. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

On the 26th of December I was time to do a winter-bird count again. Together with Hanna’s brother Miika we walked about 17 kilometers around Siikalahti again starting from our garden. We had to walk fast as the day is very short in this time of the year so it was once again a hard day, but again it was worthy. Altogether we saw 17 Rock Pigeons, 2 Black Woodpeckers, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a White-backed Woodpecker, a Three-toed Woodpecker which was my first ever local bird in Siikalahti and of course a new winter-bird count tick, 31 Waxwings, 4 Blackbirds, 91 Fieldfares, 10 Goldcrests, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 5 Willow Tits, a Coal Tit, 32 Blue Tits, 107 Great Tits, a Treecreeper, 2 Great Grey Shrikes, 4 Jays, 16 Magpies, 30 Jackdaws, 9 Hooded Crows, 5 Ravens, 10 Tree Sparrows, 22 Green Finches, 141 Redpolls, 55 Bullfinches and 13 Yellowhammers. 26 species was a new record in mid-winter count.

On the 27th of December we went together with Hanna and her brother Miika and sister Elissa to Savonlinna Punkaharju Laukansari to walk to the forests that have many foreign trees. We found a flock of 20 Coal Tits, nice flock of 25 Two-barred Crossbills, 45 Common Crossbills, 2 Nutcrackers, 15 Long-tailed Tits, Treecreepers, Crested Tits, 75 Fieldfares, a Blackbird and 2 Black Woodpeckers. On the way back home we saw a male Capercaillie on the top of a pine in Laisennurkka and a flock of 250 Fieldfares in Moskuunniemi.

The last birds of the year I marked on the 28th day when on the way to Lappeenranta I stopped in Rautjärvi Simpele Kokkolanjoki where I saw a Dipper and in Imatra Vuoksi where I saw 3 Cormorants.

The year 2014 was really good but very rare birds wee missing in the whole country! I managed to see 267 species in Finland and 241 of them were self-found. In South-Karelia I saw 236 species and even 224 in Parikkala, which I think was the best number I got. In Siikalahti I saw 196 of them! 204 species were seen while eco-birding, all in Parikkala. I got only 7 new Western Palearctic ticks, all from Azores. The only Finnish-tick was a Red Kite I twitched in December and only self-found tick was a Lesser Grey Shrike. Let’s see what will the year 2015 bring?

J.A.

On the 15th of December there were still 200 Whooper Swans in Vartialahti and still also 30 Mallards, a Wigeon, a Scaup and Velvet Scoter. On the 17th day There were 150 swans and the Wigeon had disappeared but same Scaup and Velvet Scoter were still there. In Raikanniemi I saw 15 Canada Geese and in Tyrjä 9 Black Grouses and a Black Woodpecker. On the 18th day I saw 11 Canada Geese and a Goldeneye in Moskuunniemi and a Grey-headed Woodpecker near Siikalahti. On the 19th day I saw 12 Whooper Swans in Koitsanlahti with 19 Mallards. Also a Great Grey Shrike was seen nearby. In Joukio I saw a Blackbird and 2 Velvet Scoters and 112 migrating Fieldfares in Tähtiniemi. Black Grouses were seen in a couple of places and 3 Starlings in Kangaskylä.

On the 20th of December I decided to try how many species I can find in Parikkala in the darkest time of the year. I started in Särkisalmi where I saw the common tits, Tree Sparrows, Bullfinches, Yellowhammers and a Grey-headed Woodpecker. Then in Petala I saw the same Blackcap again, Waxwings and Fieldfares. Then I continued to forests where I found out that there was much more snow than I had expected. Surprisingly I didn’t get stuck and found Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Treecreeper, a Redpoll, a Hazel Hen, Common Crossbills, Willow Tits, a flock of Pine Grosbeaks and a Jay but a Crested Tit was heard on the wrong side of the border of Savo.

I managed to get away too without getting stuck and saw Ravens. In Särkisalmi I saw a White-backed Woodpecker and 2 Rock Pigeons, but In Moskuunniemi I couldn’t find a Nuthatch. Only new species there was a Common Gull. In Kangaskylä I had Greenfinches but no Starlings or House Sparrows. In Raikanniemi I saw a Goldeneye. Vartialahti still had Whooper Swans, 15 Mallards, a Scaup and a Velvet Scoter and in Tyrjä I managed to see a Dipper easily, but nothing else – I had hoped to find at least some Black Grouses. Nuthatch wasn’t found on my second try either nor were the Starlings or House Sparrows. In Ristimäki I had a Hawfinch flying over me and it was already getting dark when I got to Tähtiniemi. Lake was empty but a Goshawk flew over me and was my 38th species of the day in Parikkala (a Crested Tit was 39th). I think it was a good result even though I didn’t see a House Sparrow, a Nuthatch, a Great Grey Shrike, a Black Grouse, a Chaffinch, a Starling or some other species that were still around.

On the 21st day we were birding in Imatra with Pekka Punnonen and Petri Salakka. In Immalanjärvi we saw 2 Black-throated Divers, 2 Long-tailed Ducks and 2 Scaups and in Vuoksi-river 7 Whooper Swans, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Coot which I had never seen in winter in South Karelia before. Waxwings were numerous and Blackbirds were seen here and there. Also a Great Grey Shrike was seen. We still had 3 Starling in Lappeenranta Toikansuo with Pekka before I had to go to a bandy-match.

On the 22nd of December I still saw 71 Whooper Swans, 3 Canada Geese and a Golden eye in Vartialahti which was now freezing very fast. In Moskuunniemi I saw 6 local and 12 migrating Whooper Swans and in the village I saw a Starling again. On the 23rd day it was really getting cold and I went to see the last open waters in Haikanniemi and Tähtiniemi but I couldn’t find a single bird there anymore. In Ristimäki I saw a Blackbird and in Koitsanlahdenkangas I found a flock of 20 Pine Grosbeaks.

In the Christmas Eve we were visiting Hanna’s relatives and eating a lot! And the next day we were just eating a lot…

J.A.

I had been waiting for a free weekend for a couple of weeks as a Red Kite had stayed in Nakkila for a long time and I really wanted to go to twitch the first Finnish tick for the year. I managed to get Pekka Punnonen and Sampsa Cairenius to join to the twitch and finally at night of 13th of December we left driving towards west. It was a long drive but we made it in time and had breakfast in Pori before we continued to Yyteri. There we walked along a slippery path to the first bird-tower where we were when the sun rose. There we realized that we had to walk until the 4th bird-tower which was a long walk but with Sampsa we made it even though the paths were really dangerous. Sampsa walked even more to see Munakari island better but luckily the bird that we were searching was seen in flight so I also saw it – it was a Knot which is a craze winter-record and also a year-tick for me.

We really lost too much time in Yyteri but finally we continued to Nakkila Järvikylä to twitch the Red Kite. It had been seen already and once we got there there was no other twitchers anymore. After 1 hour Pekka found first on White-tailed Eagle and soon I found another one very far in south-east. And soon I found one more raptor following them and there it was – a Red Kite! The bird was really far but it was flying closer. We lost it behind some trees but after some time Pekka found it perched on the field not too far anymore. I was hoping to get some pictures, but soon it was flying again. I managed to get one crappy video of it flying before it disappeared again. Soon it came close to us to a place where it has been seen often but it dropped behind the forest too soon again.

We still waited for some time and saw a Stock Dove flying over us – I have now seen a Stock Dove in every month in Finland. Other bird seen or heard were a Common Buzzard, a Black Woodpecker and a Great Grey Shrike.

Then we drove to Pori again where we tried to find a Tundra Bean Goose in Halkokari, but found only 3 Grey Herons. Then we headed towards Kauhajoki but twitched a Crane in Lavia Ruojärvi on the way. In Kauhajoki we ate well and then continued to Teuva Opintola Bed&Breakfast to have sauna and sleep.

On the 14th of December we headed early to Kauhajoki fields. We were trying to twitch a Snowy Owl that had been staying there for a long time. We first went to Anintie bird-tower but when we couldn’t see the owl there, Sampsa stayed there but with Pekka we left driving around the fields. We searched it for 3 hours before getting back to Sampsa and then did another tour around every single place where the owl had been seen but we couldn’t find it. We did see a White-tailed Eagle, a Goshawk, 2 Sparrowhawks, a Merlin, a Great Grey Shrike, a Chaffinch and a Linnet but the owl wasn’t found. After more than 7 hours searching it started to get dark so we had to give up and start driving back home. It was a long drive but after all I was at home 11 p.m.

J.A.

On Friday evening I drove to Lapinjärvi and to Juha Tuomaalas house. After some planning of the next days bird-race we went to sleep before midnight. On the 6thof December was the Independence Day bird-race and we participated Porvoo area race. We picked up Markus Keskitalo at 6:30 a.m. and after some searching for owls started driving towars Loviisa Saaristotie.

We parked to Busholmen when it was still pretty dark but soon once we had walked to the shore we started to see some birds. The first bird was a Goosander at 8:38 a.m. Soon we saw some Common Gulls and a flock of 5 Velvet Scoters but only other bird was a calling Goldcrest. So we drove to a harbor nearby where we saw some Mute Swans, Goldeneyes, a White-tailed Eagle, a Greater Black-backed Gull but the hard wind and rain weren’t the best combination so there was nothing else. So we started to drive towards Loviisa and stopped many times on the way. Great, Blue, Willow and Crested Tits, Blackbirds, Fieldfares, Yellowhammers, Hooded Crows and Magpies were seen and in Jomalsund we saw a male Smew. Soon we tried to find a Hazel Hen and managed to hear it after some searching. We watched to the sea in a coupe of places but only new bird was a Tufted Duck, some more Smews were also seen.

In Loviisa we found Greenfinches, Tree Sparrows, Jackdaws, Waxwings and after some searching a male Chaffinch. Then we headed towards Lapinjärvi where in Juhas feeder we saw only a Great Spotted Woodpecker and heard a Treecreeper. In a traditional Collared Dove place we saw only Bullfinches but Markus decided to stay there while we went to see House Sparrows, Pheasants and a Jay. Once we got back Markus had just found a Collared Dove so we got it to our list.

Then we headed towards Liljendal and found a Grey Heron a kilometer wrong place, but another stop in a good feeder place didn’t give us any woodpeckers. Also Dippers were missing and we couldn’t find them. Only new species for a long time was a Rock Pigeon.

In Koskenkylä we saw 10 Whooper Swans and on the way to Isnäs we saw a Great Grey Shrike and another Hazel Hen of the day. In Isnäs we saw finally a Herring Gull and also a Black-headed Gull. It was alrready late when we finally headed to Porvoo. In rubbish tip we finally saw 2 Ravens but Hawfinched weren’t found in the city. In Ruskis we stopped on the 3rd bridge and after some waiting heard a flock of Bearded Reedlings very far! It was already completely dark but we still tried to find Pygmy Owl or Cormorant but found nothing anymore.

The results were given in Amarillo restaurant and it was a tight race. The winners got 43 species, we and 2 other teams had 42 and at least 2 teams had 41. Altogether 13 teams had been participating. We ate also well and at 11 p.m. we headed to Lapinjärvi to sleep.

On the 7th day we woke up early again and after 7 a.m. we headed toward Lahti with Juha. Juha was driving along strange roads and I followed. In Orimattila I saw a Nutcracker flying on the sky and after an hour driving we were in Lahti Myllysaari. We walked to the island and put up our scopes and started to scan the lake. After some time we had found only some Goosanders but finally I found what we were searching, a young White-billed Diver that was extremely far on the other side of the lake. So we decided to drive there. In Mukkula we found the bird again and there it was showing very well. I even got some phonescope-pictures.

But soon I decided to continue to Heinola where I twitched a Shoveler in Kirkkolampi and a Crane in Viltasniemi. Then I had to start driving to Lappeenranta where I had a bandy-match at 2 p.m. On the way I saw a Black Woodpecker and some Black Grouses in Mäntyharju.

On the 8th day I visited Vartialahti on my lunch-hour and saw 147 Whooper Swans, 30 Mallards, a Wigeon, a Scaup and 3 Velvet Scoters. In Raikanniemi I still saw a Treecreeper. On the next day the same birds were still in Vartialahti but I saw also a Goshawk and 450 Fieldfares in Liuharanta and twitched 2 Blackcaps in Särkisalmi.

On the 10th of December same birds were still in Vartialahti, but I also saw a Tufted Duck and a Goldeneye. In Petala I saw 1 Blackcap and in Satumäki I found a Chaffinch. On the 11th day I saw a Sparrowhawk in Muttelinmäki, a Great Grey Shrike in Huhmarinen and the same birds plus a heard Two-barred Crossbill in Vartialahti. On the 12th day I saw the same birds again but also an asiatica Nuthatch in Moskuunniemi again.

J.A.

The winter started as so many times on the first of December. Well once again at least the previous night was cold and lakes started to froze. But luckily it wasn’t too cold and lakes were still mostly open and haze wasn’t too bad so it was still possible to see birds that still were on the lakes. On the 1st of December on my lunch-hour I left to Vartialahti where I still had counted good numbers of Whooper Swans. And birds do come to other birds s o I was hoping to find something else there too. Once there I started scanning the Whooper Swans that were pretty far when I noticed a lonely gull swimming in the middle of the bay – it was a young Kittiwake! The bird flushed soon and flight around the bay but landed again soon. I tried to phonescope it but my scope was a bit frosty, so I went to get some tissue from my car. When I got back, I couldn’t find the Kittiwake at all. But then I found it flying high on the sky towards South-West.

While I was still celebrating my new South-Karelia tick, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker came to the closest tree and after that I counted 190 Whooper Swans and found also 2 Scaups and a Velvet Scoter. A lonely Herring Gull was flying over me. I still continued to check the bottom of the bay in Vehkalahti and found a Wigeon that was hiding behind the Whooper Swans.

I still had time to check the northern end of Siikalahti in Raikanniemi and there I found only 18 Whooper Swans, but also 5 Canada Geese, 5 Mallards and a male Goldeneye. So I had really had a good start for December!

- J.A.

After my trip to Azores there weren’t too many birds in Parikkala anymore. On the last days of October I still saw a Great Grey Shrike, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Black-headed Gulls, a Nutcracker and on a trip to the forests 2 Siberian Jays, 15 Common and 2 Parrot Crosbills.

In November we had again a local traditional November bird-race and I started it with even more traditional winterbird-count. It is now my 11th year on this route and it was absolutely my best ever walk around Siikalahti on these counts. It was again a long 18 kilometers and because there were so many birds, mostly thrushes moving, it took the whole daylight. I counted even 481 Fieldfares and also 4 Blackbirds and a Mistle Thrush were seen, and other berry-eaters were 91 Waxwings, but still I didn’t see any Pine Grosbeaks, even though they have been very numerous elsewhere. Lakes were still open and I counted 35 Whooper Swans, 2 Mallards, 16 Goosanders, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Great Crested Grebe, 17 Common and 4 Herring Gulls. But the best bird was a migrating young Pomarine Skua! 3 Rock Pigeons, 5 Great Spotted and a White-backed Woodpecker, 5 Goldcrests, 22 Long-tailed, 11 Willow, 2 Coal, a Crested, 41 Blue and 111 Great Tits, 4 Treecreepers, a Great Grey Shrike, 9 Jays, 20 Magpies, 29 Jackdaws, 26 Hooded Crows, 14 Ravens, 2 House and 20 Tree Sparrows, 28 Greenfinches, 2 Gold Finches, 4 Siskins, 181 Redpolls, 20 Bullfinches, 4 Common Crossbills, 2 Hawfinches and 26 Yellowhammers were also seen. 41 species was a new record and Pom Skua, Mistle Thrush and Hawfinch were new species.

During the next days I saw 7 Canada Geese, a Tufted Duck and a Goldeneye in Rautalahti, a Grey-headed Woodpecer in Kullinsuo, 32 Long-tailed Tits in Moskuunniemi and finally on the 6th day 4 Pine Grosbeaks in Siikalahti and a Velvet Scoter in Härskiinmutka. On the 7th day a Scaup was in Tarvaspohja and in Tyrjä I found my 223rd Parikkala-yeartick a Dipper. On the 8th of November we did a forest-trip with Hanna and her brother Miika and saw 3 Siberian Jays, a Three-toed and a Grey-headed Woodpecker, a Pygmy Owl, and on the lake 21 Canada Geese, a Velvet Scoter, Scaup, a Long-tailed Duck and a Tufted Duck. On the 9th day I twitched the Dipper as my number 201 eco-yeartick. I also saw 4 Coal Tits, which is now more numerous than usually.

On the 11th of November I saw a Black Woodpecker in Koitsanlahdenkangas and on the next day a Wigeon and a Common Scoter in Rautalahti, a Smew and a Velvet Scoter in Haljakanranta and a Great Crested Grebe still in Moskuunniemi. On the 14th day I tried to see a Ural Owl that had been seen in Moskuunniemi but all I found were a couple of White-backed Woodpeckers, a Nuthatch and even 6 Coal Tits.

On the 15th and 16th day we were in Jyväskylä in BirdLife weekend. The bird of the trip was seen during a half-time of the meeting on Sunday when a Glauscous Gull was found in a flock of gulls that was outside the hotel-terrace. Also a Great Black-backed Gull was seen but on the ways we saw only one Great Grey Shrike.

Next days were quiet and nothing much was found: In Siikalahti I counted still 102 Whooper Swans, 23 Canada Geese and saw also a White-backed and Grey-headed Woodpecker. And finally I got a Nutcracker as a race-tick.

On the 22nd day I drove to Helsinki to Bongariliitto meeting and there Roni Väisänen and Markus Lampinen were telling about ringing in Eilat and Jonathan Meyrav about winter-birding in Northern Israel. On the 23rd day I was birding with Sampsa Cairenius and Pekka Punnonen in Lappeenranta and we found a crazy bird – a Bluethroat in Toikansuo! It was probably the second latest ever in Finland! We also saw 2 Blackcaps in Rakuunamäki, 2 Nuthatches in Pappilanniemi, some Goldfinches, a Chaffinch, a flock of 340 Goosanders, 3 Velvet Scoters, a Goshawk, more than 1000 Fieldfares and so on.

On the 24th of November I saw an adult White-tailed Eagle in Moskuunniemi. On the next day I saw a Hazel Hen in Koitsanlahdenkangas and on the 26th day I finally saw the Nuthatch in Moskuunniemi and it was an asiatica, the first asiatica for me since 1999. On the last century all my Nuthatches had been asiaticas. On the 27th day I saw a Chaffinch in Särkisalmi and heard a Black Woodpecker in Tarvaslampi. On the 28th day I birded again on my lunch-hour and I already thought that I won’t see anything at all, but then in Kangaskylä I saw a flock of 4 Starlings. In the afternoon I still found a young Great Black-backed Gull and a Scaup in Vartialahti and a Redwing in Tyrjä. I still saw a few hundreds of Fieldfares eating rowan-berries.

On the 29th day we were shopping in Lappeenranta and saw a flock of 4 Pine Grosbeaks in Hyrymäki. On the last day of November I biked to forests to try to find a Three-toed Woodpecker that I still needed to my eco year-list. I walked there for hours but couldn’t find any, but I did find a Two-barred Crossbill and a Pine Grosbeak so my list is now 203 species by walking or biking in Parikkala. I also saw Siberian Jays again. But I got only 1 new species to my November race so after all got 67 species and I was third after Jari Kontiokorpi who got 69 and Jari Kiljunen, 68 species.

J.A.