. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

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.

On Friday the 12th of September I visited Siikalahti early and heard some Water Rails, a Grey-headed Woodpecker, a White-backed Woodpecker and saw some Sedge Warblers a Chiffchaff and so on. In Härskiinmutka I still saw a young Common Tern.

After work we left towards Oulu and drove straight to Siikajoki Tauvo where we met Mikko Ala-Kojola and Antti Peuna. We walked to Tauvo bird-ringing-station and there we started to put up the mist-nets almost immediately. It was a huge work as everything wasn’t that organized and well planned as we had hoped so we had managed to put only half of the nets up when it came too dark to continue. So we started to play owls from and soon we had first Tengmalm’s Owl on the nets. The sky was full of pretty nice aurora-borealis, so Hanna went to photograph them to the tower. When my brother Pirkka arrived, we had already caught 6 owls and there were still more coming. We heard calls of owls from the sky all the time! Until midnight we had caught 11 Tengmalm’s Owls.

On the 13th of September we woke up at 5 a.m. Mikko and Antti left to Raahe bird-race but with Hanna we continued with the nets. There were still a couple of Tengmalm’s Owl on the nets so Pirkka stayed and ringed them but came soon to help us. It took still a couple of hours as there were a couple of nets missing, or too short or too long. First birds were already on the nets so Pirkka started ringing with Hanna while I was making the net-rounds. During the morning and day we caught 18 Willow Tits, 9 Great Tits, 5 Robins, 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Blue Tits, 2 Crested Tits, 2 Dunnocks, a Song Thrush, a Treecreeper and a Yellowhammer. Other birds that I had seen or heard were 2 Willow Grouses, 2 Rustic/Little Buntings (only heard), 2 White-tailed Eagles and some migrating Crested Tits.

In the afternoon we closed the nets and planned to go to walk around the Ulkonokka-shore. Then Allan Hamari called that he was also coming to Tauvo to see us, so we waited him to join us. We walked a long way but all birds were in the furthest corner. Luckily we canned the sea too and Pirkka found a migrating skua. First we thought it was an Arctic but I wanted to watch it more carefully – and it was a Long-tailed Skua! It landed a couple of times but continued towards south. It was a very late adult bird.
Other birds we found were 8 Sanderlings, 7 Dunlins, 4 Little Stints, 19 Ruffs, a Shelduck, a Greylag Goose and so on. In Merikylänlahti we saw a too well hiding Meadow Pipit and the ugliest Skylark ever which also called totally wrong, but anyway it was just a Skylark.

Once we got back to the station, Mikko and Antti were already opening the nets and soon we were catching owls again. Until midnight we had caught 11 Tengmalm’s Owls again.

On the 14th of September we did the first net-round at 6 a.m. but the morning was windy and there wasn’t that many birds moving. During the morning and day we caught 20 Willow Tits, 13 Reed Buntings, 5 Robins, 3 Blue Tits, 2 Great Tits, 2 Dunnocks, 2 Siskins, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Song Thrushes, a Redwing, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a Coal Tit. Other birds seen were some flocks of Common and Parrot Crossbills, a Three-toed Woodpecker and some Crested Tits, a Hazel Hen was heard.

In the afternoon we took away the nets as there was nobody else coming to the station soon which is sad. It took a couple of hours again and then Mikko and Antti had to leave to Oulu. With Hanna, Pirkka and Allu we still made a short walk to Ulkonokka where we saw almost the same birds again. Then we said goodbye to Allu and left towards Raahe. There we tried to twitch a Citrine Wagtail that had been found on the race, but we couldn’t find it. There were still 100 Swallows with a Sand and House Martin and about 10 Gold Finches.

Finally we said goodbye to Pirkka and left to a long way back home. On the way we saw a couple of Capercaillies but nothing else. After all we were back home just before midnight.

J.A.

Jättimäinen auringonpurkaus osui maapalloon perjantaina 12.9. ja taivaalle levisivät hienot revontulet. Korkealla ollut kuu valaisi hieman sumuista Tauvon Ulkonokan taivasta harmillisesti. Revontulet muuttuivat hyvin nopeasti, enkä ehtinyt parhaisiin tilanteisiin mukaan.
Huge solar storm hit Earth friday 12.9. and northern sky was covered with aurora borealis. Unfortunately sky was slightly foggy and moon lighted fog layers. Auroras changed very fast and I often missed good moments.

H.A.

The beginning of September was still very warm. On the first days I checked the nearest fields during my lunch-hour and saw some Red-backed Shrikes and other summer-birds. On the 2nd day I finally saw some Red-throated Pipits and got a new year-tick. Soon they were found in every field. In the evening I saw a Ural Owl in Rautjärvi Vertasenkylä while I was driving away from Imatra where was the first rink-ball trainings of the season.

On the 4th of September I was again in Imatra, in Lammassaari with my colleagues and saw a Grey-headed Woodpecker. On the 5th day I visited Kullinsuo again on my lunch-hour and this time it was worthy! I found a pipit perched far on the cut field, but it looked good. It was chasing some insects and finally landed next to a Northern Wheatear and I could see that it was a big one! Anyway I wanted to see it better and walked to the field but then I lost the bird. I walked maybe 500 meters and finally flushed it and it called several times and I could easily identify it as a Richard’s Pipit! It was a new South-Karelia tick for me and only 4th record ever in Parikkala.

In the afternoon I biked to Kullinsuo with Matti Lötjönen and also Jari Kiljunen was there. “Jassi” had already heard the bird but after some searching we finally saw it again. We saw it in flight a couple of times but still didn’t manage to get any pictures. There were also some Red-throated Pipits.
Later we still visited Kontiolampi fields and Siikalahti and saw a White-tailed Eagle and the first Brambling of the autumn. In the evening I still saw a Woodcock.

On the 6th day I biked to Siikalahti already after 6 a.m. On the way I heard a Coal Tit in Muttelinmäki. Water Rails were still calling actively and along the dam-road I found still 12 Sedge Warblers, 2 Bluethroats, a Common Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler and so on. There was not much migration but a Nuthatch was nice to see again. Some Red-throated Pipits, Yellow Wagtails, 8 Bean Geese, a White-backed Woodpecker drumming, 2 Black Woodpeckers, a White-tailed Eagle and a Grey Heron on an electric wire were seen. In Tetrisuo I still saw 3 Lapland Buntings. In the afternoon I still went to Saari but only 52 Ruffs and were seen in Pohjanranta.

On the 7th of September the morning was foggy so we went to Siikalahti only at 9 a.m. A lonely Bean Goose was migrating and 8 more were still present. A White-tailed Eagle was seen again and a Hen Harrier was hunting on the fields. Water Rails were calling and a Ruff was flying over us with a Spotted Redshank. 6 Red-throated Pipits migrated, a Bluethroat was calling from the reeds and the weather was too good! In Kullinsuo we found only common pipits and a Lapland Bunting. In the afternoon I was jogging a long run and saw 4 Rock Doves, a Garden Warbler, a Yellow Wagtail and a Chiffchaff.

On the 8th day I went to Siikalahti on my lunch-hour and found almost immediately a Great Grey Shrike. I soon realized that it looked more interesting than usually as it had white forehead which continued above supercilium. Soon it flew a little bit and I could see huge white patches on its wings, white uppertail and rump and once it landed a little bit closer I still saw that it was quite pale grey. It was a “Homeyeri”! Soon it continued towards us and flew right over us and soon disappeared to south.
I also saw an Acro which disappeared too soon. On the next day I saw only a Chiffchaff and local raptors in Siikalahti and later in Härskiinmutka I saw 2 Common Terns.

On the 10th of September I visited Siikalahti early in the morning and found 2 Bluethroats. In Härskiinmutka I saw a flock of 10 Long-tailed Ducks. In the afternoon I visited Saari Pohjanranta where only a Grey Heron, a Ringed Plover and 82 Ruffs were seen. On the 11th day I saw 2 Gadwalls landing to Siikalahti, 7 Taiga Bean Geese and so on.

J.A.

On the 20th and 21st of August I saw only common local raptors like Common Buzzards, Honey Buzzards, Hobbies and Ospreys, also 2 Hen Harrier were seen in Lahdensuo.

On the 22nd day I had to wake up early as I just had a feeling of autumn beginning. I walked 100 meters from our house to the shore and started scanning the sky over the lake. After 10 minutes I heard a familiar call and found a flock of waders from the sky – there were 7 Grey Plovers with 6 Bar-tailed Godwits. I one hour I saw almost nothing else, just a flock of ducks, 4 Cormorants, 14 Golden Plovers and a Black Woodpecker.
In the afternoon I drove to Saari Pohjanranta and soon found a flock of 6 Arctic Skuas migrating on the sky. These 4 pale and 2 dark morph birds increased my Parikkala year-list to 215 species. Also 2 Lapwings, 2 Temminck Stints, 32 Ruffs and 4 Wood Sandpipers were seen. There were also lots of House Martins and a Merlin was chasing them. In Akanvaara Tetrisuo and Pohjansuo I saw only a couple of Cuckoos and a Black Woodpecker. In Jyrkilä I counted 330 Cranes and in Tarassiinlahti I saw 5 Grey Herons and 1 more was in Rautalahti on the way back home. I still saw 2 Nutcrackers in railway-station and a Little Ringed Plover in Saharanta.

On the 23rd day we went early by bike to Moskuunniemi with Harri Partanen. The weather was really cold but there was almost no migration. Only 14 Golden Plovers and 5 Cormorants were seen. After an hour and half I was too cold to continue so I biked back home. On the way I saw the same Little Ringed Plover with a Common Sandpiper and a Nutcracker.
On the 24th day we biked to Siikalahti and it really was a better morning! The best bird was a Turtle Dove that flew over us! Then soon after that we heard a Nuthatch calling and we managed to attract it visible and identify it as a european subspecies. Other goodies were a Peregrine, a Goshawk, 2 Taiga and 1 Tundra Bean Geese, 4 Water Rails, 150 Cranes, a Stock Dove, a Cuckoo, a Reed Warbler, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Golden Oriole, 2 Red-backed Shrikes and a Nutcracker. During the day I visited Saari Pohjanranta and Akanvaara Tetrisuo but saw only 4 Grey Herons, a Temminck Stint, a Merlin and 2 Curlews.

On the 26th day I visited Siikalahti bird-tower but it was surprisingly quiet even though hunting season had started and usually it brings more ducks to Siikalahti. 3 Smews were seen anyway. In Kullinsuo I heard a flock of Parrot Crossbills and in Lahdensuo I saw a Cuckoo. On the next day I checked the fields again and saw a Cuckoo, a Hen Harrier, a Merlin and 3 Ringed Plovers. On the next day I saw 2 Golden Plover, a Red-backed Shrike and a Hen Harrier on the fields and a Goshawk and a Nutcracker in Kangaskylä.

The last days of August I was in Tour de Helsinki cycling. We participated with Juha Honkanen and his 2 Swedish friends to team competition. So we drove pretty slowly until after 100 km I decided to go faster as I wanted to make my new record which I finally did.

J.A.