End of August
On the 19th of August I did a good visit to Siikalahti on my lunch-hour. First I saw some flocks of migrating Golden Plovers, 60 altogether, and there was also a Bar-tailed Godwit in one flock. Then I saw a dark and small skua but it flew to Vartialahti and never came close enough to make sure if it was an Arctic or a Long-tailed Skua. Soon after that I found a harrier that came close enough to identify it as a young Pallid Harrier. I also saw 15 migrating Honey Buzzards, so not a bad 40 minutes at all!
On the 20th day we did a morning trip to Siikalahti with Miika Soikkeli. In a rainy weather we saw some quality waders: a Red-necked Phalarope was swimming on the bay, a flock of 13 Ringed Plovers migrated over us, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits were flying around over the bay and a lonely Little Stint was flying over us. So there were several species that I don’t see every year in Parikkala! Maybe I should do more birding in rain?
Later in the same day the duck-hunting season started and I went back to Siikalahti to see if there was migration going on. I saw 2 White-tailed Eagles, a Common Rosefinch and some flocks of ducks that all landed to Siikalahti to safe. There were some Pintails and Shovelers too. In the afternoon I still saw 12 Velvet Scoters and a Common Scoter in Härskiinmutka.
On the 21st day I went to Siikalahti by bike but I got a flat tire one kilometer before the dam-road. 2 Ringed Plovers, a Spotted Redshank, 2 White-backed Woodpeckers, a Cuckoo and a Blyth’s Reed Warbler were seen. Already 170 Common Cranes arrived to the bay.
On the 22nd day I saw 2 Canada Geese and 7 Grey Herons in Härskiinmutka and 3 Nutcrackers in Kangaskylä and 1 more later in the afternoon in Kirjola while playing tennis.
On the 24th of August we headed to Lappeenranta after the work. We had been searching a new car in the internet and found a good candidate. Luckily the car was perfect and now we are proud owners of Skoda Yeti. The first stop was made to Askola where we twitched 2 Sanderlings. It was only my 2nd observation of the species ever in South Karelia! We also saw 20 Canada Geese, 5 Ringed Plovers, a Stock Dove, a Goshawk and a Goldfinch there.
The rest of the week I was birding a little but saw almost nothing. I was already preparing to my pelagic trip to Azores.
J.A.