. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

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.

On the 1st of October I saw 9000 Barnacle Geese and a White-tailed Eagle in Siikalahti. After my work I drove to Saari where I found geese from Jyrkilä fields. On the first flock there were only about 1000 geese so I found a Red-breasted Goose pretty easily. It had been seen already on the previous day. Then in the middle of the fields there were about 16000 geese more and I scanned them for an hour and found Bean and White-fronted Geese but also a Pink-footed Goose, a Greylag Goose and the same white-headed hybrid again. With Whooper Swans there were also 4 Bewick Swans. Other birds seen in Saari were 3 Great Grey Shrikes, a Kestrel, a Hen Harrier and a White-tailed Eagle. On the 2nd day I saw a Common Buzzard, Goshawk and a White-tailed Eagle in Siikalahti and 8000 Barnacle Geese in Kullinsuo. On the 3rd day I saw almost the same birds. In the evening my brother Pirkka arrived and we had planned to do birding whole weekend.

On the 4th of October we woke up at 5:30 a.m. and soon were going to Siikalahti. But there was a very thick fog. We had planned to try to find as many birds as possible from Siikalahti together with our local bird club. So we started walking toward the northern end of Siikalahti while Jari Kiljunen and Harri Partanen went to eastern side, Veijo Vilska was already on the main bird-tower. The fog stayed too long, but anyway we found some Black Grouses, a Snipe, Treecreepers, a Black Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff. Once we got back to the dam-road we heard Water Rails. Jassi and Harri had found some new species and Veijo had also 2.

Rolle Mortensen arrived too and finally the fog moved away. We stayed in the tower until 2 p.m. but the migration was pretty lame. Jassi and Harri found the best bid, a Red-backed Shrike, which was very late. But it disappeared too soon. We had a migrating Greylag Goose and a Nutcracker which were also nice. Maybe best migrants were 296 migrated Black-throated Divers – the biggest flock was 106 birds! Only 2 Red-throated Divers were found from the flocks. Other birds seen were 5 Cranes, 2 White-tailed Eagles, a Goshawk, a Common Buzzard, 12 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Chiffchaffs. From the tower we had only some common ducks but nothing better.

In the afternoon we decided to go to Saari to watch local geese. But the fields were empty! Luckily we found the geese on Kuposenmäki, but most of them were swimming in the middle of the lake. We estimated about 15000 Barnacle and about 2500 more were seen migrating. Later in the evening there were more and more White-fronted Geese migrating too and some flocks of Brent Geese. Also on Pink-footed Goose was seen migrating and a Greylag Goose was swimming with Barnacle Geese. In a few flocks of Whooper Swans we saw 11 Bewick Swans migrating too. In the evening we still tried to catch Tengmalm’s Owls without luck.

On Sunday the 5th of October we decided to go to Savonlinna Punkaharju Hirvikoski where we hadn’t visited for years. The main goal was to try to see local or migrating skuas that had been pretty commonly seen in big lakes – and also to see a Saimaa Seal. We arrived there at 7 a.m. and almost immediately found 3 skuas from the huge lake. They were very far but we managed to identify at least 2 of them as Pomarine Skuas! There was also quite good geese-migration going on but they were far on the western side of the lake. When the migration stopped we decided to stay there until 10 a.m. and finally at 9:50 o’clock I found a Saimaa Seal! It was pretty far but we all saw it quite well!

Then we drove to Saari where all fields were empty! We found only some hundreds of geese! In Kullinsuo we still found some 2000 Barnacle Geese but I found a good bird when a Shore Lark was found from the sky. Luckily it landed to a field and we saw it well too! It was my 220th bird-species seen in Parikkala this year!
Pirkka left to a long drive back to Kemijärvi but I still went to check a couple of places in Lake Simpele for skuas. But I saw only a flock 15 of 15 Red-throated DIvers.

On the 6th day I still saw a Nutcracker but after my work I started driving to south. I was leaving again to Azores very early on the next day!

J.A.

I continued visiting Siikalahti every day. In most days I went there early before I had to go to work and then again during my lunch-hour. On the 16th of September I saw the e first flock of 5 Barnacle Geese, 2 Bluethroats, 2 Redpolls and 2 Swallows. A Grey-headed Woodpecker was calling as were 4 Water Rails too. In Härskiinmuka I saw a flock of 13 Common Scoters and in the evening in Imatra I saw already 80 Barnacle Geese.

On the 17th day I saw already 200 Barnacle Geese and 13 Bean Geese in Siikalahti. 2 Golden Eagles were very nice and surprisingly there were 15 Rock Doves in Kangaskylä. 10 birds had arrived from somewhere. On the 18th day I still saw a Marsh Harrier, a Honey Buzzard and 2 Tree Pipits but the bird of the day was a Little Grebe that I found from Härskiinmutka! In the afternoon I went to Saari but saw only 27 Ruffs in Pohjanranta and 200 Cranes in Jyrkilä and so on. In Moskuunniemi I still heard a White-backed Woodpecker.

On the19 th day I saw altogether 4910 migrating Brent Geese, but almost nothing else was moving. On the next day I was running a half-marathon in Joutseno.

On the 21st day the morning was very misty, but even though the weather was good also after that it was very quiet. In only geese-flock there was a Pink-footed Goose migrating, a couple of White-tailed Eagles were hunting on the bay, a Marsh Harrier and the last Swallow were seen and a Grey Plover was heard from the misty sky. 2 Bluethroats were still on the bushes where also a Wren, some Chiffchaffs and Sedge Warblers were seen. On the 22nd day I saw a White-backed Woodpecker in Härskiinmutka and on a short visit to Saari I saw 900 Barnacle Geese in Pohjasuo. There was also a strange white-headed, dark hybrid goose in a flock. A Grey-headed Woodpecker was calling there too.

On the 25th day I saw only a couple of small flocks of migrating Long-tailed Ducks. It was raining pretty hard but nothing special was found from the fields either. On the 26th there were 900 Barnacle Geese and a Grey Heron and a Rough-legged Buzzard were seen migrating. In the afternoon I decided to go twitching to Joensuu Penttilä. I had some difficulties to find the right place but luckily I got good instructions from Janne Koskinen and once I got to the right place I met Mika Ilari Koskinen and Tarmo Lehtilä who had really good instructions. So soon I heard a right kid of “tacking” from the bush – a Dusky Warbler was calling! But it was really difficult to see the bird. After an hour I had seen it only in flight but then Mika managed to see it on the ground. I waited and waited in the same place and Mika walked towards the bird and then it stopped for a second just in front of me and I finally saw the bird pretty well! Also 2 Bluethroats, 8 Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, a Dunnock and a White-backed Woodpecker were seen there. On the way back I stopped in Kitee Puhos where I counted 3000 Barnacle Geese from the field.

At the weekend I was in Siikalahti again. On Saturday I stayed there for 7 hours and saw a Grey Heron, 2 Peregrines, a Dunlin, a Bluethroat and a Sedge Warbler. 2 Nutcrackers were seen in Kangaskylä and in Kullinsuo I counted 1000 Barnacle Geese and in Kannas 140 Bean Geese, 20 White-fronted Geese, 77 Whooper Swans and 3 Bewick Swans. On Sunday I was 6 hours in Siikalahti and during the morning we saw lots of thrushes, finches and Wood Pigeons migrating but nothing really good. 200 Great Tits and 40 Goldcrest migrating were something that we don’t usually see in Siikalahti, but only a Chiffchaff and one possible Yellow-browed Warbler was seen in flight with them. A young Red-backed Shrike was seen which was pretty late, a Peregrine was chasing ducks and 1000 Barnacle Geese. A Bewick Swan was seen landing to the lake and an Osprey was still hunting on the bay. In the evening I counted 3300 Barnacle Geese in Kullinsuo and in Kannas I found a Pink-footed Goose that was with 270 Bean and White-fronted Geese.

On the 29th day an Osprey was still there and a Water Rail was calling. I saw again some Brent Geese – 2000 bird were migrating during my lunch-hour. In Kullinsuo fields there were already 3500 Barnacle Geese.

On the 30th of September migration was strong but I was at work. The flocks weren’t very big and they were very high up and in wide range. There were also several species in most of the flocks, even 4 species – White-fronted, Bean, Barnacle and Brent. So the best observation of my lunch-hour weren’t some 4500 migrated geese but a nice flock of 77 Black-throated Divers.

J.A.