds were in flight. We also found a Eurasian Golden Plover, 3 migrating Spotted Redshanks and heard a Whimbrel. In Pohjasuo we saw a couple of Yellow Wagtails and in Pohjanranta a Great Egret and some waders which Dunlin was a new Parikkala year-tick. In Kuposenmäki we saw another Black Kiten and in Ala-Ollukka a third one.

On the 19th of July we were ringing in Kukonkana where we caught a Great Tit, a Sedge Warbler control, 19 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 2 Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 3 Blackcaps, 7 Common Whitethroats, a Redwing, a Blackbird, 4 Pied Flycatchers, a Chaffinch and a Reed Bunting. We also saw a migrating flock of 30 Common Scoters, 5 Great Cormorants, a Whimbrel and so on. The same Greylag Geese from Siikalahti had learned to fly a couple of days earlier and they landed to the horse-track.

During the week I saw mostly the same birds as on the previous week. On the 20th of July I also saw a White-backed Woodpecker and on the 21st day a migrating flock of 34 Velvet Scoters. On the 22nd day we visited Saari with Erkko Elonen and saw a Spotted Crake in Pohjanranta and a Great Grey Shrike in Jyrkilä but nothing else really. On the 23rd day there were already 10 Great Egrets in Siikalahti and of course the same White-fronted Goose and Black Kited were seen almost daily.

On the 25th day we had SSP-ringing and got a Blue Tit, 4 Sedge and 10 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 7 Willow Warblers, 3 Lesser and 7 Common Whitethroats, a Robin, a Pied Flycatcher, 3 Common Rosefinches and 1+1c Reed Buntings. In the afternoon we headed to Saari and saw a Black Kite in Pohjansuo, the same Spotted Crake, a Spotted Redshank and a Temminck’s Stint in Pohjanranta and the same Great Grey Shrike in Jyrkilä. On the way back we saw a female Hen Harrier in Kinnarsalmi and then we went to ring a couple of Eurasian Nightjar chicks in Rautalahti.

On Sunday we ringed in Kukonkanta and got 7 Blue and 4 Great Tits, 3 Sedge and 15+2c Blyth’s Reed Warblers and a Common Reed and a Marsh Warbler, a Wood Warbler, 8 Willow Warblers, 5 Blackcaps, 7 Common Whitethroats, a Fieldfare, a Thrush Nightingale, 4 Pied Flycatchers, a Common Rosefinch and 1+1c Reed Buntings. We also saw a Common Cuckoo, a White-backed Woodpecker and heard a Black Woodpecker. Later we visited Siikalahti briefly and saw amazingly a Boheamian Waxwing migrating towards south.

During the week I had the same routines: the White-fronted Goose was seen last time in Särkisalmi on the 28th of July when we also made duck-counts. A Smew, 1male, 5 female and 26 young Common Pochards, a Gadwall and 13 Great Egrets were only birds to mention. On the 29th day we counted already 21 Great Egrets in the evening when a Spotted Crake was still calling. On the 30th day only bird to mention was a Black Kite until in the evening we decided to go twitching with Harri Hölttä and Minna Terävä. We drove to Tohmajärvi Saario where a Lanceolated Warbler was singing actively. Also a Common Grasshopper Warbler was singing so it was good to have comparison.

We started August in Kukonkanta where we caught a Wryneck, 3 Blue Tits, a Great Tit, 5 Sedge and 14 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 16 Willow Warblers, 14 Garden Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 11 Common Whitethroats, a Song Thrush, a Redwing, a Thrush Nightingale, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 White Wagtails, a Tree Pipit, 5 Common Rosefinches and 3 Reed Buntings. Later we still saw a Black Kite in Särkisalmi.

On the 2nd day we had SSP in Papinlahti again and we got 3 Blue Tits, 4 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Common Whitethroats, a Eurasian Nuthatch, a Redwing, even 14 Common Rosefinches, a Reed Bunting and 3 Yellowhammers. After short naps we headed to Saari where we saw a Great Grey Shrike in Akanvaara Tetrisuo, 2 Great Egrets and a female Hen Harrier in Pohjanranta and again a Great Grey Shrike in Jyrkilä.

Duting the week I didn’t see much: White-tailed Eagles, Black Kites, a Goshawk, same egrets and herons and bitterns, a Spotted Crake, Cormorants, a couple of migrating Golden Plovers, a Grey-headed Woodpecker and on a short night-drive to fields some Nightjars and a Long-eared Owl. But on the 6th of August I was on the dam-road again when I noticed a fast-flying dove flying towards us. I got it to my scope and immediately saw it was a turtle dove. Unfortunately it flew past us from +200 meters but I took as many pictures as I could. Then the bird turned towards east and seemed to land to some fields there. But on my lunch-hour I had no time to go after it. Unfortunately the bird had never come any closer but in my pictures there can be some features seen that are better for a young Oriental Turtle Dove than European Turtle Dove. Also the size of the bird had been about the same as a Stock Dove which fits better for an Oriental. Finnish Rarity Committee will decide if this was a new species for Parikkala…

During the weekend we ringed both mornings in Kukonkanta. On Saturday we got 4+1c Blue Tits, a Great Tit, 9 Sedge, 9 Blyth’s Reed, Common Reed and 2 Marsh Warblers, 15 Willow Warblers, 25+1c Garden Warblers, a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Common Whitethroats, a Pied Flycatcher and a Reed Bunting control.

And on Sunday we got a Sparrowhawk, 6 Blue and 4 Great Tits, 4 Sedge, 2 Blyth’s Reed and 2 Marsh Warblers, 13+1c Willow Warblers, 30+1c Garden Warblers, 3 Blackcaps, 3 Lesser and 6 Common Whitethroats, a Robin, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 3 Common Redstarts, a Goldfinch, a Siskin and a Reed Bunting. We also saw a Black Kite once again.

On the 10th of August I saw a nice flock of about 30 Bar-tailed Godwits, at least one Grey Plover and one Red Knot on my lunch-break in Siikalahti. All three species were new Parikkala year-ticks and once again I broke 200 year-ticks in my home county – now I have 201. A Black Kite was again seen and in the evening we counted 27 Great Egrets and the same family of Greylag Geese came to overnight to Siikalahti.

Otherwise the weather was very windy so I saw just a Merlin flying over Kangaskylä, a flock of 6 Golden Plovers, White-tailed Eagles, Black Kites, Stock Doves and so on. On the 12th day we were wondering a partial solar eclipse. 13th day we had duck-counts and saw an early flock of 6 Tundra Bean Geese, a couple of Smews, 29 Pochards and 6 Pintails. We also saw a couple of young Water Rails and a young Spotted Crake by the dam-road.

J.A.

On the week that begun on the 15th of June I saw the same species as earlier: Black Kites and other local raptors and some wader-migrants. We did duck-counts again and there were surprisingly many ducklings to count. Local hunters have really done good work with predators. Especially late breeders seemed to be doing well as Hooded Crows had already moved somewhere else to feed their fledlings. So we saw again the same Greylag Goose family, a couple of Common Pochard families and many other duck-families and also 8 Gadwalls. Unfortunately all nests of grebes had once again destroyed in hard winds.

On the 19th day evening we went to Saari but saw already in the way a Greater White-fronted Goose on a field in Särkisalmi. In Akonpohja we saw a male Hen Harrier and a Grey-headed Woodpecker, in Pohjanranta a Grey Heron and a female Garganey and in Kanavalampi we heard a couple of Golden Orioles. Otherwise we didn’t find much, just saw some flocks of Eurasian Curlews migrating towards south.

On the 20th we did a long night to early morning trip again to Saari. We saw the same White-fronted Goose on the way and then in Koukkuinnurmet we found a Common Quail. In Akkakallio we heard a couple of Marsh Warblers and then in Akanvaara Tetrisuo we found the second Quail and in Ratila already the third. In Pohjanranta we heard 3 Spotted Crakes and on in Suurenjärvenliete, in Jyrkilä we found a Tundra Bean Goose and heard a Wryneck and in Akonpohja we heard the fourth Quail of the trip! Of course we had found also Stock Doves, 58 Corn Crakes, 22 Short-eared Owls (mostly youngsters calling), a few European Nightjars, 20 Blyth’s Reed Warblers and so on.

On Sunday we had SSP-ringing again and got a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2+1c Blue and 7+1c Great Tits, 1+5c Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 1+2c Common Whitethroats, a Pied Flycatcher, a Common Rosefinch and 2 Reed Buntings. Several controls told that we were doing exactly what is the meaning of this SSP-ringing. We also saw a flock of 4 Oystercatchers and 10 Red Crossbills flying over us and heard a Stock Dove and a Golden Oriole. Later in Siikalahti I still saw a flock of 200 Starlings and heard a couple of Golden Orioles.

The week started well as on the 22nd of June early at night I found a male Little Crake that was calling quite far north from the dam-road. It was the first observation for 10 years of this earlier regular visitor in Siikalahti! A few Spotted Crakes and a couple of Corn Crakes were also calling. In the beginning of the week I saw the same Black Kites and came to listen to the Little Crake a few times. The same White-fronted Goose was still in Särkisalmi and from Siikalahti tower I found a female Northern Pintail. The best obsevation of the week was anyway a couple of Caspian Terns that flew over the dam-road on the 24th day. It was only the 4th observation of Caspian Tern in Siikalahti. Once there were 4 Black Kites soaring on the sky together and on Thursday and Friday I went to count Barnacle Geese in Joukio – 130ad and 85 juv. There were also 3 Oystercatchers. The Little Crake was heard still on the 26th day after midnight but it wasn’t heard after that anymore. From the tower we saw part of the Greylag Goose family, 4 Gadwalls and the same Pintail and heard a White-backed Woodpecker and a Golden Oriole.

On Saturday the 27th of June we did a short forest-trip and heard a Greenish Warbler in Soininmäki. While we were driving along a shortcut in Savo and Punkaharju side of the border, we saw a flock of 20 Parrot Crossbills. Once we were back in Parikkala we found a nice old male Red-breasted Flycatcher which has been extremely rare this year around here. At night we headed to southern parts of Parikkala and in Lahdensuo we found a Marsh Warbler and in a few hours also 26 Corn Crakes, 9 Long-eared Owls, 7 Blyth’s Reed Warblers and a couple of Great Snipes from a new location. We ended our trip to Siikalahti where a couple of Spotted Crakes were calling and the same River Warbler that had been quiet for some time had started to sing again.

During the day I visited Simpele Kokkolanjoki where Grey Wagtails had work to do as they were having second breeding.

The week started again well. I started with the same White-fronted Goose and saw even 30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the same field. On my lunch-break on the dam-road a Grey Heron was flying towards north and then we saw this time a single Caspian Tern flying south. Erkko Elonen said that he had heard something like a Grasshopper Warbler shortly which rang bells as usually in this time of year there are no Grasshopper Warblers in Siikalahti even though there nowadays too many trees and bushes too. I wore my headphones and kept microphone pointed to the direction that Erkko told but I only managed to hear one extremely short sound that fit much better for a Savi’s Warbler. Luckily Erkko later heard it calling a little bit longer and it indeed was a Savi’s Warbler. At night I also came to listen to it better and took some recordings too.

On the last day of June I saw the same White-fronted Goose and in Siikalahti a Great Egret landed to a perch, a couple of Black Kites were soaring on the sky and the same Savi’s Warbler kept on singing.

On the 1st of July I did duck-counts again and it started well. I was walking towards Siikalahti when I flushed a Great Snipe almost under my shoe. And then even more surprisingly I found a stunning male Greater Scaup swimming on the furthermost water-area of Siikalahti – my first ever summer-record in Parikkala! I also saw the whole family of Greylag Geese again, an eclipse-plumaged Smew, 3 Gadwalls, the same Pintail, Grey Heron and Great Egret, a Little Ringed Plover and once again only one Eurasian Coot – it really seems that there is only one left!

On the 2nd day I saw a couple of Oystercatchers in Kangaskylä and unfortunately they seemed to have lost their only offspring. So only successful breeding of this species had been a couple of years ago. But we have got a couple of records of this species also in different parts of Parikkala so maybe this species is still surviving here.

At weekend it was raining a lot. Anyway we managed to do some birding. On Saturday we started in Siikalahti where we saw 3 Grey Herons and 2 Great Egrets. Then we continued to Saari where in Akonpohja we saw families of Gadwalls and Coots. The first species is just coming a new breeding-species in Parikkala and second one is disappearing quickly. At fields we saw a female Hen Harrier. In Pohjanranta there weren’t many birds but the only swan happened to be a Mute Swan which is a rare bird here – it’s not seen every year. In Suurenjärvenliete we saw another female Hen Harrier but that was it.

On Sunday the 5th of July we had SSP-ringing again: a Blue and a Great Tit, a Blyth’s Reed Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 4c Common Whitethroats, a Blackbird, a Robin, 2 Common Rosefinches, 3 Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer were caught. Meanwhile we saw a Black Kite, heard some Red Crossbills, a Goldfinch and a family of Golden Orioles. Before rains I still hurried to Saari where Jarmo Pirhonen had found a young Grey Wagtail. I managed to find it easily and it was only the 4th observation ever in Parikkala. I also visited Pohjanranta where the Mute Swan and a Grey Heron were seen. The rest of the day I was sleeping so I could watch some more World Cup football at night.

During the week I saw the same Greater White-fronted Goose, Great Egrets, a Great Bittern flying here and there, Black Kites and other common raptors (12 Hobbies) and heard Savi’s Warbler. From the tower we saw a Smew, ducklings, a couple of Coots and Hanna saw a young bird too. On the 9th day we visited Saari briefly and saw the same Mute Swan still on Pohjanranta. In Siikalahti I saw already 5 Great Egrets and on the 10th day we saw an early young Black-tailed Godwit.

On the 11th day we started ringings in Kukonkanta and caught 4 Blue Tits, a Great Tit, 2 Icterine Warblers, 6+1c Sedge and 10 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, a Marsh Warbler, a Barn Swallow, 4 Willow Tits, 2 Garden Warblers, 7 Common Whitethroats, a Fieldfare, a Pied Flycatcher, a Common Rosefinch and 2 Reed Buntings. We also saw a migrating flock of 65 Common Scoters, a White-backed Woodpecker and a couple of Golden Orioles. At night I went to listen to the same Savi’s Warbler and saw 6 Great Egrets.

On Sunday we had SSP-ringing. The beginning was good but then it really slowed down with a too ho weather. We caught a Barn Swallow, 2 Sedge and 2 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 3 Common Whitethroats, a European Goldfinch, 3 Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer. We also heard a Black and a Grey-headed Woodpecker and flocks of Parrot and Red Crossbills and a distant Golden Oriole and surprisingly saw a Great Grey Shrike.

J.A.

After spring-holiday I had a rough return back to work as I had lots of work and new devices to learn. I was almost too tired to do birding. Anyway on the 18th of May I visited Härskiinmutka in the morning and saw some Common Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks and even Greater Scaups. On my lunch-hour I visited Siikalahti and saw a couple of Black Kites and some Honey Buzzards and heard a couple of Icterine Warblers and a Thrush Nightingale. After all this at work there were still some installation work going on, so in the afternoon I decided to go twitching. I drove to Tohmajärvi where an Eastern Imperial Eagle had been quite easily twitched for some days, but after all I found out that on this day observations weren’t really good. Anyway I stayed in Valkeasuo and Holmansuo area for a couple of hours and saw a couple of Black Kites, Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls and also a 2nd year Pallid Harrier.

On the 19th day I heard a Blyth’s Reed Warbler near home and on lunch-hour I heard a Common Rosefinch and saw a Long-eared Owl in nest. In the afternoon we visited Saari where we saw a couple of Gadwalls in Akonpohja and about 13000 Barnacle Geese and a stunning Greater Spotted Eagle in Pohjanranta.

On the 20th of May I visited Siikalahti a couple of times and saw 2 different Black-tailed Godwits, a couple of Garganeys and in the evening we saw good Long-tailed Duck (2400) and Barnacle Goose (3000) migration. We also heard a Great Reed Warbler and a Citrine Wagtail.

On the 21st day we did duck-counts in Siikalahti and only birds to mention were 5 Gadwalls. On my lunch-hour I saw a Grey Heron. On the 22nd day we did night-counts and heard a Spotted Crake, 25 Water Rails, 6 Greater Bitterns, a Corn Crake and a River Warbler. After the count we visited Kukonkanta where a Common Reed Warbler was again singing. During the day I visited dam-road and heard Savi’s Warbler and a Marsh Warbler shortly.

On the 23rd day we saw a Temminck’s Stint in Siikalahti but nothing else really, so we decided to go to Saari again. There we saw birds almost only in Jyrkilä where we saw about 1000 Barnacle Geese with some Great White-fronted and Tundra Bean Geese and a single Brent Goose, a Whimbrel and 11 Common Ringed Plovers.

On the 24th day we had SSP-ringing again and caught 2 Great Tits, 2+2c Willow and a Garden Warblers, 5+1c Common Whitethroats, a Pied Flycatcher, a Common Rosefinch and 2 Siskins. We also heard a Whimbrel migrating. After ringing we visited cemetery where we found 2 Golden Orioles and in Siikalahti where in small muddy area we saw a Little Ringed Plover. In the evening we drove to Rautjärvi Kaljusenlampi where a Spotted Crake was still actively calling and we also saw a Eurasian Nightjar.

On the 25th of May I saw just some Stock Doves and Gadwalls in Siikalahti but on the 26th day we visited Saari again. Most birds were in Jyrkilä where we saw still more than 500 Barnacle Geese and a couple of grey geese. In Pohjanranta we saw 9 Great Cormorants but nothing else really. So after all we hurried to Siikalahti to twitch a Broad-billed Sandpiper.

On the 27th we made duck-counts again but saw just the same Gadwalls, a Little Ringed Plover and heard a Golden Oriole. But in the evening it was time to go twitching as in Polvijärvi a Scops Owl had been found. With Tahvo Repo and Minna Terävä we drove to Ruvaslahti where we were right after sunset. The weather was changing radically so I immediately took my microphone and started to listen with it. And right away I heard the owl calling quite for in the forest. There had been plenty of twitchers already for some hours but they hadn’t got any reliable observations yet so once I shouted that I can hear the bird there was some action. Most of the people managed to hear the bird but not all. And then it started to rain and the wind was also very strong so even though we stayed there for a couple of hours, we couldn’t hear the owl again – at least not well enough.

On the 28th day only better bird I saw was a Eurasian Golden Plover in Kullinsuo and on the 29th day I after work I started a long drive to Oulu. On the way I saw a Black Kite in border of Vieremä and Pyhäntä and in Oulu I decided to visit an old place for a Terek Sandpiper and luckily there was one bird actively calling and also visible but quite far.

On the 30th day we did a morning trip to Virkkula with my brother Pirkka but saw only some Black-tailed Godwits, a Garganey, a couple of Short-eared Owls and 5 migrating Tundra Bean Geese. We also tried to twitch a Montagu’s Harrier in Oulunsalo without luck but heard a Blyth’s Reed Warbler. In the afternoon we were celebrating our goddaughter Elle as she had graduated from high school.

On the 31st day we went to Oulunlahti where we saw a couple of Common Shelducks, a Common Pochard, 5 migrating Red-necked Phalaropes and Caspian Terns and heard a couple of Blyth’s Reed Warblers and a long-staying White-spotted Bluethroat. We also continued to Vihiluoto where we saw a Ring-necked Pheasant and a couple of Black-tailed Godwits. In Nallikari we still saw 41 Velvet Scoters and a couple of Common Scoters. On the way back to home I still visited Virkkula again where I saw a migrating Rough-legged Buzzard and a few Temminck’s Stints.

Even though I was extremely tired I still stopped in Joroinen where I twitched a Red-flanked Bluetail and also heard a Red-breasted Flycatcher in Ahvenisenmäki and then continued also to the deserted airport where I immediately managed to see a male Montagu’s Harrier. I still visited Vuotsinsuo pools but saw nothing there.

On the 1st of June I saw a Black Kite on my lunch-break and on the 2nd day I found a family of Eurasian Oystercatchers with one baby. Only birding I did at night as I went to twitch a Common Quail to Kirjavalan kanava where I also heard a Common Grasshopper Warbler and a Eurasian Nightjar. On the way back to home I still heard a Great Reed Warbler in Särkisalmi.

On the 3rd day I twitched a Greenish Warbler in Tarvaslampi and in Härskiinmutka I saw a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers. During the day I saw a female Hen Harrier in Tetrisuo and in Siikalahti a Spotted Flycatcher that has been missing totally. On the 4th day there was a family of Canada Geese in Kangaskylä and in Siikalahti I saw a couple of Black Kites and 4 Gadwalls.

On the 6th of June we had SSP again: 2 Blue Tits and a Great Tit, 4 Willow and 4 Garden Warblers, 4+3c Common and a Lesser Whitethroat, a Song Thrush, a Pied Flycatcher, a Chaffinch, 1+1c Common Rosefinches and a Reed Bunting. We also saw a Black Kite and heard a Golden Oriole and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

On the 7th of June we had planned to do a night-trip but it was raining so we left at 5 a.m. towards Saari with Hanna and Elissa. We started with a Great Rees Warbler in Särkisalmi and then continued to Kirjavalan kanava where we heard just Blyth’s Reed Warblers and the same Grasshopper Warbler and saw a Hen Harrier. But then in Kirjavala village we found a Eurasian Collared Dove which is a really good bird here! In Akonpohja we heard a Grasshopper and a River Warbler and the next stop was in Pohjasuo where we heard shortly a familiar song – a Booted Warbler! The bird was moving quickly towards north and disappeared soon. We tried to relocate it but after all gave up but when we were driving we saw it again flying in front of us. We stopped and heard it singing again and finally managed to get a couple of pictures too before it disappeared again – and was never seen or heard again.

Next we continued to Pohjanranta and then to Suurenjärvenliete where we saw a Red-backed Shrike and then to Jyrkilä where we saw a Yellow Wagtail and a Hen Harrier. Next stop was in Tarassiinlahti where we were lucky again as we found 2 Black Terns flying with a flock of Little Gulls. It was already the 3rd really good find for this trip. A Collared Dove had been only my 4th and a Booted Warbler the 5th ever in Parikkala and the last Black Tern had been 7 years ago. In Tarassii we also heard a River Warbler and a Golden Oriole and in Kanavalampi a couple of Golden Orioles and saw a Eurasian Goshawk.

On rest of the trip we still heard young Long-eared Owls and saw a couple of Hazel Hens. And once we were back in Parikkala we still went to listen to the Greenish Warbler and found out that there was now a couple.

In the evening we still did duck-counts and surprisingly found a Red-necked Phalarope. The last local bird in Parikkala I had seen in 10 years ago and the only migrating birds in this time I had seen last year. Then I also saw a family of Greylag Geese finally as some other birders had already seen this new breeding species for Parikkala. I also found out that autumn was coming as a Spotted Redshank and altogether 80 Northern Lapwings were heading towards south.

And as the day had been so good, we still did a short trip to fields and heard Great Snipes in a couple of places and also saw a Long-eared Owl and heard a new Common Quail. It had been quite a day!

During the week I saw just the same Black Kites, Stock Doves and Hen Harriers, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and the first Ruffs of the season. On the 10th of June there was also the first and quite early Great Egret. I also saw the family of Greylag Geese again completely other side of the bay than last time and on the 12th day a Common Reed Warbler was singing next to dam-road tower.

On Saturday the 13th of June we had SSP again and caught 1+3c Willow and 2 Garden Warblers, 5+6c Common Whitethroats, a Chaffinch and a new SSP-species for us a Eurasian Treecreeper. In the evening we went to Saari and saw the same Collared Dove in Kirjavala, heard a Quail in Akonpohja and saw a Long-eared Owl and heard a White-backe Woodpecker in Jyrkilä but nothing else really.

On Sunday we slept longer but then headed to Saari again and visited Siikalahti also a couple of times. In Siikalahti we saw the same Great Egret but in Saari we saw just a Grey Heron, a Whimbrel, a Grey-headed Woodpecker, a Golden Oriole and a Common Crossbill.

J.A.

After Eastern there still weren’t many birds around. On the 7^th of April I saw an Oystercatcher in Kangaskylä and on the 9^th day a Great Crested Grebe in Särkisalmi and a couple of migrating Tundra Seans in Siikalahti, 10th day a couple of Curlews and a Merlin and so on in Siikalahti. We checked quite a few owl nest-boxes but they were empty, a couple of Capercaillies were seen and a Boreal Owl female was found in the same nest-hole as in several previous years.

On the 11th of April we were in Siikalahti for several hours and saw a Greylag Goose couple, heard at least 6 Water Rails and a Bittern, saw 7 Cormorants, Hen and Marsh Harriers, White-tailed Eagles and a Rough-legged Buzzard. In the evening I still saw an early Red-breasted Merganser and a Black Kite. We checked some nest-boxes again but again just saw a Capercaillie and found one actively calling Pygmy Owl.

On the 12th day I saw a Wren singing and also found a Nuthatch couple in Siikalahti. In Saari we found a Wood Lark in Akanvaara Tetrisuo and a Lapland Longspur in Uukuniemi Suurenjärvenliete. Then we checked some empty nest-boxes again.

On the 14th day I saw a Greylag Goose in Härskiinmutka and an Osprey in Siikalahti. There was now an Oystercatcher couple in Kangaskylä. On the 15^th day my long-awaited spring holiday started and I headed to Kirkkonummi.

I was birding in Kirkkonummi for a couple of days with my father. On the 15^th day we visited Norra Fladet where we had Song Thrushes, a Dunnock, Little and Common Ringed Plovers and on the way I saw a Grey Heron. On the 16^th day we started at Porkkala where we saw Common Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks, Mute Swans, Great Black-backed Gulls and migrating Red-throated and Black-throated Divers. In Espoo Finno we found Horned Grebes, Shovelers, Gadwalls and Moorhens and in Laajalahti Caspian and Common Terns, Common Redshanks and a Chiffchaff. So I got plenty of year-ticks but noting better was seen.

On the 17th of April we still visited Saltfjärden but saw just some common raptors. During the day I headed toward west and stopped in Salo where I found one Collared Dove after some searching. After all I was in a hurry and did the last shopping in Nauvo before drove to Pärnäinen where I got to Utö-ferry.

I stayed at the deck for whole trip to Jurmo and saw a Hen Harrier, some Velvet Scoters and a flock of Common Scoters. Finally I was on Jurmo island and together with Petri Puolakka we walked to bird-station and soon we had everything ready and went to sleep.

On the 18th of April ringers Petri and Mikko Kormilainen headed to mist-nets very early and when sun started to rise we were watching migration with Vesa Virtanen. There wasn’t much migration except hundreds of small thrushes, mostly Song Thrushes. Also a Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Shelducks and Razorbills were seen. During the day we walked both routes, in west and east. We saw a Golden Plover, a Whimbrel, a Dunlin (schinzii), 60 Purple Sandpipers, a Red-necked Grebe, a Parasitic Jaeger, a Short-eared Owl, a Rock Pipit and a Jack Snipe. We also saw 5 Horned and 6 Great Crested Grebes, a Rook and a Hawfinch and also Petri and Mikko had work to do as they caught for example 422 Robins.

On the 19th day also Teijo Saari had arrived. We saw again plenty of thrushes in the morning and later we saw the first Northern Wheatears and also a male Pallid Harrier. There were now a couple of “schinziis” and even 235 Purple Sandpipers in west. Ringers caught still 242 Robins and so on.

But then the weather turned bad with northern winds and sun was shining from blue sky. So there really wasn’t birds in mist-nets anymore and not much to see anywhere else either. With “Vesku” we were ticking day-ticks for me as I had never been anywhere on the coast on these dates. So even Mute Swans, common ”seaducks”, Common Shelduck, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Parasitic Jaeger, Razorbill, Rock Pipit and so on were ticks every day. Of course we hoped to find some early migrants but there really weren’t many birds at all.

On the 20th day most thrushes were Fieldfares and in the afternoon the first Pied Flycatcher was caught and I finally saw the first Tree Pipit. We saw altogether 3 Lapland Longspurs and also a Ruff. Mikko left so Petri was now alone checking empty mist-nets.

On the 21st day the island was almost empty but finally the first Black Guillemot was seen and again one Lapland Longspur. On the 22^nd day we saw an Arctic Tern, a Wood Lark, a Great Grey Shrike, heard a Twite that flew right over us and the best bird was a Caspian Gull that Vesku found and the rest of us saw just poorly in flight. On the 23^rd day Santeri Hiltunen arrived and the only year-tick was a Common Greenshank and only other birds to mention were 5 Red-necked Grebes.

Because of the island had been so empty I decided to make my stay even worse and stay much longer than I had planned on the island. So on the 24^th day we had to visit mainland and go shopping with Vesku. In Parainen we visited Petteby and Mattholmsfladan bird-towers and heard a Bittern and saw a Ruff, a Caspian Tern and a Barn Swallow. We also did some birding in Nauvo forests but found only some tits and a Parrot Crossbill. In the evening Ohto Oksanen and Inga Gröndahl was in the same ferry.

On the 25th day there were more mist-nets and even some birds in them. Right away in the morning a Long-eared Owl was ringed and later also a Blackcap. It was pretty good day otherwise too as in the morning we counted even 12238 Common Scoters which was the record in Jurmo. Also a couple of Greater Scaups and a Common Guillemot and 31 Bar-tailed Godwits, 42 Razorbills, 17 Parasitic Jaegers, a Common Redstart and a couple of Great Grey Shrikes were seen during the day.

But the next days were again very poor. There were more than 500 meters of mist-nets but almost no birds. On the 26^th day we saw a 2nd calendar year Pallid Harrier but nothing else really. As ringers had nothing else to do the put up some effort to catch a Jackdaw that was visiting the feeder in the garden and finally it got ringed. Then on the next day there really was nothing new happening.

On the 28th of April we counted 54 Razorbills and 11 Rock Pipit and Petri Vainio arrived. On the 29^th day I finally saw a Common Sandpiper and a Common Buzzard was also a new Jurmo-tick for me. Also a Wood Lark was seen. Juha Honkala and Timo Kuusikko arrived and on the next morning Petri and Inga left. It really hadn’t been the best time for Inga to visit from Ivalo.

Finally all hopes for new April-ticks were left to the last possible day but it still didn’t look promising as the wind was still from north. We really tried hard again anyway. In the morning we saw more than 1300 migrating thrushes and later we saw plenty of the same day-ticks as every day. But finally in west we saw a Little Tern which was a month-tick for me. Also a Little Gull and a Turnstone were seen. And finally there were also some insect-eater like 23 Pied Flycatchers and 8 Common Redstarts and also 17 Waxwings.

On the 1st of May the wind was finally turning but still there weren’t as many birds as we had expected. But at least there were some year-ticks. In the morning we saw a Wood Sandpiper and when we were walking towards east with Vesa and Timo, we heard a Hoopoe calling! Then Timo saw the bird on the ground and then flying straight to one of the mist-nets. I hurried after it but it wasn’t stuck at all and escaped when I still was about 20 meters from it. We still saw it once in flight and then some tourist heard it in east and Juha heard it from the bog but after that it was never found again. Other year-ticks were Whinchat 4, Willow Warbler 15 and a Yellow Wagtail. Other birds to mention were a pale-backed Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Caspian Tern, 3 Little Terns, a Marsh Harrier and 77 Chiffchaffs, 20 Waxwings, 38 Pied Flycatchers, 19 Common Redstarts and again we had seen some thrush-migration in the morning.

On the 2nd of May it was my birthday and of course plenty of ticks to be found as the wind was finally good. There were indeed more birds in mist-nets too but again all the ticks were the same as every day.  Birds to mention were 115 Greater White-fronted Geese, 22 Common Shelducks, 48 Golden Plovers, 32 Whimbrels, 56 Bar-tailed Godwits, 40 Purple Sandpipers, a Spotted Redshank, 5 Turnstones, 2 “schinzii” and “alpine” Dunlins, 4 Little Terns, 8 Wrynecks, a Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 138 Chiffchaffs and when I was absolutely tired and just back in the station Santeri found a Collared Flycatchers from the eastern woods. With Teijo we decided to go twitching of course. Luckily Vesku stopped us in the garden and we first looked into his telescope to see a Ring Ouzel that he had just found. We hurried with Teijo and after some searching we managed to see a stunning adult male Collared Flycatcher briefly. But soon we had to hurry back to the station as we still had a log to do. Ohto had left in the morning but Lauri Kokkala had arrived.

On the 3rd of May new arrivals were a House Martin, a Hobby and then with Santeri we found an early Red-backed Shrike from west and later also a Sedge Warbler. We also saw a female Smew, a Long-eared Owl, 14 Common Sandpipers, 120 Purple Sandpipers, 11 “alpine” Dunlins, 4 Little Terns, 40 Whinchats, 120 Blackcaps, 147 Common Redstarts, 53 Pied Flycatchers, a Hawfinch and even 7 Ring Ouzels! Timo and Petri left so there weren’t too many birders in the station. Luckily with Santeri we had been able to stay longer than we had planned.

On the 4th day we found the first 9 Common Whitethroats and in west we saw a Great Egret flying over us. In pine-forest we heard a Cuckoo calling and while we were already walking back to the station we found a female-plumaged Black Redstart. Other birds to mention were even 883 counted Velvet Scoters, a Greater Scaup couple, 5 Little Terns, 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, a Great Grey Shrike, 83 Blackcaps, 11 Lesser Whitethroats, 50 Common Redstarts, 31 Whinchats and 52 Northern Wheatears.

On the 5th day Juha caught an early Garden Warbler which we of course went to see. While we were walking back, we saw an interesting looking bird hanging on the next mist-net – a Common Reed Warbler. Altogether we saw 140 Loons in migration. In west we heard calls of a Grey Plover from the sky and in the evening there was a Thrush Nightingale hopping in the grass in the garden. Altogether we counted 45 Oied Flycatchers but still there weren’t more Collared Flycatchers. A couple of Horned Grebes, 12 Spotted Redshanks, 9 Turnstones, 21 “alpinas”, a Little Gull, a Hen Harrier, a Ring Ouzel and a Tree Sparrow were seen.

On the 6^th of May it was the last day but still we worked hard. In the morning we saw 180 migrating Loons, and 46 Whimbrels and later 150 Purple Sandpipers and a Ring Ouzel. Petri came back and right away climbed to a nest of a Raven so we got 4 nice young Ravens to ring. Then with Santeri and Juha we had to walk to harbor where we still found a Black Redstart. With Santeri we till spent time on the deck but saw nothing new. From Pärnäinen we drove to Kaarina where I dropped Santeri to wait for a bus and I still had a long drive ahead.

Finally in Lappeenranta I was so tired that I decided to drive to Joutseno Kotasaari to sleep. On the 7^th of May I woke up at 5 a.m. and heard a Moorhen right away. I spent a couple of hours by the pools and saw a Black Kite, a couple of Citrine Wagtails, Sand Martins, Garganeys, a Temminck’s Stint and heard a Black-tailed Godwit. I also saw several old friends. Then I drove the last hour or so to Parikkala where I still did some birding after good naps. In the evening I still ticked Great Snipe and Spotted Crake. And late at night my brother Pirkka arrived to spend a traditional bird-tower competition weekend.

On the 8th of May we started at Siikalahti bird-tower where we saw nothing special but of course Pirkka got plenty of year-ticks. Then we headed to Saari where still weren’t any floods so there weren’t too many birds. Anyway in Akonpohja we found 4 Horned Grebes, in Ratila we found a Red-breasted Goose and in Tarassiinlahti 2 more Red-breasted Geese and also an early Brent Goose and in Kanavalampi I saw a Black Kite. In the afternoon we went to ring 4 Ural Owl nestlings but on another nest a female was still on eggs. Later we still went to see a Long-eared Owl on its nest.

On the 9^th of May we had the Bird-tower competition “Tornien Taisto”. With 3 Aaltos there were Matti Lötjönen, Miika Soikkeli, Akseli Solasaari and surprisingly also Rami Lindroos and Mika Asikainen – so we got some good reinforcements to the team. It wasn’t the best bird-day so we really had to work hard to get species. So it took 3 instead of normal 3 hours to reach 80 species. Luckily some more pictures were got after that too until it stopped. The best birds in the morning had been a Greylag Goose couple, 4 Gadwalls, 55 Common Scoters, 52 Whimbrels, a Spotted Crake, a Red-throated Loon, a Short-eared Owl, a Black and a Grey-headed Woodpecker, 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and amazingly only one Coot. But then in a long time we saw nothing new. Only better observation was a Pine Marten that was jumping from tree to tree in the perches on the dam. Earlier we had also see a Beaver. Luckily we still managed to see a flock of 7 Velvet Scoters, a couple of Pink-footed Geese, a Goshawk, a 2^nd calendar year Pallid Harrier and a Hen Harrier which was our last and 92th species. This time there were a few towers inland that had got 1 species more than us and of course one of them was Tarassiinlahti.

In the afternoon we visited Saari again but saw nothing new really. In the evening we visited fields and saw some Long- and Short-eared Owls and heard a Great Snipe. On the 10^th day we started at night and counted night-birds in Siikalahti. We heard 11 Bitterns, 24 Water Rails, a Spotted Crake and a Ural Owl. In morning we still twitched a couple of year-ticks for Pirkka, including a Wryneck. We still spent a few hours in Siikalahti and saw 2 migrating Black Kites but finally Pirkka had to hit the road as he had a long way back to Kemijärvi. In the evening we still visited Rautjärvi Simpele Kokkolanjoki where we saw a male Grey Wagtail.

On the 11th of May we did water-bird counts and I also saw good migration: 2 Bewick’s Swans, 1000 Long-tailed Ducks, 2500 Common and 220 Velvet Scoters and 3 Greater Scaups. I also saw a Little Ringed Plover and heard a Common Grasshopper Warbler. In the evening we visited Siikalahti again and it was worthy as we saw a Black-tailed Godwit and a stunning Greater Spotted Eagle!

Then we still went to Papinlahti to put mist-nets ready for the next morning and there we saw a Bluethroat.

On the 12th day we had SSP-ringing and we caught 2 Great Tit controls, 5 Willow Warblers, a Blackbird, 2 Bluethroats, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Chaffinches, a Reed Bunting control and a Yellowhammer. We also saw a few Northern Wheatears and heard a Black and a Grey-headed Woodpecker. During the day we visited Siikalahti and immediately saw 8 Great Egrets that had been found earlier. I still visited the tower and saw 4 Common Swifts.

In the evening I quickly packed my stuff again and hit the road. I soon stopped in Simpele Revonranta and twitched a Red-breasted Goose as a Rautjärvi-tick. Then I kept on driving until Salo where I was so tired that I turned to Omenojärvi to sleep in a car.

On the 13th of May I started scanning Omenojärvi at 5 a.m. and soon found a Garganey, a Gadwall couple, a female Smew, Tufted Ducks and Pochards and after 15 minutes waiting there was some sort of alarm and also the rest of ducks came visible from the gull-island – and a male Ferruginous Duck that is spending already fifth summer here was with them.

I continued driving along the coast north and turned to Uusikaupunki Pyhämaa and continued along small roads to Liesluoto. There I walked a half an hour almost to the shore and first heard a strangely singing Common Chiffchaff but continued 200 meters more and then heard even strangerly singing bird which was the second ever Iberian Chiffchaff for Finland. The bird stayed on the top of trees so I didn’t get good pictures but I took plenty of recordings. After some studying I walked back to my car and continued my way.

In Lieto I saw a male Pheasant as a year-tick and then in Rauma I decided to go to Unajanlahti bird-tower where I saw a Great Egret. Then I continued to Petäjäs Rientolahti where it was raining but after some searching I found a Firecrest. Then I continued to Pori where I did some shopping and visited Enälahti bird-tower where I met my friend Petteri Mäkelä but only better bird we saw was a Great Egret again. Then it was time to drive to Kuuminainen to Salokankaanranta where I still managed to sleep a little.

Tommi Salokangas came early and soon also Petri Salo, Sebastian Andrejeff and Tomas Swahn arrived and we packed up the boat and left towards Säppi island where I had been 90 days earlier but always only in October, so it was good to go to the island finally in spring too.

On the way we saw a Caspian Tern and on the pier Jan Lundgren was helping us with our stuff. Some Barn Swallows were flying in the garden of the station but soon it was late so we just arranged our things and were soon ready to go to sleep.

On the 14th of May the routines started with morning sea-watching. Then we walked around the whole island. I got plenty of new Säppi-ticks but only birds to really mention were 7 Shelducks, 9 Gadwalls, a hybrid male between a Mallard and a Pintail, a Horned Grebe, 364 Loons (194 Black- and 32 Red-throated), a Cuckoo, 81 Oystercatchers, a Little Ringed Plover, 4 Whimbrels, 38 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Spotted Redshank, 6 Turnstones, 2 Red Knots, a Temmink’s Stint, a Dunlin, 2 Little Gulls, a Hobby, 6 Bluethroats, a Thrush Nightingale, a Sedge Warbler, a Rock Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtails and so on.

On the 15th day we kept on trying the good bird but only better birds we found were 2 Nightjars which another one came from the sea in the morning, 9 Red Knots, a Honey Buzzard, a Sand Martin, 6 Wood Warblers, 12 Bluethroats and 2 Rock Pipits. And on the 16^th day we counted 3444 Common Scoters and saw 2 Tundra Bean Geese, 2 Horned Grebes, 6 Grey Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover, 36 Temminck’s Stints, 202 Dunlins, 3 Common Murres, 4 Little Gulls, 11 Wood Warblers, an Icterine Warbler, 30 Northern Wheatears, 12 Spotted Flycatchers, 61 Yellow Wagtails, a Rook and the best birds were a Black-tailed Godwit, a Black Redstart and an Ortolan Bunting that I found through the kitchen window in the evening.

On our last day we had time until 3 p.m. In the morning we heard a Common Rosefinch and lots of scoters were moving. We counted 1818 Common and even 1495 Velvet Scoters. It seemed that the island was almost empty from birds but we still saw a Caspian Tern which was my 32nd Säppi-tick of the trip.

Finally we had to pack and clean the station and head to the harbor. Tommi came to pick up right on time and the island was left empty, the next birders would come in the end of the next week.

In Kuuminainen we still heard an Icterine Warbler and then it was time to say goodbye to everyone. I had a long drive back to Parikkala. I stopped only in Rautjärvi Simpele Kaljusenlampi where I twitched a Little Crake male. I also heard a Water Rail, a Spotted Crake and a couple of Corn Crakes.

J.A.

Around mid-March the weather had turned warm and snow had been melting faster than ever. Even ice was melting while sun was shining and warm southern winds were blowing.

I had hopes high for many early migrants but migration stayed surprisingly quiet. Most of the birds seemed to come according to calendar but some extraordinary early birds were also seen. Auroras were visible during several nights.

On the 23rd of March I saw 2 Canada and 3 Greater White-fronted Geese, 12 Mallards, 28 Woodpigeons, 5 Stock Doves and 2 White-tailed Eagles. In Särkisalmi I saw 2 Goldeneyes and a Common Merganser and in Kannas a Nuthatch. On the 24th day an early Crane, 3 White-tailed Eagles, a Black Woodpecker and a Fieldfare were in Siikalahti and an early White Wagtail in Kannas. On the 25th day I saw a flock of 30 Tundra Bean Geese in Kangaskylä and a Chaffinch and a couple of Teals in Siikalahti. In the afternoon we finally got a new family-member – a Skoda Karoq. In the evening we went to check a couple of fields but saw only plenty of Lapwings and a couple of Woodcocks. On the 26th day White-fronted and Tundra Bean Geese and Mallards and Teals were seen more. Other arrivals were a Water Rail, 7 Black-headed Gulls, a female Hen Harrier, a Mistle Thrush, a Redwing, 2 Linnets, a Snow Bunting and so on. And on the 27th day there were 2 Water Rails, a Crane and so on.

At weekend we were staying both mornings at Siikalahti dam-road. On the 28th day we saw a Canada Goose, 80 Greater White-fronted, 120 Tundra and 2 Taiga Bean Geese, 4 Wigeons, 2 Pintails, 6 Stock Doves, 8 Cranes, 4 Water Rails, a Common Snipe, 15 Black-headed Gulls, a Common Gull, a Goshawk, a Hen Harrier, a Kestrel, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Meadow Pipit, 2 Mistle Thrushes, already 70 Chaffinches, 2 Linnets, 2 Red Crossbills and 7 Goldfinches and so on.

On Sunday the weather was still amazing but we didn’t see as much as we had hoped. We saw 4 Smews, 8 Wigeons, 4 Pintails, 8 Cranes, 3 Common Snipes, amazing early Ruff, a female Marsh Harrier, a Redwing, a Snow Bunting and so on. We also twitched an early Green Sandpiper in Kannas. We also made a visit to Saari but saw only a Hen Harrier couple in Suurenjärvenliete, some Kestrels here and there, 4 Pintails in Kanavalampi and a couple of Great Grey Shrikes.

On the 30th day all floods had already dried but a White Wagtail was still at Kannas. Nothing else was seen until late evening when I saw a couple of Woodcocks and a Long-eared Owl.

On the last day of March the weather had turned rainy and wind was northern. I still tried to find some March-ticks before work, on lunch-hour and after work but only new arrivals were a Brambling and a Robin which I both twitched. I found only Smews, a White-backed and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Redwings and a Goldcrest and so on. Late in the evening I still saw a Pochard flying over me and then found some Woodcocks and heard a Long-eared Owl.

After all I had got one new March-tick (Ruff) and 3 more species (Short-eared Owl, Green Sandpiper, Brambling) I saw first time ever in Parikkala in March. Some more birds (Pintail, Woodcock, Robin) I saw the first time ever in Siikalahti in March and altogether 15 species I had seen earlier than ever in Parikkala.

One the 1st of April only bird to mention was a Greylag Goose in a flock of Taiga Bean Geese in Särkisalmi. On the 2nd day we saw even 7 (4+3) Greylag Geese in Siikalahti and also the same female Marsh Harrier but nothing else really. In the evening we went to check some fields and also put up a couple of mist-nets for owls and saw several Woodcocks but it was too bright to catch them but one Long-eared Owl was caught and ringed.

On Good Friday the 3rd of April we visited Saari but there wasn’t big surprises. We saw only 2 Capercaillies on their lekking place but there had been some forest-cuts. We also heard a Parrot Crossbill there. Otherwise we saw just some Tundra and Taiga Bean and Greater White-fronted Geese, a couple of Smews, a Pintail, a Hen Harrier and after all the best observation of the trip were a couple of House Sparrows in Pohjasuo.

When we were just about to head home, I got a message that the second ever Middle Spotted Woodpecker for Finland had been found in Kitee by Kimmo Järvinen. Young birder was with us and he had no possibility to go twitching so after all Hanna decided to drive home and I waited along the main-road 6 for Hanna’s sister Elissa and brother Miika who picked me up and we continued towards Kitee.

Once we got to the right place there were twitchers watching up to one tree. And there the woodpecker was sleeping on a branch. It soon woke up and was active and visited a feeder but then flew behind one building. For some reason I was the only one following the bird and I found it feeding on an apple-tree. I managed to get some pretty good pictures of the bird. Soon other birders joined me but then the bird decided to fly to a forest nearby. Then it was time for us to head back to Parikkala. The bird was still seen in the evening and very early on the next morning but never since.

In the afternoon we visited in Tiviä and saw a Hen Harrier and then in one forest we found a Pygmy Owl. On the way back home we still stopped at dam-road and heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

On the 4th of April it was raining in the morning but I did some birding anyway. Only better bird was a Nuthatch in Siikalahti. Then we headed to Rautjärvi Simpele Kokkolanjoki where we saw a Grey Wagtail couple and a couple of Dippers in Kangaskoski and a couple of Dippers in Lahnanen. On the way back we still found a couple of Rooks in Kangas fields

In the afternoon I saw nothing special so I decided to twitch a Tundra Swan in Savikumpu Alava. It was in a flock of Whooper Swans, Tundra and Taiga Bean and Greater White-fronted Geese. Then I still went to see the same Pygmy Owl again.

On the 5th day we visited Saari again. Elissa came with us. Year-ticks were 2 Barnacle Geese in Lahdenpohja and 3 Coots and a Great Bittern in Akonpohja. In Tarassiinlahti we saw a Marsh Harrier couple but other observations were just some White-tailed Eagles, Great Grey Shrikes and Linnets and so on. On the way back we twitched a Hawfinch that was visiting one feeder in Särkisalmi.

In the afternoon we went to ring a Ural Owl mother which was again very early this year. Then we still visited Siikalahti and a couple of other places with young birder and saw a Greylag Goose, 7 Tufted Ducks and a Beaver which has made a big nest next to Siikalahti bird-tower. It was already getting dark when we still ticked a Pygmy Owl.

On the second Eastern Day the weather was pretty bad but we did some birding anyway. Common and Black-headed Gulls had arrived in numbers and a Lesser Black-backed Gull was also seen in Härskiinmutka. Otherwise we saw just a Pochard couple in Siikalahti and then we went to see a mother Boreal Owl which was already in its nest.

J.A.