. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

On the last days of April it was finally time for some better birds. On the 29th day I visited Särkisalmi early in the morning and met Perttu Valonen there. Together we found 11 Oystercatchers, a Common Scoter and the first ever Velvet Scoters in April in Parikkala – a couple. There were also much more other birds than in earlier visits. So I had to visit Lemmikonsalmi too and there were 4 Common Scoters and 4 Long-tailed Ducks.

On the 30th day we visited Särkisalmi again but all better birds were gone, but now there were already 50 Great Crested Grebes. Then we continued to Siikalahti where soon also Veikka Kosonen and Oskari Saunisto arrived. Boys were participating a weekend-long bird-race and we were going to help them. They even stayed at night in our home. The best way to start a race like this was to stay whole morning in Siikalahti. We stayed until 2 p.m. and it was worthy! There were also many other local and other birders with us and we saw good numbers of birds! Early in the morning we saw a Common Sandpiper, 8 Bewick’s Swans and a Slavonian Grebe was local in front of us. Migration wasn’t too good but still we saw a Black-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel, a couple of Common Terns, Little Gull, 10 Rough-legged Buzzards, a Hen Harrier, a Red-throated Diver, a few Hobbies, a Stock Dove, a Tree Pipit and so on.

At 1 p.m. we were about to go to eat and then continue to Saari but I thought we should stay another 30 minutes. Everyone agreed and we kept on scanning the skies. After 10 minutes I found a big bird flying low on the northern sky. It looked interesting but it was still too far. After some 20 seconds I had seen that it was not a raptor or a Crane so it was probably a stork. I told everyone to try to find the bird but carefully so there wasn’t too much movement as I might lose the bird. When everyone had found it, I knew what we were watching – it was a Black Stork!

The bird was flying very low and disappeared a couple of times behind the tree-tops but luckily it was always found again. We were sure that it will pass us from the eastern side of the bay so Hanna and Matti decided to try to get closer. Hanna went just a couple of hundreds of meters but Matti drove to Kaukola fields. Finally the bird went between them so we all could see it pretty well but we didn’t get good pictures. It was a new self-found tick for me and a lifer for everyone else!

We still decided to stay until 2 p.m. but we were maybe too happy already and found nothing else. So it was time to go to eat.

In the afternoon we checked Lemmikonsalmi and then continued to Saari where we checked all possible places. There weren’t too many birds but some flooded fields had lots of Greenshanks and Green Sandpipers. In Akonpohja we saw a couple of Gadwalls. in Riionsalmi a Spotted Redshank, in Kanavalampi a Rook, in Karinmäki a couple of Short-eared owls and in Suurenjärvenliete a Little Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper.

We dropped Hanna to Suurenjärvenliete where she had decided to stay overnight in a photographing tent. It was already getting dark when we started driving back but still stopped a couple of times and in Lääviensuo we heard a couple of Long-eared Owls. We still visited Siikalahti but heard nothing new and then were at home at 10 p.m. It had been a long day!

On the May Day we woke up at 5 a.m. again and went first to see Capercaillie lek. We saw 4 males but nothing else really. Then we checked Särkisalmi before continue to Melkoniemi forests. Some roads were still too snowy to drive but we managed to find a Northern Wheatear, a couple of female Capercaillies, Common Crossbills, Wren and so on.

Next we drove to Siikalahti where were lots of people again. The sky looked empty but in an hour we saw a Black Kite and a flock of 7 Whimbrels. After some shopping we were about to drive to Saari again but I realized that one tire was flattening. So we had to visit a service to fill the tire, then drive back home to get Oskari’s car, drive to garage where we moved our stuff to Oskari’s car and left my car.

Then we drove to Lemmikonsalmi where everything started to go well again as we found a couple of Common Shelducks – a lifer for boys! In Akonpohja we saw again lots of Greenshanks and Green Sandpipers but also 3 Spotted Redshanks and a Common Redshank. 3 Barn Swallows flew over us. When we climbed to the tower the weather turned really bad – very windy and hails and snow.

We didn’t stop in Pohjanranta as there were other birders. It was also more than 1 p.m. already so it was time to drive towards Suurenjärvenliete to pick up Hanna. While driving I got a message that Karri Kuitunen had found a Black Scoter in Joutseno Tiuruniemi. So my phone started to ring quite a lot and we really couldn’t do much birding. So we were soon in Suurenjärvenliete where we still saw a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, a Wood Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit. Then we picked up Hanna and started to drive to home.

I really wanted to go to twitch the Black Scoter but boys were already in tight schedule. So I called to Harri Partanen and luckily he was interested to go twitching. Hanna was of course joining us as she wanted to get a WP-tick.

So soon we were at our home where boys packed their car and then left to Savo to their homeground to try to find more species to their rally-list. And soon we were driving towards Joutseno with Harri.

I had thought that this would be an easy twitch but little I knew. When we were in Tiuruniemi we found out that the bird was in a flock of Common Scoter and quite far on completely open lake Saimaa! There was also awful haze so we could hardly identify males and females of the flock.

Some Red and Black-throated Divers, Red-necked Grebes and Red-breasted Merganser were seen a little bit closer, but unfortunately the flock of scoters were moving further and haze was getting worse. But we knew the visibility would get better later when it starts to get colder.

After an hour it started to rain and got colder. And when the rain stopped the visibility was clear! And quite soon someone found the right bird which we all could find after some searching. There were more twitchers some hundreds of meters from us and I called to them but they were probably a little bit lower that us and therefore they couldn’t identify the bird. But once they came to same place with us they also found it. After all we all managed to see the Black Scoter surprisingly well.

When it started to get warmer the haze came back and we decided to leave. It had been a great May Day time once again. I think this is the best time of the year here! Boys also proved it as they won the bird-race with their 123 species quite clearly. They had managed to get some more species in Savo and the best self-found birds had been a Pink-footed Goose and a Pallid Harrier.

J.A.

Finally it started to feel like spring on the 19th of March when we were in Siikalahti with Veikka Kosonen and Oskari Saunisto for 5 hours. A Sparrowhawk, a few Common Buzzards, a Woodpigeon, the same Skylark, a Great Grey Shrike, a Chaffinch, a Gold Finch, a few Common Crossbills and a Snow Bunting were seen. Also a Grey-headed, a White-backed and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker were seen. On the next day the weather was more arctic and in a couple of hours we saw 5 migrating Skylarks, 15 Lapwings, 4 Starlings and so on. In the evening we heard a Tengmalm’s Owl in Kannas.

During the week I saw a White-tailed Eagle and 18 Lapwings on the 21st, 41 Lapwings, 3 Woodpigeons and a Canada Goose on the 22nd, a couple of Stock Doves, a Fieldfare and a Linnet on the 23rd, a couple of probable Twites migrating and a Goldeneye on the 24th and then the 25th there were a couple of Goldeneyes and Goosanders in Särkisalmi. At weekend the weather was bad again and I was playing rinkball. Only birds to mention were 2 Wood Larks along the motorway in Imatra.

The weather was bad during the next week too but on the 1st of April it finally started to happen again. I was enjoying a strike from work and of course in Siikalahti and saw a Common Crane, a Stock Dove, 28 Woodpigeons, 14 Lapwings, a Chaffinch and 14 Snow Buntings. At weekend I was in Vierumäki playing in Finnish championship tournament for more than 40-years old players and we came 4th which wasn’t good ranking. I also managed to loose a tooth and brake a couple of ribs. It seems that I am getting too old for playing… On the way I saw Hawfinch in Imatra, Kestrel in Joutseno and then on the way back a Goshawk in Koitsanlahti.

I would have been on sick-leave because of my ribs but strike was also on so I was free to do birding a lot. Unfortunately weather was still awful. On the 4th of April I managed to stay in Siiaklahti a couple of hours before I was completely frozen and I saw 6 White-tailed Eagles, 90 Woodpigeons, 7 Snow Buntings and so on. Then I went to find a couple of nests of Nuthatches.

On the 5th day there was lot of snow on the ground again – it had been snowing whole night. So only place to see birds were on feeders. So it wasn’t a surprise that the best bird was also found on the feeder – a Wood Lark was visiting Minna Terävä’s feeder in Siromäki together with Yellowhammers and Chaffinches. On the 6th day I saw 42 Woodpigeons, 6 Cranes. 12 Skylarks and surprisingly a male Hen Harrier which really looked early in snowy landscape. On the 7th I saw a Kestrel and on the way to dentist to Imatra I saw 22 Snow Buntings and a Merlin in Kaukopää. On the 8th day I saw the first couple of Mallards of the year in Parikkala in Särkisalmi – that maybe tells you how awful the winter and late spring can be?

On the 9th day the spring started again! We stayed in Siikalahti with Veikka Kosonen from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and many other birders were there too. We saw 21 Tundra Bean Geese, 8 Goosanders, 4 Marsh Harriers, 10 Sparrowhawks, 10 Common Buzzards, 2 Ospreys, 2 Kestrels, a Peregrine, 32 Cranes, 191 Lapwings, a Curlew, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Snipes, 26 Black-headed, 1 Common and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Stock Doves, 230 Woodpigeons, 2 Wood Larks, 4 Meadow Pipits, 15 White Wagtails, 62 Blackbirds, 4 Mistle and 1 small thrush, 160 Chaffinches, 2 Linnets, 16 Snow and 6 Reed Buntings. In Kannas we heard a Wren and saw a couple of Nuthatches.

On Sunday we were with Veikka, Oskari and Pekka Punnonen from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. in a bit worse weather and saw less bird, but 4 Cormorants. a Curlew, 3 Stock Doves, a Wood Lark and a Linnet and so on were seen.

On the 11th day I woke up early as ribs were hurting so I decided to go to see lekking Capercaillies. I managed to see 4 males and a female and also a Woodcock and a Black Woodpecker. Then I stayed in Siikalahto from 7:30 to 3 p.m. and saw 20 Tundra and 3 Taiga Bean, 10 White-fronted, 2 Canada and 4 Barnacle Geese, a Cormorant, 5 White-tailed Eagles, a Hen Harrier, 7 Curlews, a Common Snipe, 80 Black-headed Gull, 40 Meadow Pipits, even 100 Wagtails, a Song Thrush and 3 Linnets.

On the 12th day I was again in Siikalahti and from 7:20 to 2 p.m. I saw 45 Taiga Bean, 1 White-fronted and 18 Canada Geese, a Bittern, a Grey Heron, 6 White-tailed Eagles, a Hen Harrier, 3 Ospreys, 16 Curlews, again a Wood Lark, a Redwing, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Linnets and so on. And on the 13th day I saw 4 Kestrels, a Green Sandpiper, 7 Snipes, a Black Woodpecker, a couple of Robins, 11 Mistle Thrushes and in Huhmarinen I saw again 2 Wood Larks. It had been the first spring ever for Wood Larks.

On the 14th I was on dam-road from 8:30 a.m.to 12:00 a.m. and best observations were 2 Bitterns, a Greylag Goose, a Golden Plover and 2 Black Kites that arrived to the bay together. Also 35 Curlews and so on were seen.

Then I started driving a long way across the country. In Hämeenlinna I stopped for shopping and surprisingly saw there 2 Oystercatchers and some Great Crested Grebes and Coots. Then I picked up Hanna from the railway station where Hanna arrived from Helsinki where she had been teaching diorama-painting for a week. Then we continued to Kristiinankaupunki Siipyy where we put up the camp.

On the 15th of April we woke up at 5 a.m. and soon were climbing to Siipyy tower where Veikko Forsberg arrived soon and later also Matti Pajunen. It was good to be again, for the second time, in Eastern in Siipyy. We sea-watched until midday and I got too many year-ticks – more than 20. Better species and numbers were 2 Shovelers, 10 Pintails, 816 Eiders, 23 Long-tailed Ducks, 1276 Common and 54 Velvet Scoters, 9 Smews, 109 Red-throeated and 1 Black-throated Diver, 5 Red-necked Grebes, a Goshawk that caught some bird from the sea and was swimming to the shore, an Osprey, 188 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plovers, 482 Curlews, 6 Arctic Skuas, 20 Black Guillemots, 20 Razorbills, 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 4 Dunnocks, 1205 Chaffinches, 5 Lapland Buntings, 55 Snow Buntings and so on.

In the evening we visited Härkmeri fields and fields on both sides of Kristiinankaupunki and Karijoki border and saw quite a few geese – both Taiga and Tundra Bean Geese were numerous but also surprisingly many White-fronted and about 10 Pink-footed Geese were seen. We also saw a single Common Shelduck and 6 Gadwalls in Härkmeri.

On the 16th we were in the tower again from 5:30 to midday and this time with Ilkka Iivonen. Better birds were 60 Bean and 2 Pink-footed Geese, 266 Mallards, 27 Pintail, 6 Shovelers, 882 Eiders, 20 Smews, 61 Red-throated and 3 Black-throated Divers, 3 Great Crested and 3 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Grey Herons, a Marsh and a Hen Harrier, 602 Curlews (126 in one flock!), 2 Green Sandpipers, 5 Arctic Skuas, 34 Black Guillemots, 2 Caspian Terns, 1275 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Short-eared Owls, 97 Mistle Thrushes, 16 Bramblings, 63 Redpolls, 107 Yellowhammers and so on.

In the afternoon we drove to Härkmeri and tried to see a Red Kite that had been in Pori migrating North but it made an U-turn and went back to Pori. We saw only a couple of Rough-legged Buzzards and 4 Ringed Plovers.

On the 17th we were with Veikko, Ilkka, Sami Jansson and Kari Korhonen and better birds were 215 Barnacle Geese, 6 Shelducks, 323 Tufted Ducks, 226 Mallards, 1486 Eiders, 156 Long-tailed Ducks, 8062 Common and 456 Velvet Scoters, 500 Goldeneyes, 211 Red-breated Mergansersm 266 Goosanders, 32 Smews, 282 Red and 8 Black-throated Divers, 15 Great Crested, 80 Red-necked and 6 Slavonian Grebes, 7 Grey Herons, a Black Kite that was very special bird for everyone else than us – maybe even the first ever seen from the tower, 4 Merlins, 453 Curlews, 7 Arctic Skuas, 145 Razorbillsm 6 Caspian and 5 Common Terns, 1705 Black-headed Gulls, 583 Woodpigeons, a Wood Lark, a small lark that was just a little bit too far to be positively identified as a Short-toed Lark but it really looked like one, a Rock Pipit, 122 White Wagtails , 147 Mistle Thrushes and so on.

In the evening we visited Storsjöträsket but saw nothing better.

On the 18th day we were with Jukka Koskelainen, Ilkka, Sami, Kari and Paavo Sallinen and when we were leaving at midday, Veikko came to continue as there were still birds moving. Better birds were 1709 Bean Geese, a White-fronted Goose, 3 Shelducks, 204 Teals, 2142 Common Eiders and finally 2 (distant) male King Eiders, 6433 Common and 547 Velvet Scoters, 720 Goldeneyes, 250 Red-throated Divers, 6 Slavonian Grebes, 16 White-tailed Eagles, a Ringed Plover, 2 Caspian and 7 Common Terns, a Long-eared Owl, 105 Mistle Thrushes and so on.

At midday we started a long drive back home and right away we realized that we had spring completely broken so we had to drive very carefully. So the only birding stop in Merikarvia Lankoski where we saw a Grey Wagtail easily but we didn’t stop in Pori where the same Red Kite was still around. Then it was a long drive until we still stopped close to home in Simpele Ritakoski and surprisingly managed to twith both a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher even though it was already 8:30 p.m. Then we still visited Siikalahti where 6 Water Rails and some Bitterns were calling.

On the 19th day I had to go to work and on the lunch-hour I saw 84 MAllards, 44 Teals, 3 Pochards, a Tufted Duck, a Hen Harrier, 2 Rough-legged Buzzards, 11 Coots and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. And in the afternoon I saw a Redshank in Tetrisuo.

The strike was about to continue on the next day but unfortunately for me it was cancelled. So I visited in Siikalahti only briefly during the week. Only better birds were a Tree Pipit on the 20th, some Smews in Särkisalmi and the first House Sparrow in Parikkala this year! It’s really difficult species nowadays.

On the 21st of April 16 Wigeons, 5 Smews and a Redshank was seen and in the afternoon I had drive our car to service. On the 22nd I was biking near our home when I saw a female-plumaged Black Redstart! Then I got a ride from Harri Partanen to Siikalahti where we saw a Black Kite and 3 Rough-legged Buzzard before Harri drove me to service to get our car.

At weekend we started mornings with visits in Särkisalmi where were already Great Crested Grebes and a single Slavonian Grebe. Then we stayed in Siikalahti for a long time with Savonlinna youngsters and Merja Laari and many other visitors. In best or worst times the tower was full of people. Saturday morning was great and we saw amazingly 3 different Pallid Harriers, 3 Hen Harriers, a Peregrine, 17 Rough-legged Buzzards, 6 White-tailed Eagles, 7 Golden Plovers, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 13 Green Sandpipers, 5 Greenshanks, a Stock Dove, a Dunnock, 100 Bramblings and a Barn Swallow that was going towards south in the afternoon when the wind turned to blow very coldly from north.

So Sunday was much colder and we were absolutely freezing but still saw a Greater Spotted Eagle, a Black Kite, 5 Rough-legged Buzzards, 9 Ospreys, a Merlin and an early Hobby. Also 158 Cranes and 2 Chiffchaffs were seen.

The last days of April were cold as always in this time of year when it would be most important to have warm nights. Then we might get some rarities and many crakes and so on. But now the last days were quite boring and not many new birds were seen. A Merlin, more ducks, divers and grebes, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, the first Greenshanks and a Chiffchaff, a Pink-footed Goose found in a flock of other geese, again a Black Kite, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and so on. But then on the very last days of April it started to happen more…

J.A.

There is not much to tell about the beginning of February. It was hard winter and motivation to go out wasn’t high. On the 1st of February I saw a flock of 200 Waxwings.

On the 4th day I drove to Helsinki-Vantaa where I made a PCR-test and next night I got negative results. On the 5th day I twitched a possible Northern Grey Shrike in Asikkala Anianpelto and saw it after 9 hours searching! Now we haw to wait for the result of DNA-test.

On the 6th day I twitched a probable female Bunting in Kirkkonummi Masala. It had good DNA but it still not accepted in Finnish Rarity committee. Also Bramblings and 2 Herring Gulls were seen there. We still visited Hammas and saw a Dipper with my father before he drove me to Helsinki-Vantaa airport again and there I met the group with we were going to birdwatching and mammal trip to Tanzania (the full report can be found from the link)!

I got Covid as a souvenir from Tanzania so I wasn’t birding much in the end of February. It was still full winter too. On the 20th day we saw some Redpolls and a couple of Siskins while we were putting food to our feeders. On the 24th day I saw 2 Herring Gulls that had arrived to ice-fishing holes to Lake Simpele.

On the 25th I found a noisy flock of 17 Gold Finches in our garden and they stayed there for a long time. On the 26th we saw a Blackbird in Tarvaslampi and a Grey-headed Woodpecker in Särkisalmi.

On the 27th we drove to south with Sampsa Cairenius and Teo Ylätalo and in Helsinki Tokoinranta we saw 3 Canada Geese, a Coot, some Common Gulls and so on. Then we headed to Espoo Soukka Kasavuori where we managed to twitch an overwintering Greater Spotted Eagle! Soon we saw the bird flying towards east and it never came back! There we also saw White-tailed Eagles, Common Buzzards, Great Black-backed Gulls, Whooper Swans, Stock Doves and a Starling. We also twitched an overwintering Common Kingfisher, saw a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and then a Rough-legged Buzzard in Helsinki Tuomarinkylä.

March started with a Tengmalm’s Owl in Moskuunniemi on the 4th day. On the next day I did winter-bird count and saw a Hazel Hen, 6 Rock Doves, 4 Grey-headed Woodpeckers, 10 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 White-backed Woodpecker, 2 Blackbirds, 83 Blue, 161 Great, 1 Coal and 6 Willow Tits, a Treecreeper, 5 Jays, 13 Magpies, 73 Jackdaws, 23 Hooded Crows, 13 Ravens, 24 Tree Sparrows, 12 Greenfinches, 18 Gold Finches, 91 Common Redpolls, 27 Bullfinches and 33 Yellowhammers.

On the 6th day I saw a Great Grey Shrike in Joutseno Korvenkylä and twitched a Hawk Owl in Lappeenranta Heimosilta. Also the familiar teals and an Eagle Owl were seen once again. Next morning I heard a Grey-headed Woodpecker and during the week Gold Finches were still singing in our back-yard.

On the 11th day a Great Grey Shrike and 11 Waxwings were seen in Siikalahti and at night we did an owl-trip to Melkoniemi and heard an Eagle Owl and a Ural Owl. Next day I saw already 9 Whooper Swans, a migrating Common Buzzard, a Great Grey Shrike, a Grey-headed Woodpecker, a Siskin and a Gold Finch in Siikalahti. In the evening I twitched a Great Grey Owl in Joutseno and the same Hawk Owl in Heimosilta.

On the 13th of March we were a couple of hours in Siikalahti but only 2 White-tailed Eagles, a Goshawk and 6 Herring Gulls were seen. So we went to put up a mist-net to our feeder but caught only 3 Blue Tits and a beautiful but extremely noisy male Grey-headed Woodpecker.

On the 14th day a Skylark had arrived to dam-road in Siikalahti. It stayed there for several days as it was only place without a meter of snow. 4 White-tailed Eagles were soaring on the sky. On the 15th day I saw a Stock Dove flying back to south and on the 17th a noisy Lapwing was flying north – it was probably cursing what it was doing here already?

On the 18th day I saw 2 White-tailed Eagles, a Sparrowhawk, a Common Buzzard and the same Skylark on my lunch-hour. In the afternoon I stopped in Rautjärvi Kokkolanjoki where 2 Goldeneyes, 3 Goosanders and a Dipper were seen. Then in Imatra I saw some Cormorants and in Lappeenranta 45 Herring Gulls. Then I had a final of 1-division rink-ball and we managed to win. So I got one more gold-medal in very late of my career.

J.A.

It was a real old-time winter in Parikkala so I wasn’t too excited to do much birding. Waxwing and Fieldfare flocks were still around in the beginning of January and also Blackbirds were still here and there. Our own woodpecker feeder had also a flock of Long-tailed Tits and a Treecreeper with a ring. It was probably same bird than last winter.

On the 6th of January we visited Siikalahti and Simpele and saw some Black Grouses, 2 Sparrowhawks, a Siskin and of course Dippers – 6 of them in Kokkolanjoki. On Saturday we visited Punkaharju where we ringed a Nuthatch in Laakkii and then continued to Lusto where we walked around but didn’t find any Nutcrackers, just a flock of 15 Coal Tits and a couple of flocks of Red Crossbills. Also a couple of Grey-headed Woodpeckers were seen during the day.

On the 9th day I went to play to Lappeenranta and on the way I stopped in Imatra Kymälahti where a couple of Nuthatches and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker were visiting a feeder. In Vuoksi Itä-Siitola I saw a Little Grebe and some Cormorants. In Lappeenranta I saw a flock of 15 migrating Pine Grosbeaks in Pajarila and after the game I twitched Teals and an Eagle Owl

On the 12th day in Siikalahti I saw a couple of White-backed Woodpeckers and in Kangaskylä I still saw a flock of 65 Fieldfares. On the 13th day a Chaffinch was seen in Kannas.

On the 15th of January went skiing to Soininmäki where we saw the familiar Siberian Jays – 3 of them. Also a couple of Crested Tits were heard and also a Hazel Hen was singing and another one was seen briefly. On the way back I still saw a female Capercaillie flying over. On Sunday we went skiing to Siikalahti and heard a noisy Nuthatch and saw the same flock of Long-tailed Tits.

On the 21st I saw a Sparrowhawk in Siikalahti and on the 22nd day we went twitching with Sampsa Cairenius. We drove a long way to Hartola where we were early in the morning but still couldn’t see a wintering Turtle Dove. Then we continued to Asikkala to twitch a Nothern Shrike that had been seen a couple of days earlier but it seemed that it was gone. A couple of Great Grey Shrikes were seen while but nothing else. On the way back we stopped in Lahti Ali-Juhakkala where we saw 2 Little Grebes, a Goshawk, a Teal and a Cormorant and nearby a Sparrowhawk and a Woodpigeon.

On Sunday the 22st day we went to put more food to our feeders and saw the same birds there again. In Kangaskylä we saw a flock of 30 Fieldfares. In the afternoon I had a game in Lappeenranta again so on the way I stopped in Imatra again and saw a Redwing in, a Little Grebe, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Goshawk and some Cormorants and in Lappeenranta I saw Teals in Reijola.

Observation in the end of January were the same. Still some flocks of Fieldfares were seen here and there and on the 19th day we participated Garden Twitch in Tarvaslampi hide and photographed common winter-birds.

J.A.

On the 30th day we drove a long way to Oulu where we met my brother Pirkka in Kemira’s small open water place where we twitched a Brent Goose that was wintering with lots of Mallards as a winter-tick.

On the 31st day we woke up before 7:30 a.m. and before 8 o’clock we headed towards Oulunsalo harbor. At 8:30 a.m. the ferry left towards Hailuoto and between the icy sea we sailed to Hailuoto and after 30 minutes we were driving towards Marjaniemi.

In Marjaniemi Pirkka knew the feeder where in the past he had been twitching a Black-throated Accentor. There were people in the cottage and soon we met the owner who was kind and we discussed about twitching both now and on the next day when there would be more twitchers. Owner was putting more food to the feeder and soon after she had left Yellowhammers started to arrive. And almost immediately Pirkka noticed a European Serin that had also arrived next to the feeder. Soon it flew inside one of the feeders where it was impossible to see.

When the Serin left after Yellowhammers we tried to get a bit closer with Hanna to get better pictures but once the birds started to come back, they were a bit too shy so soon we walked back to our ordinary position. And then Serin arrived again to the ground under the feeder. When it left again, we decided to leave too.

Back in Oulunsalo we saw a flock of Black Grouses in Riuttu and a Pheasant in Pajuniemi. Then we twitched a Common Crane in Kempele Alakylä and then headed to Oulu to search a Siberian Tit that had been seen about a week earlier. But we didn’t find it. Then we headed to Tyrnävä to search any new birds but found only some flocks of Yellowhammers. While we were already leaving we saw a male Merlin with a prey in flight.

In the afternoon we did some shopping and then went to buy some food. In the evening we watched a movie and relaxed.

Fireworks started at 6 p.m. and at 11:15 p.m. we left to check if Brent Goose was still in Kemira. Of course there were fireworks there too and only 3 Mallards were present. Soon some other first of January tickers arrived but there was nothing to see. Just before midnight we drove to Kemira pools to see that there were about 100 Mallards flying in the dark sky. So soon we went to sleep.

We woke up at 6 a.m. and soon we were again in Kemira and checking ducks but there were only about 200 Mallards and no Brent Goose. So we soon continued to Riuttu where we caught 7:30 a.m. ferry. Other twitchers were also on the ferry and soon we were driving towards Marjaniemi again. There we again met the owner of the cottage who must have thought that we are crazy as it was still completely dark. But in few minutes we heard several Yellowhammers arriving to feeder. After 10 or 15 minutes Markku Santamaa arrived and told that he had heard Serin on the way from the parking place.

And after 10 more minutes at 9:15 Serin arrived next to the feeder where it was easily seen by everyone before it flew inside the feeder again. We had got the first tick of the day but still we talked with some friends and saw Great Tits and a Blue Tit as a year-tick before decided to start driving back towards harbor.

We stopped in the village shortly but saw just some Tree Sparrows and then on the way to harbor we saw some Magpies, a Willow Tit, a Red Crossbill and some Great Spotted Woodpeckers. On the ferry we saw a beautiful sunrise while talking more to some friends and saw no birds at all.

In Huikku we saw the same Black Grouse flock again and in Oulunsalo we saw some Jackdaws. The Crane was hiding somewhere but some Hooded Crows and a Greenfinch were seen. As there was still no reports of Brent Goose, we decided to drive towards Liminka. In Kempele Honkanen we saw 4 Collared Doves easily and on the way we saw a Raven. In Virkkula we met some other twitchers. They had heard that a flock of Grey Partridges had been seen flying behind the information center, but they hadn’t seen them at all. We waited for some time until I decided to walk to the field and check if they were in vegetation behind one long ditch. I could see something on the snow about 150 meters from me and called the rest to come and take a scope with them – and there they were – at least 4 Grey Partridges.

Next we drove back to Kempele Alakylä where the Crane was now present and saw a Jay and some Rock Doves on the way.

And then we headed to Oulu where we ticked a Rook in Raksila and then in Hartaanselkä we saw a couple of Goldeneyes but nothing else. We hoped that the goose might have moved there. In Hietasaari we heard some Bullfinches and when the sun was already setting, we headed to Kemira where only the same amount of Mallards was present.

It was already getting dark when we headed again to Hietasaari to try to see a Pygmy Owl but only year-tick was a Blackbird.

In the evening we got food from Sauraha Nepalese restaurant and checked once again Kemira. And after we had watched a movie we went to check it again and now there were more than 300 Mallards but still no Brent Goose.

After all I got only one first of January tick – Serin. My goal had been 2 so I would have got my 150th tick which is so big number that I could have retired but now I must continue at least one more year.

On the 2nd of January we woke up before 8 a.m. and soon we were ready to go to Kemira again. Now there were about 1000 Mallards but still nothing else! Then we said goodbye to Pirkka and left driving toward Kajaani.

On the way we saw a flock of 12 Pine Grosbeaks in Vaala, 30 Common Redpolls in Paltamo and some Black Grouses and so on. Finally we were in Kajaani and Ämmänkoski where we met some other birders too. But unfortunately there was no sign of Mandt´s Black Guillemot. It had been seen still on the previous day but now it was gone. We saw only 3 Whooper Swans, some Common Redpolls, Red Crossbills and 4 Otters. We went to eat and still came back to check the river but before it was getting dark, we decided to start a long way back home. On the way we saw no birds at all and finally we were at home pretty tired.

J.A.

It was cold winter in December so I wasn’t too excited to do much birding. Fieldfare flocks were still around and after very cold days there seemed to be more and more Blackbirds too here and there.

On the 11th day we were photographing Yellowhammers and other birds in Tarvaslampi in our hide when I noticed a grayish bird. I took pictures and realized that the birds looked like a Pine Bunting! It disappeared soon but from the pictures we could see that there was some yellowish color on its breast – so maybe it was just a hybrid even though otherwise it really looked good. Unfortunately the bird was never seen again even though we visited the hide a few times later during the month.

On the 12th day I stopped in Imatra Vuoksi briefly and saw a Red-breasted Merganser. Also some Cormorants and so on were seen also on other visits when I was going to Lappeenranta to play. But Little Grebe managed to avoid me.

On the 13th day I saw a Hawk Owl and a Sparrowhawk in Kaukola where the big Yellowhammer flock was still around. A White-tailed Eagle flew over me in Kontiolampi and on the 15th day I saw a Whooper Swan in Tyrjä.

On the 18th day we freed a Goshawk that had been living with us for almost 2 weeks. It had been found on the road so it had probably hit by a car. In Kannas we saw 2 Nuthatches and a Treecreeper and on the next day I saw a flock of 13 Gold Finches flying over our house and in Ristimäki I saw a Goldcrest.

On Christmas Eve we did a winter-bird count with Miika Soikkeli. We saw altogether 22 Black Grouse, a Sparrowhawk, 12 Rock Doves, 6 Great Spotted and 2 White-backed Woodpeckers, 87 Waxwings, 4 Blackbirds, 277 Fieldfares, 2 Goldcrests, 65 Blue, 75 Great, 4 Willow and 2 Crested Tits, a Nuthacth, 4 Treecreepers, 15 Magpies, 4 Jays, 38 Jackdaws, 30 Hooded Crows, 48 Tree Sparrows, 7 Greenfinches, 5 Gold Finches, 5 Siskins, 52 Common Redpolls, 54 Bullfinches and 6 Yellowhammers.

On Christmas Day we visited relatives in Punkaharju and saw 2 Nuthatches and a Treecreeper in Laakkii and a Sparrowhawk in Tarvaslampi.

On Boxing Day we headed to Simpele and there were even more thrushes and Waxwings than in Parikkala. Altogether 6 Dippers and 7 Whooper Swans and 3 Mallards were seen on the river. We also saw 2 Sparrowhawks and in Siikalahti on our feeder there were 2 Great Spotted, 2 White-backed and a Grey-headed Woodpecker.

On the 28th day we saw 2 Nuthatches in Kannas and altogether even 7 Blackbirds and on the 29th day a Goshawk in Koitsanlahdenkangas.

J.A.