. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

On the 1st of December I started winter driving to Lappeenranta to try to twitch a long-staying Hoopoe. It would be the first winter-record of the species ever in South Karelia.

I met Jarmo Koistinen in Peltola and we started searching for the Hoopoe. After some time Jarmo called he had found the bird. I was quite far but luckily the bird stayed on a tree until I got there. We took some pictures and left the bird so it could land somewhere to feed.

I did some shopping in Lappeenranta and then tried to twitch a Shore Lark in Luukkaansalmi without luck. Then I still did shopping in Imatra, checked River Vuoksi on a couple of places and twitched a Blackcap in Kymälahti.

During the week the weather was bad so I saw only a flock of 32 Rock Doves, some Whooper Swans, Mallards, Herring Gulls and Blackbirds.

On the 6th of December we were once again participating Independence Day bird-race in Kouvola. This time we had a team with Hanna and her sister Elissa. We started at 6:30 by searching for a Tawny Owl and then went to search for Wrens on something like that to one wet area. The first species we got were a Blackbird, a Whooper Swan and a Mallard. But then surprisingly a Tawny Owl started calling and we managed to see it briefly.

In Saksanaho we had a White-backed Woodpecker, a Nuthatch and a couple of Long-tailed Tits with some other common species. Then after getting a Dipper we continued to check River Kymi. We had a good start as we found 3 Scaups, 2 Smews, a Goshawk, several Wrens and a Great Grey Shrike but then it went difficult. After some time we got a White-tailed Eagle but once we had started to search for feeder-birds it started snowing. The weather was so bad that we decided to drive to twitch a Greylag Goose but a White-tailed Eagle had scared it away. Luckily on the same place there were a Great Crested Grebe and a Common Scoter.

It seemed that there were good numbers of birds on the river as all the lakes were freezing. So we decided to change our plans and checked the river from a couple of more places and visited one big lake too. But then all the places were completely empty! Only a couple of more White-tailed Eagles were seen – and for sure they were one of the reasons that there were no birds on these places.

So we headed to one village where we had usually seen lots of passerines on feeders but this place was also empty! After all we spent almost a couple of hours without any new species!
Finally in a small forest we had a couple of new tit-species and then on a field nearby saw some Black Grouses. We had then planned to check some bigger fields, but we thought that if there were no birds anywhere else then for sure not on the fields.

So we decided to drive back to the same area where we had been in the morning. In Lappalanjärvi we saw a few Common and a single Herring Gull and then also a Velvet Scoter in small open water are in the middle of the lake.

But it was already getting late. So we went back to Saksanaho and soon heard a Grey-headed Woodpecker calling. Then we decided to try to find Rock Doves under a bridge in Kuusankoski and luckily they were there. When it was dark we tried to find a couple of Hawk Owls without luck. And finally after 10 hours we had found 42 species (and no House Sparrow, Waxwing, Sparrowhawk, Goldfinch, Redpoll and so on)

The other teams had been suffering too and after all the best teams had been on the coastal area of Kymenlaakso. They had got 47, 44 and 43 species. Then Kouvola-competition was tight and our friends Teo and Veikka had found 43 species and with other team we had got 42. Luckily we had more ace-species (species that no other teams had seen) and so we weren’t last. But it wasn’t a bad result as all the other teams were locals and they had been preparing for the race quite a lot. We had decided to participate only a couple of days ago.

On the 7th of December we still visited Saksanaho and Lake Kymi and saw some same species than on the race. Then we drove to Luumäki Huopainen to an old forest where people had been photographing Three-toed Woodpeckers. After some searching we found one male but in dark forest and weather we couldn’t get very good pictures. Then we continued to Lappeenranta and Imatra to do some shopping.

On the 8th day we went to put food to our feeders. Fieldfares were still everywhere and also a couple of Waxbills, a few Blackbirds and then a single Redwing were seen.

On the 9th day on my lunch-hour I saw a White-tailed Eagle while driving to Siikalahti. I went to check our feeders again but saw nothing special. But while driving back to work I saw the same Hawk Owl that hadn’t been seen for a while and then in Huhmarinen I noticed a small raptor on the top of a spruce. It looked promising and when I drove a little bit closer I could identify it as a Merlin. It was my first ever Merlin in winter in Parikkala.

On the 10th day I saw once again a dark-looking shrike in Siikalahti. I hadn’t got my scope or camera with me, but the bird looked similar than a bird that I had seen on last 2 winters too. 2 years ago we had managed to find some pellets and sent then to Rarity committee and Natural Museum so maybe one day someone can tell what these birds are – just aberrant Great Grey Shrikes or Northern Shrikes…

During the week I saw the same Hawk Owl, woodpeckers, nuthatches, a Dipper, Long-tailed Tits and so on. At Saturday the weather was still OK for birding and we saw the same birds again and also a Sparrowhawk and a Great Grey Shrike and a nice Pine Marten. But then it started snowing a lot.

And during the week I still saw White-backed Woodpeckers, a White-tailed Eagle, a Great Grey Shrike, a Hazel Hen, a Coal Tot and still Fieldfares. But finally it was Christmas-holiday and we headed to warmth of Costa Rica again!

J.A.

On November we had once again traditional competition in Parikkala and Rautjärvi. I have usually tried to find all my species in Parikkala. The weather had just turned cold and Siikalahti was freezing. On the 1st of November I had work but luckily it was Friday which is a shorter day and I had some time to do birding. Before the work and on my lunch-hour I visited Siikalahti and luckily in small open water areas there were still ducks. I saw Whooper Swans, Mallards, Wigeons, 18 Teals, 4 Shovelers, the first ever November Gadwall in Parikkala, 30 Tufted Ducks, a Smew, 20 flying Cormorants, a White-tailed Eagle, lots of Fieldfares with 6 Redwings and 6 Starlings and a Blackbird and so on. The most surprising find was a Common Buzzard in Huhmarinen.

After work I went to check some bays on the southern parts of Lake Simpele but I found less than I had expected. Anyway a Bean Goose, some Smews and Great Crested Grebes, Cormorants, a few Greater Scaups and Common Scoters, a Velvet Scoter and some hundreds of Mallard and Wigeons were found. I also saw a Grey-headed Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tits and so on.

In the evening I still headed to check some freezing fields with my thermal camera and managed to find one Woodcock and then I saw briefly some owl in flight. So after all I managed to see 42 species on the first day.

On the 2nd day we did winter-bird count with Hanna’s brother Miika. It had been even 7 minus degrees at night so all the visible areas in Siikalahti had frozen. Altogether we found 28 Whooper Swans, a Long-tailed Duck, 37 Goosanders, 2 Hazel Hens, 6 Black Grouses, 8 Great Crested Grebes, 35 Cormorants, 4 White-tailed Eagles, a Goshawk, the same Common Buzzard which was a new species to my count, 6 Common and 2 Herring Gulls, 12 Rock Doves, a Pygmy Owl, 7 Great Spotted, 2 White-backed and a single Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Waxwings, 4 Blackbirds, 358 Fieldfares, a Redwing, 27 Goldcrests, 87 Blue, 170 Great, 3 Coal, 4 Crested Tits and 18 Willow Tits, even 5 Nuthatches, 14 Treecreepers, 9 Jays, 16 Magpies, 120 Jackdaws, 10 Hooded Crows, 5 Ravens, 2 Starlings, 22 Tree Sparrows, 35 Greenfinches, 3 Gold Finches, 15 Redpolls, 39 Bullfinches, heard a migrating Snow Bunting and 20 Yellowhammers. It was already getting dark when I visited Särkisalmi and saw a Black-headed Gull.

On the 3rd of November we had our old friend Kristjan Niitepöld visiting us and we decided to visit old forests. After some searching we managed to find 3 Siberian Jays. We also heard a Black Woodpecker. Then we checked some bays too and managed to see a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and Nuthatches in Särkisalmi. Then we of course visited Siikalahti as Kristjan had also been a guide there in the past. Siikalahti was almost completely frozen but in a small open water area there were some Mallards and Wigeons and a single Teal. Then a Goshawk attacked one of the Mallalrds, drowned it and first swam with it and then dragged it to the ice and went to eat it behind some reeds.

In the evening we still went to try to catch owls to Tetrisuo with Hanna but we only heard a Short-eared Owl from the sky a couple of times.

On the 4th day the only tick was a family of Barnacle Geese in Järvenpää and on the 5th day I found a funny flock of a Velvet Scoter, a Common Scoter, a Long-tailed Duck and a Greater Scaup in Rautalahti. I sent a message to our WhatsApp group and at least some birders got some November-ticks.

On the 7th of November a Hawk Owl was found in Siikalahti and I also found a Dipper in Tyrjä and a Great Grey Shrike in Tetrisuo. On the 8th day there were a couple of Starlings in Kangaskylä.

On the 9th day we headed to Saari and managed to see a couple of Capercaillies on the way in their traditional place. In Kangas we surprisingly saw a flock of 3 Stock Doves in flings but otherwise we didn’t find much. 12 Canada Geese were seen in Kanavalampi and in Kirjavala we stopped to check a flock of Yellowhammers and Tree Sparrows and managed to find a single House Sparrow and a Brambling.

On the 10th day we were checking Lake Simpele again but found only a flock of 10 Greater Scaups and a Common Scoter. In Joukio we found a Pygmy Owl, in Koitsanlahdenkangas a Goshawk, in Lahdenkylä a couple of Redwings and in Lahdensuo a Sparrowhawk. In Siikalahti both a Hawk Owl and a Common Buzzard were still around and in Kangaskylä again a couple of Starlings. In the evening we had mist-nets in Lahdensuo and a Long-eared Owl came to fly around but unfortunately it didn’t hit the net.

On the 11th day a single Barnacle Goose was found in our backyard and a Sparrowhawk caught a Redpoll there. On the 12th day both a Hawk Owl and a Common Buzzard were again seen. On the 13th day there were only 6 Cormorants in Härskiinmutka.

On the 15th day I checked most places in Saari and found out that many places were frozen. In Akonpohja there were 54 Whooper Swans and 11 Canada Geese standing on the ice. On the 16th day a Tufted Duck was still in Särkisalmi and in Tarvaspohja a couple of Tufted Ducks, a Greater Scaup and 3 Smews. Then I managed to twitch a Wren that Miika had found in Tarvaslampi. In Rautalahti I still saw a couple of Scaups and a Wigeon and in Siikalahti the same Buzzard for the last time.

On the 17th day I saw a Dipper and a Common Scoter in Tyrjä, a Great Grey Shrike in Siikalahti and in Tiviä there was a Nuthatch. In the afternoon we had to put up our feeders to a couple of places.

On the 19th day a Tufted Duck was still in Särkisalmi, a couple of Tufted Ducks and a Greater Scaup in Tarvaspohja, on the 20th day a Cormorant and on the 23rd day a Whooper Swan and a White-tailed Eagle in Härskiinmutka but it really started to feel like winter.

After cold nights on the 23rd day I decided to try to see something better in Savonlinna Punkaharju Punkasalmi and I was lucky as right away I found a couple of birds migrating. I got my scope up and identified another one as a Black-throated Diver but the closer bird was much bigger – it was a young White-billed Diver! In a bit more than 4 hours I saw 2 more Black-throated and 3 Red-throated Divers, a couple of Black-headed Gulls, of course Common and Herring Gulls and some hundreds of Fieldfares. In the afternoon I still twitched a Chaffinch on Minna Terävä’s feeder – it was my 75th November-species in Parikkala.

On the 24th we drove again to Punkasalmi with Hanna but the weather was much windier. In a bit more than 2 hours we saw 4 Red-throated and a single Black-throated Diver, a Black-headed Gull and 1300 Fieldfares. The best observation was a Saimaa Seal. Maybe I should have tried to see some migration in Parikkala too as I hadn’t seen any divers there? During the day we visited Tarvaslampi and surprisingly found 3 Dippers there. So we drove to home to get a couple of mist-nets and hurried back and after all we managed to catch one of the Dippers. In the evening we visited our feeders and saw the same Hawk Owl and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

In the end of November the weather warmed up again and it was raining and foggy. So I didn’t really do much birding. The only better observation was a flock of 25 Rock Doves in Kangaskylä. On the 28th day there were still a family of Whooper Swans and a Common Scoter in Rautalahti, on the 29th day a Sparrowhawk in Siikalahti and again the same Wren, a Dipper and a Hazel Hen in Tarvaslampi and on the last day of November we still birded for some hours and saw a flock of Siskins, hundreds of Fieldfares, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a couple of Dippers.

J.A.

After a short trip to Säppi the migration of geese was mostly gone but on the 8th of October there were big flocks going all the time. On my lunch-hour I also saw 13 Bewick’s Swans, a Bittern, 10 Great Egrets, a Golden Eagle, 3 Rough-legged Buzzards and so on. In the evening we visited fields and caught 5 Woodcocks and controlled one bird that we had ringed on the same fields 3 weeks earlier. We also saw a Brown Bear on one field.

On the next day I visited Siikalahti bird-tower and saw a Gadwall and a couple of Scaups and so on and on the 10th day I found a probable Cackling x Barnacle Goose hybrid in Kullinsuo. In the evening we saw lots of Woodcocks but caught only 4 of them. We also saw a Short-eared Owl.

On the 11th of October I saw a flock of 90 Long-tailed Ducks migrating in rain and on the 12th we were watching migration with Ari Aalto in Savonlinna Punkaharju Hirvikoski. We didn’t see much but during the day I headed to Saari and I saw altogether 15 White-tailed Eagles and 2 Golden Eagles. In Suurenjärvenliete I heard a Parrot Crossbill and in Pohjanranta I found 2 young Dunlins. There were still quite a lot of birds around but nothing else better. In the evening we still saw 9 Gadwalls and 3 Pochards in Siikalahti.

On the 13th of October we were ringing the last time in Kukonkanta. We caught a Wren, 5 Robins, a Goldcrest, 18 Blue and 46 Great Tits and a Tree Sparrow. During the day we headed to Uukuniemi where Hanna was telling locals about the opportunities of birding-tourism in the area. Meanwhile I visited Kumpu tower and later we headed to check some places in Saari. The best observation was a huge Lynx that crossed the road in front of us.

At night of 14th and 15th we checked several fields but on dry fields there weren’t many birds and they all were very shy. We caught 2 Woodcocks, 2 Common Snipes and a Jack Snipe. I also found a Ural Owl and a Great Grey Shrike with my thermal camera. On the 15th day there were even 13 Gadwalls and 30 Scaups in Siikalahti and on the 16th still 13 Great Egrets. On the 17th I saw a Bittern and on the 18th I heard 3 Water Rails.

On the 18th of October we started driving towards south. We tried to twitch a Mandarin Duck in Hamina and a Tawny Owls in Helsinki Vuosaari but without luck. After all we drove until Hanko where we put up a camp in the forest near Tvärminne. We heard a migrating Oystercatcher at night.

On the 19th day we birded in Hanko. In Svanvik we didn’t see much but in Vedagrundet we saw 3 migrating Hen Harriers and saw a Dunlin and a Common Ringed Plover. In Långören we saw a Merlin and an Oystercatcher, in rubbish tip 5 Wood Larks and in Tallholmarna a Little Gull. During the day we went to eat and then to shopping. Then we finally drove through toll-zone after we had shown all needed papers at the gate. We parked to the parking place and then carried our stuff to Hanko Halias bird-observatory.
Once in the station we found room to all our staff and then Hanna joined KImi Nurminen and Tatu Hokkanen and went to mist-nets and I went to say hello to long-staying occupier Aki Aintila who was still counting migration on the bunker. There I met also Alex and Benjamin Nylander which I joined to count birds in Gåsörsbukten which was another daily routine. Best birds I saw were a Heuglins Gull type of gull, 4 Jack Snipes a very late Common Cuckoo and 2 Nuthatches that were different sub-species.

In the evening we joined the log and the evening was crowned with a Long-eared Owl that Kimi carried from the mist-nets. Later at night we also caught the same Common Cuckoo!

On the 20th of October Hanna went to mist-nets with other ringers so that the nets were open 30 minutes before the sunrise. And the morning started well with a Short-eared Owl. At sunrise the migration watching started at the bunker and it was 4 hours long. All migrating birds were counted and we counted 1742 Barnacle Geese, 18 White-fronted Geese, 5 Hen Harriers, 65 Sparrowhawks, a Merlin, a Peregrine, 54 Stock Doves, 10 Wood Larks, 2 Barn Swallows, 124 Meadow Pipits, 950 Starlings, 2824 Chaffinches, 1589 Bramblings, 105+15 local Goldfinches, 129 Linnets, 155 Bullfinches and so on. So the migration was quite different that I had used to at home!

From the mist-nets mostly tits were caught but also a few Sparrowhawks, a couple of Woodpigeons and a Goshawk. The best bird was a Firecrest that Tatu ringed right after Pekka Peura and Tomas Lövdahl had also arrived. Later Tatu and Nylander-brothers left the station and while checking “Gåu” we saw something new.

The 21st was a bad birding day. Nothing new was seen really even all the routines were made.

On the 22st day better observations were a Black Grouse, 8 Goshawks, 56 Sparrowhawks, a Rough-legged Buzzard, 2 Little Gulls, 9 Wood Larks, a Rock Pipit, 54 Common, 79 Parrot and a single Two-barred Crossbill. On windy mist-nets there were lots of tits ringed and the most tragic thing happened when a Hume’s Warbler was caught but it died to hands of the ringer. It had probably been flying too long time against the wind with stronger tits and got too exhausted? Again there were the same birds on Gou and later Kimi left and Dolf Assmann arrived.

On the 23rd of October the wind was too strong to open the mist-nets and the migration was counted on the shelter of southern forest. 7 Hen Harriers, 9 Goshawks, 57+4 Sparrowhawks, a Common Buzzard, 2 Merlins, 2 Peregrines, 2 Greenshanks, 1238 Jackdaws, 12 Wood Larks and 53 Parrot Crossbills and so on were counted before the migration stopped. At Gou there were still no surprises.

On the 24th day we saw more migration and a local birder Vepe Pikkarainen was also counting birds with us. We saw 35 Bean Geese, a Shoveler, a Great Egret, 8 Goshawks, 85 Sparrowhawks, a Common Buzzard, a very distant Golden Eagle, 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, 38 Wood Larks, 4072 Great Tits, 928 Bramblings, 226 Greenfinches, 70 Common and even 176 Parrot Crossbills, 349 Bullfinches, the first 2 Snow Buntings of the season and 80 Yellowhammers and so on. We almost had rarities too, but only almost. Aki heard a possible Grey Wagtail and probably a Firecrest too and in the evening with Tomas I found a bunting that was probably a Little Bunting but it was already quite dark and we saw the bird a couple of times only briefly in flight.

On the 25th day 6 Goshawks, a Little Gull, 101 Mistle Thrushes, 2 Chiffchaffs, 81 Tree Sparrows, 84 Common and 85 Parrot Crossbills were counted. At Gåu we found a Skylark. Veera Partanen arrived and Pekka and Tomas left already during the day and in the evening I went to do some shopping to Hanko and picked up Ahti Ihonen and Hilja Kurkinen from the railway-station.

On the 26th of October we had a competition against Säppi. Already at early morning we got a Tengmalm’s and a Long-eared Owl from the mist-net. But the competition started only at the sunrise but even then we had an owl when there was a Hawk Owl on the net. On migration we saw more species than numbers which was good for the competition. A couple of White Wagtails were seen migrating and a Black Grouse was found perched on one rocky island, a Razorbill was swimming on a calm sea and a Brent Goose was found standing on a very distant rock. After the migration-watch a Slavonian Grebe was found at Kotilahti.

We went to count Gåu with a bigger group and the biggest surprise was an Eagle Owl that flushed from the ground. Otherwise we saw the same species as every day. After all we had found 79 species which 77 were seen during the competition. We never heard the number from Säppi – we had probably crushed them totally.

On the 27th the owl-streak continued as Hanna caught a Pygmy Owl and a Short-eared Owl. On migration we saw 45 White-fronted, 775 Barnacle and 24 Brent Geese and also ducks were migrating. We also saw a Great Egret, a Lapwing and even 76 Little Gulls. A couple of Gadwalls were again in Kotilahti.

“Aksu” Lehikoinen & co. arrived and in the afternoon it was our turn to leave. Veera left by train but we managed to fill our car well and dropped Hilja to Espoo and Ahti to Helsinki. Then we still had a long way to drive to Parikkala.

It had been good finally visit Halias. We hadn’t seen as many birds as we had expected but at least we hav ea good reason to go back one day.

Once we were back in Parikkala Siikalahti was still open and there were lots of ducks which Gadwalls, Pintails and Shovelers I hoped to stay until my winter-bird count. Still on the last day of October I saw 8 Gadwalls, 7 Shovelers and 7 Pintails and 8 Starlings and in the evening on the fields a Woodcock, 3 Common Snipes and a Long-eared Owl but at night it was already 5 minus degrees and the ground was frozen.

J.A.

On the 1st of October I visited Saari Pohjasuo briefly but couldn’t find a Corn Bunting anymore. I didn’t see almost anything else either – just one of the last pairs of House Sparrows.

On the 2nd of October Merja Laari and Oskari Saunisto came to pick me up at 7:30 a.m. and soon we were driving towards Lappeenranta. There Merja and Oskari did some last shopping while I had to visit hospital for a couple of hours. When I was ready we continued driving towards west coast.

We curved to Riihimäki where we picked up Ahti Ihonen from the railway station. Merja’s car was absolutely full when we continued towards Pori.

We didn’t see many birds on the way – just Pheasants in a couple of places and a Grey Heron in the middle of the field in Huittinen. Finally we were in Kuuminainen Salokankaanranta 5 minutes late at 5:05 p.m. Soon Kala-Tommi’s boat was packed and we started heading towards Eurajoki Luvia Säppi. Paul Boijer was also with us as Petteri Mäkelä had dropped him to the harbor as there hadn’t been room in our car anymore.

A half an hour later we were in Säppi where we carried our stuff to the station. It was already late so we just made ourselves as home. We of course met Jani Vastamäki, Petri Saari and Sebastian Andrejeff too.

On the 3rd of October a ringer left early to the mist-nets and the rest of us cathered to Prakala to do 2 hours sea-watching.

It was quiet at the sea like almost always but at least a couple of Gadwalls, some Razobills, a couple of Black Guillemots, a small flock of Purple Sandpipers, a young Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Rook, a couple of flocks of Parrot Crossbills and so on were seen.

After the breakfast we headed to walk around the island and it was hot as the weather was still warm. We did check all places carefully as we had an island-competition against some other islands. But all we found were a Great Egret that was far on the coast, a couple of Hen Harriers, a Merlin, a young Common Tern, a Greenshank, 3 Jack Snipes, a Blackcap and so on.

After all we found 81 species during the day and were 3rd in the competition. Uto had got 87 and Lågskär 82 species and so on. We hadn’t seen any rarities but I had got a few Säppi-ticks as I had never been in the island as early – it was my 10th autumn in the island but I had always been later in October.

In the evening we were watching good thrush-migration with our thermal-cameras and saw also a couple of Woodcocks and a short- or long-eared owl.

On the 4th day it was even warmer and calmer weather. The visibility was really good but still there wasn’t much migration. So the morning went without surprises but after the sea-watch we found a Lapland Bunting in Prakala.

We walked around the island again but saw almost nothing really. A Little Bunting was caught on the mist-net but we were as far as possible on the other side of the island so we didn’t go to twitch it. Luckily we saw it later in Hanhisto, but only a couple of times in flight. There were lots of Goldcrests (543 were booked) so it was strange that nothing rare was found. The only Säppi-tick I got was a Jay that was seen flying over the coast.

In the evening we had sauna and again had mist-nets up for owls but no owls were observed.

On the 5th of October it was even warmer and calmer – and quieter. Early in the morning we missed a Bewick’s Swan that had probably flight over us but was seen only from the garden.

The best birds of the morning were a Greater Scaup and an Arctic Skua. Then we walked only a bit more than a half of the island as there hadn’t been birds in Kräveli at all. We spent time watching towards the coast and Ahti managed to see a Magpie which was a good Säppi-tick. But the rest of us saw only Jays and other birds. But with Petri we managed to hear a Red-breasted Flycatcher calling shortly and other birds we saw were a Lapland Bunting, a Goshawk and other daily birds.

On the 6th day the weather was windy but it was still quiet on the sea. But a Little Gull was seen migrating and an Oystercatcher landed to Prakala. Paul and Ahti headed to walk around the island earlier and they managed to see a Sanderling. We tried to twitch it with Oskari but without luck. And after all we saw nothing else either.

Finally at 2 p.m. Tommi came to pick us 5 back to Kuuminainen. Somehow we managed to get all our stuff and ourselves into Merja’s car and soon we were driving toward Yyteri.

There we walked to Sannannokka bird-towere where we found a big flock of Mallards and soon saw a long-staying American Black Duck too! We also found a male hybrid between a Mallard and a Northern Pintail. Ahti and Paul had seen a similar in Säppi in the morning. Maybe it was the same bird? Maybe black duck will visit Säppi too?

After we had seen some Dunlins, 3 Grey Plovers and a Ruff, we walked back to the parking place, dropped Paul to the railway station and started driving towards Helsinki. After a long drive we dropped Ahti to a service-station where his father was already waiting. Then we ate well in Sipoo and after a long drive we were finally in Parikkala before midnight.

Even though we hadn’t seen anything rare, it had been a good trip in nice weather and good company!

J.A.

On the 9th of September the last family of Barnacle Geese was seen last time. After that only one bird that had a broken wing was left behind. On the 10th day I visited Saari briefly but saw nothing special except a Pale Coulded Yellow – even Corn Bunting was hiding. On the11th day I saw a young Pallid Harrier migrating.

We visited fields on the couple of evenings but fields were completely dry so there weren’t many birds. Nights were also very light because of the moon and some auroras so birds saw us too well. So we didn’t ring many birds. On one trip we saw a one year ole Brown Bear that was running in front of our car for almost a minute before it disappeared into the forest.

On the 13th of September I saw a couple of Nutcrackers in Kangaskylä and then a Franklin’s Gull was found in Säkylä. It was too long way for me but Veikka Kosonen sent me a message that he was planning to go and his schedule was perfect for me too, so after work I started driving to Kouvola. After 3 p.m. Veikka picked me up in Kouvola and we continued driving towards Säkylä.

The gull had been missing all the time after I had left from work. But I was hoping that it was still around and would come back to the Lake Pyhäjärvi before evening to roost. A couple of times we discussed about if it was clever to keep on driving or not but we decided to give a try.

We had only 20 kilometers to go when we got a message that the gull had been re-found. Luckily it stayed on the lake until we got there and I went to look at it through one friendly twitcher’s scope. Then I put up my own scope and started to look at the gull better.

Soon a Black-headed Gull started chasing the Franklin’s Gull but landed next to it and for some minutes they were swimming together in peace. Then Black-headed Gull flushed and Franklin’s Gull followed it and they flow a long way to the northern side of the lake and disappeared behind some island. With a couple of other birders we tried to follow it and managed to choose the right spot and I found the Franklin’s Gull swimming a little bit closer now with many other gulls. And here it stayed until the darkness when we were already driving back towards east. And on the next morning a few birders were there early enough to see it still but then it flushed towards the fields but was never found again.

I was back at home at 2 a.m. but after a couple of hours sleeping we were in Kukonkanta putting up the mist-nets. We caught 3 Wrens, 2 Dunnocks, 14 Robins, a Bluethroat, 2 Sedge Warblers, 3 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, 12 Goldcrests, 14 Blue Tits, 4 Great Tits, 2 Chaffinches and 5 Reed Buntings. In the afternoon we went to Pohjansuo where we found the Corn Bunting again. We put up a couple of mist-nets but we weren’t even close to catch it. A Bluethroat and a Whinchat and so on were ringed. Otherwise we saw nothing interesting.

On the 15th day we were again in Kukonkanta and caught 3 Wrens, 2 Dunnocks, 8 Robins, 2 Blackcaps, 9 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 4 Goldcrests, a Long-tailed Tit, 3 Blue Tits, 13 Great Tits a male European Nuthatch, a young Lesser Redpoll and 6 Reed Buntings. After ringing we headed again to Pohjasuo where the Corn Bunting was still avoiding our mist-nets. In the evening we still went to Siikalahti where we saw nothing special. Altogether we had seen 25 Red-throated Pipits during the day.

During the week the weather stayed very warm but the best observations were butterflies: I saw plenty of Cotton Bollworm Moths, quite a few Pale Clouded Yellow and also two Short-tailed Blues.

We did again a couple of netting trips to fields but Great Snipes were missing. Finally on the 18th of September we found 3 of them in one field and I managed to catch them all. The funniest bird during the week was a young Marsh Harrier that had some snow-white feathers on its wings and body. First I saw the harrier in Siikalahti on the 5th day but then on the 14th it was in Saari Pohjanranta – and again on the next day and later in Siikalahti. Cranes left very quickly and in the end of the week there were only 260 of them and then on the next day they left too. First Rough-legged Buzzards were seen migrating too.

At weekend the weather really changed and it was even minus degrees at night! We expected there would be lots of migrants everywhere but no. We were keeping mist-nets in Kukonkanta on both mornings but caught altogether only 62 birds – 7 Dunnocks, 4 Bluethroats, 5 Robins, 15 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest, 16 Blue and 13 Great Tits, 2 Yellowhammers and 8 Reed Buntings. We also saw only same 2 Nutcrackers, 2 Merlins, a late Tree Pipit and a Rustic Bunting and so on. Only bird we saw migrating more was Meadow Pipit.

On Sunday evening we saw the first migrant Barnacle and White-fronted Geese and some flocks of Bean Geese. Also 2 couples of Gadwalls, 22 Great Egrets, a Bittern and a late Curlew were seen.

During the weed after a couple of cold days the summer was back again. It was 20 degrees again and even 15 at late evening. The best observations were a migrating Golden Eagle on the 24th and then on the 25th evening I managed to catch a Short-eared Owl with some other ordinary birds with net. On the 26th I saw a couple of young Pallid Harriers migrating together in Siikalahti. There were already some hundreds of geese too. On the 27th we caught 11 Woodcocks which one was a control, 2 Golden Plovers and 2 Skylarks which one was a control.

On the 28th we went to Saari. On the way we had 3 Bewick’s Swans in Särkisalmi and flocks of Brent Goose and Long-tailed Duck in Rautalahti. Altogether we saw 1 8 Great Egrets, the same white-marked Marsh Harrier was now in Akonpohja and other birds we saw were 12 Cranes, a Northern Wheatear and a flock of 10 Two-barred Crossbills in Jyrkilä. After checking all places in Saari we hurried to Koitsanlahti to twitch a Yellow-browed Warbler that Jarmo Pirhonen had found. After some searching we managed to see the bird with other twitchers. In the evening we went to fields again but caught only a couple of Woodcocks and Skylarks which another one was a control. We also saw a Long-eared Owl.

On the 29th of September we were ringing in Kukonkanta and caught 4 Wrens, a Dunnock, 9 Robins, a control Bluethroat, 2 late Garden Warblers, a Blackcap, amazing 50 Chiffchaffs (and at least 20 more were seen), 4 Goldcrests, 11+1c Blue and 31 Great Tits, a Yellowhammer and a Reed Bunting. We also saw 3 Barn Swallows, a flock of Brent Geese and a Northern Wheatear. In the evening in Siikalahti the best observation were 10 Gadwalls.

J.A.

On the 19th of August I saw once again a Black Kite in Siikalahti and in the evening I counted 24 Great Egrets and saw a Common Pochard there. On the 20th day there were even 800 ducks visible from the bird-tower with 2 Gadwalls and 6 Taiga Bean Geese. In the evening we counted 250 Common Cranes and again 24 Great Egret and heard 8 Water Rails.

On the 21st we did the first netting trip to the fields and caught 3 Woodcocks and a Skylark. We didn’t see any Great Snipes yet. And on the 23rd day I saw the young Oystercatcher for the last time.

On the 24th we were ringing in Kukonkanta and caught 8 Sedge, 3 Blyth’s Reed and 1 Common Reed Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 9 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a Tree Sparrow. We also heard a possible Red-flanked Bluetail but unfortunately we didn’t catch or even see it. Also a Cuckoo and a flock of 8 Golden Plovers were migrating and a White-tailed Eagle flew over us. In the evening I counted 329 Cranes and amazing 48 Great Egrets!

On the 25th of August we had our last SSP-ringing and we caught 2 Dunnocks, 4 Robins, 2 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 2 Lesser and 2 Common Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler, 9 Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest, a Chaffinch, 3 Common Rosefinches and 7+1c Reed Buntings. In the evening we counted 370 Cranes and 38 Great Egrets and saw 2 Gadwalls, a Merlin, a Short-eared Owl and a Great Bittern and so on. We also ringed a Blackbird, 7 Garden Warblers, a Blackcap and 5 Great Tits.

On the 27th we were netting again and caught 3 Woodcocks, a Great Snipe and 3 Skylarks. On the 28th I saw a female House Sparrow and in Siikalahti a Bittern, 20 Great Egrets and 324 Cranes. On the 29th there was a White-backed Woodpecker in Härskiinmutka and in Siikalahti 34 Great Egrets, 2 Nightjars and a Bluethroat. And from the fields we caught 3 Woodcocks and 2 Great Snipes and saw a Long-eared Owl.

On the 30th day I headed to Saari with Harri Hölttä. In Akanvaara Tetrisuo we saw only a Stock Dove but in Pohjasuo we got lucky! We were walking along a small field-track when we flushed a big passerine. It landed quite far to the field but visible. I ran to get my scope and in a second I realized it was the bird that I had already though it was when it had been flying – a Corn Bunting!

Then I ran to get my camera on tried to get closer to get some pictures. The light was horrible and the bird was shy but I managed to get some pictures. Then I put the news out about the second ever Corn Bunting in Parikkala.

Finally the bird flew towards the farm and after some searching and first found a couple of Red-throated Pipit but then we found the Corn Bunting again and then it was perched on the top of a tree and I managed to get some better pictures. As there were no twitchers yet, we decided to keep on birding.

In Pohjanranta we found 2 Gadwalls, a Cormorant, a Great Egret, 2 Grey Herons, a Common Ringed Plover and a young Little Stint. Then we had to drive back to home as we still had to prepare our ringing place for the next morning.

On the 31st of August we were ringing in Kukonkanta and caught a Tree Pipit, a Bluethroat, 9 Sedge and 4 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 4 Lesser and 3 Common Whitethroats, 5 Garden Warblers, a Blackcap, 9 Chiffchaffs, 18 Willow Warblers, one nice Red-breasted Flycatcher, 8 Blue and 2 Great Tits, a Red-backed Shrike, 3 Chaffinches, 2 Siskins, a Common Rosefinch, a Yellowhammer, a year-tick Rustic Bunting and 2 Reed Buntings. We also saw 500 migrating Siskins and 50 Tree Pipits and a Spotted Flycatcher and heard a bird that probably was a late Thrush Nightingale.

In the afternoon we still had 39 Barnacle Geese in the village and then we headed to Saari where we first twitched the Little Stint in Pohjanranta and then continued to Pohjasuo. After some searching we found the Corn Bunting which was a lifer for Elissa and a good month tick to my friend Mika I. Koskinen. This was after all the first Corn Bunting in Finland in August for 40 years. This time I managed to get a couple of little bit better pictures of this rarity. We saw also 5 Red-throated Pipits and a Bluethroat and so on.

In the evening we still went to put mist-nets ready to Papinlahti and saw a Nightjar there. This bird had been roosting on our ringing platform. Unfortunately I saw it only when it flushed.

On the 1st of September the same Nightjar was flying around and at 5:30 we had mist-nets up. We had decided to try how our SSP-ringing site is working outside the season as a ringing place. Now we could use bird-songs there. Almost immediately we heard a River Warbler singing weakly but once again we had no luck to catch it. Otherwise the morning was very quiet, but after all we managed to catch a Sparrowhawk, 1+1c Dunnocks, 3+1c Robins, a Bluethroat, a Sedge and 3 Blyth’s Reed Warblers, 2 Lesser and 3 Common Whitethroats, 3 Garden Warblers, 3 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 13 Willow Warblers, 3+2c Bluethroats, 2 Siskins, a Common Rosefinch and 2 Reed Buntings.

After the ringing I headed again to Pohjasuo where I met Veikka Kosonen who was in his army-suit. Soon also Harri Hölttä arrived and together we first managed to see a Wryneck and then the Corn Bunting so I got 2 new September-ticks.

With Harri we still checked Pohjanranta but there were only 2 Common Ringed Plovers and the same Little Stint. While I was driving back to home I saw a Black Kite in Kinnarsalmi.

On the 3rd day I found a young Red-footed Falcon in Siikalahti and in the evening we had mist-nets up there for a couple of hours but we caught only a Blackcap and 3 Robins. But we counted 628 Cranes and 30 Great Egrets and saw also 2 Bitterns, 2 Gadwalls, 33 Bean Geese and a Nightjar again.

Then we still went to fields where we caught 4 Woodcocks, a Skylark and a Tree Pipit. The only Great Snipe we saw was too shy to catch. We also heard a Red-throated Diver calling.
On the 4th day there were a Red-breasted Flycather and a Rustic Bunting calling in Siikalahti and in the evening I counted 32 Great Egrets and saw a Tengmalm’s Owl in flight a couple of times. On the 5th the weather was still very hot but you could tell that autumn was coming as there was a flock of 7 Common Scoters in Härskiinmutka and in Siikalahti there was a flock of 68 Brent Geese migrating.

At weekend my parents came to visit so we did easy birding in Saari, Siikalahti and Rautjärvi Kokkolanjoki. At mornings we ringed in Kukonkanta but in warm and calm weather there weren’t many birds. We ringed altogether a Tree Pipit, 6 Dunnocks, 7 Robins, a Bluethroat, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Lesser and 3 Common Whitethroats, 2 Garden Warblers, 5 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, 10 Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest, 6 Blue and 2 Great Tits, a Tree Sparrow, 3 Chaffinches, 4 Rustic and 3 Reed Buntings. While watching Cranes and Great Egrets in the evening we ringed a Wren, 2 Robins. 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Willwo Warbler and 2 Great Tits. Otherwise we saw a couple of Red-throated Pipits, a Red-backed Shrike, a couple of Smews and so on. In Kokkolanjoki we saw 4 Grey Wagtails, 11 Great Egrets, a Grey Heron and a Cormorant. On Sunday evening we still visited one field with Hanna and ringed a Woodcock and a Great Snipe. On the way back home we still saw a Long-eared Owl.

J.A.