First half of March
March started with same birds that had succeeded in wintering: 2 Starlings and Gold Finches were still around and in siikalahti I saw Grey-headed and White-backed Woodpeckers and also a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. In Kirkonkylä I saw a hunting Goshawk. On the 2nd day I saw a Hazel Hen in Kirpoavankivenmäki and 2 Herring Gulls in Härskiinmutka. On the 3rd day I visited Imatra and saw a Cormorant and a Common Gull in Vuoksi.
On the 5th evening I heard the same Tawny Owl in Vierevi ans an Eagle Owl in Siikalahti. On the 6th day I saw a Stock Dove migrating in Tarvaspohja and on the next day already 5 Whooper Swans had arrived at Siikalahti to fight for their territories.
On the 8th of March I walked around Siikalahti again and saw 30 species. 3 Grey-headed Woodpeckers, a Black Woodpecker, a White-backed Woodpecker, a Great Grey Shrike, 2 Starlings, 22 Gold Finches, 190 Siskins and the best one, a Twite were seen.
On the 9th day already 56 Lapwings and 16 Whooper Swans were seen in Siikalahti. But then came back-winter and on the next day only 19 Lapwings were seen but a Stock Dove was still going towards north anyway. In Vuoksi I saw an overwintered Smew and an early Coot. On the 11th day I was in Lappeenranta and in Konnunsuo I saw 51 Lapwings, 25 Stock Doves and a White-tailed Eagle and in Pappilanniemi I saw a couple of europaea Nuthatches. In the afternoon I was in Siikalahti again and saw 18 Lapwings, 5 Starlings and a Great Grey Shrike.
On the 13th of March it felt more like spring while a Goshawk, 4 Sparrowhawks, 5 Common Buzzards, 34 Lapwings, 2 Skylarks and 800 Redpolls were counted. Even 3 Grey-headed Woodpecker and 2 White-backed Woodpeckers were also seen.
J.A.