. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

June

The 1st week of June went in Kuusamo where I was preparing to a bird race. The weather was very bad, windy and cold! Unfortunately my preparations weren’t very successful. On the 1st day we went to Oulanka together with Jukka Salokangas and found only a Willow Grouse, a Rough-legged Buzzard, a Kestrel, a Merlin, a Wryneck, a Dipper and then a Ural Owl that was flying far in Russian side of the border. On the way back to Ruka we saw a Jackdaw in Juuma.
On the 2nd days night we were checking many different small lakes east from Kuusamo with Jaakko Aarniala, but found only a couple of Garganeys, 2 Shovelers, Willow Grouses, a Rustic Bunting, a Starling and then near the city we found Tree Sparrows.

On the 3rd of June we had gone to check some places for a Bluethroat and were about 40km north from Kuusamo when I checked from internet by my phone if there were anything seen in Finland and realized that my brother Pirkka had found a Great Northern Diver in Kemijärvi – only 100km from us! The problem was that Jaakko wasn’t very interested to stop preparations so I drove him to Kuusamo where he had planned to bike around whole morning before I could start my way to Kemijärvi.
After all I managed to get to Kemijärvi about 2 a.m. and the bird was there waiting on Pirkkas scope. Unfortunately it was very far and it was sleeping, so it was hardly possible to identify. So we tried to get closer from the other side of the bay but it seemed to be impossible. Luckily Pirkka had a permit to go inside a big factory-area and from there we managed to see this bird much better, but it was still just sleeping.
I decided to drive back to Kuusamo so I could do my planned preparations and after a half an hour I got a call from Pirkka and he told that the diver was gone! I still had time to check the planned places but found only a Jack Snipe and some Red-necked Phalaropes. After I had picked up Jaakko we still saw a Rook, a couple of Temminck’s Stints and Common Scoters and a Great Crested Grebe nears the city.

On the 4th day ”potu” Suojarinne was also visiting in Kuusamo so we went together to Valtavaara where we heard some Red-flanked Bluetails, Wrens, Chiffchaffs and saw Siberian Jays. In Ruka we saw a Grey Wagtail but that’s it. We were in Konttainen parking place and again listening to one Bluetail when we got a message about a Lesser Spotted Eagle that was coming straight towards us. We and also the rest of my rally-team (except Jukka) drove to Virkkula hill to wait for it to come. And after some waiting we did find a good looking eagle, but it never came close. We just saw that the shape was good and then very pale coverts. Later in the evening we heard that there had been possibly 2 eagles – first a Lesser Spotted Eagle and then this eagle that we had been seen, which had been photographed from another place and it seemed to be a Eastern Imperial Eagle! Only after a couple of days I also saw the pictures of this bird and it never was a Lesser Spotted Eagle! But after all it seems that it has probably been a pale half-fulvescens Greater Spotted Eagle. That would fit perfectly to that what we saw, even though we saw it really far. But let’s see what a rarity committee says…

But on 5th day the rally started at 9 a.m. Our team was me, Jaakko Aarniala, Andreas Lindén, Jukkas Salokangas and Vesa Jouhki. The weather was really horrible! The wind was very hard and it was SNOWING! After twenty minutes in Valtavaara we had 3 species: a Willow Warbler, a Chaffinch and a Brambling – what a disaster start! In Konttainen we heard a Red-flanked Bluetail and then we managed to find a Jay and a Ruff before we drove to Ruka to see a Grey Wagtail. When we continued only 3 of us saw a Honey Buzzard so we couldn’t count that. In Vuotunki we saw Bean Geese, Red-necked Phalaropes and after that a Rough-legged Buzzard and so on. After a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackbird we continued to Kuntivaara which had been a good place for raptors.
First we ticked a Little Bunting and a Wren and then with some time we managed to find White-tailed Eagles, a Golden Eagle, 2 Black Kites and a Sparrowhawk. Then we headed to city where we saw a Great Crested Grebe, good surprises a Hobby and a Peregrine and also Common Scoters and from rubbish tip we found a Starling. In the evening it was snowing very heavily so we weren’t very lucky and we got only some well prepared species like a Goshawk, an Osprey, Siberian Tits and so on. Later we were having even worse times and had only a Slavonian Grebe (surprisingly in 2 places) and at night from Oulanka we had only a Woodcock.
During the early morning we found Siberian Jays, a Great Grey Shrike and a Tengmalm’s Owl and once we were back near the city we got a Willow Grouse and heard a Garden Warbler singing even though it was snowing very hard!
Finally in morning everything started to go better. When we were in our traditional places in south the weather changed better for an hour which was enough. We go a Three-toed Woodpecker, a Treecreeper, a very good Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Wryneck, Red-throated Divers, a Jack Snipe, Broad-billed Sandpipers and a Golden Plover. Then we headed to city again and after all gad our last species a Temminck’s Stint only 2 minutes before the end of the rally.

After all we had only 119 species even though during the preparation week we had found 144 species. Anyway it was enough to come 2nd in the race. The winner team had 127 species so we weren’t even close.

On the 7th of June I had a short visit in Konttainen but it was still too windy to record a Red-flanked Bluetail. So I continued to Vuotunki where I recorded a Rustic Bunting that we hadn’t found in a race and then continued to Kuntivaara to record a Little Bunting. After that I started my very long way to south. In Hyrynsalmi I decided to make only one stop and I was extremely lucky to find a Grey Wagtail in Ukkohalla – a new self-found bird! After a very long drive I was in Kirkkonummi in my parents’ home at late night.

On the 8th of June I was sleeping very late. In the afternoon I went to birding and visited Espoo Laajalahti to see some waders and hear a Reed Warbler and also Finno where I saw once again lots of Gadwalls and Moorhen but also a hybrid male between Tufted Duck and Pochard and heard a Marsh Warbler.

On the 9th of June we left with Hanna and 9 other birders to Spitsbergen. The tripreport can we read here: Spitsbergen: 9th to 15th og June 2009. (For example Ivory Gulls, a Sabine’s Gull, Grey Phalaropes, Little Auks, a Green-winged Teal and Polar Bears, Walruses and Arctic Foxes.)

On the 16th of June we were back from Spitsbergen. Hanna had to continue back to Parikkala to work but I still had 5 days holiday left. There was a White’s Thrush found and finally identified only a night before and there were hundreds of twitchers now in Kalajoki. I left from Helsinki about 1 a.m. and after a long drive I was in Kalajoki Holmanperä about at 6.30 a.m. There was nobody else around but after 10 minutes I heard a strange tuneless whistling from the forest – there it was a White’s Thrush! The bird was moving all the time and never came closer and then I saw it flying over the forest and that’s it.

I was very tired when I met some birders that had been sleeping somewhere nearby. Soon I drove to Vihaspauha parking place where I saw some Arctic Skuas and Little Terns before started to sleep in my car. I woke up in the afternoon and went to eat and shopping. On the way I saw a Stock Dove. And then went to sleep again. I woke up at 10 p.m. and slowly went again to Holmanperä where were now about 50 twitchers. I was just going to talk with some friends when I heard a White’s Thrush again! Most of birders didn’t hear it but soon it started again. After some hours listening and recording I went to a gas-station nearby to eat and there I met some friends from Oulu. It was about 3 a.m. when I went once more to record this thrush and now there were again nobody else. So I finally managed to get really good recordings without anybody talking on the background. White’s Thrush singing (mp3, 721kb, 45sec).

Finally I decided to leave Kalajoki but I had no idea where to go next? I had planned to go to Oulu but I had forgotten that my brother Riku and his family were just going to leave to Rhodes on next day. So I decided to drive home. There were plenty of birds waiting to be found in Parikkala. In the beginning I still saw some Short-eared Owls but later in the mid-Finland nothing. In Ruokolahti I had to sleep for a cople of hours before I continued to home.

On the 18th of June I had been resting enough so at night I went to twitch lekking Great Snipes in Kullinsuo. At least 2 birds were heard, but they were too far to see or record. A Quail wasn’t found in Koitsanlahti but a Blyth’s Reed Warbler was singing. Then I got a message that there were young Tawny Owls in Ristimäki. Thanks to Matti Lötjönen I saw and recorded these funny small owls that unfortunately were already flying, I had all ringing equipments with me.

On the 19th day I went to Siikalahti by bike and I was just biking towards the dam-road tower when I saw a familiar-looking bird perched on a tree on the northern side. A Greater Spotted Eagle was back again! The same bird had been perched on the same tree so many times in 2 last summers too. This bird was now possible to identify as a 4 c-y also from the plumage.

On mid-summer day on the 20th of June we had a short trip with Hanna. We went to listen to Great Snipes and now also saw 3 birds lekking. Of course we went to see the Tawny Owls too.

On the 21st of June we did a 42 kilometres biking-trip with Hannas brother Miika. We started at midnight and soon we heard the Tawny Owls and some Blyth’s Reed Warblers. On the way to Kolmikanta we heard many Corn Crakes and also a Nightjar and a family of Black Grouses. But unfortunately then it started to rain and even though we were for an hour in Kullinsuo we didn’t hear or see Great Snipes. Then we continued to Siikalahti and on the way we heard a Chiffchaff, a Wren, a Crested Tit and other common morning singers. In Sounio we counted all the Sand Martin nests and saw a Wheatear before continuing to dam-road. A Bittern was heard and saw and Water Rail and Great Reed Warbler heard and a flock of 32 Common Crossbills seen, but even though we visited the main tower, nothing interesting was found. After all we saw 82 species during the trip.

Next night we had a short trip with Hanna and Mikko Ala-Kojola. Great Snipes and Tawny Owls were seen and heard, but then only Water Rails, Blyth’s Reed Warblers and Nightjars. Anyway they were all good for a birder from Oulu.

On 23rd day Pekka Punnonen managed to talk me to Lappeenranta to twitch an Arctic Warbler. It was good because of this bird was very interesting! It was singing actively but also calling a lot. It had several strange calls but it also was drumming with its wings when it was flying. It didn’t open its wing completely but was hitting its wings against sides. But soon we had to drive back to Parikkala where we went to a night-trip with Hanna, Mikko and Daniel Burgas. Again Great Snipes and Tawny Owls were seen and heard, but also Short- and Long-eared Owls and lots of Corn Crakes and Blyth’s Reed Warblers, a Spotted Crake, a Nightjar and a Grasshopper Warbler were heard.

On the 25th of June I found a nest of Wryneck and then my friend ”kile” Huotilainen called me that there was a tiny young Whooper Swan on the middle of his field. I went to catch this cute animal and decided to carry it to Tiviänlampi where a Whooper Swan was nesting. Of course there were also 3 pairs in Siikalahti but I thought that in Tiviänlampi it’d be easier to find a family. After a couple of days we saw a Whooper Swan family there so I think everything turned good.
In the evening I heard that there was a Booted Warbler found in Rautjärvi Lahnanen. So I drove there immediately but the bird was quiet. But on the next morning I went there again at 6.30 a.m. and the bird was singing beautifully. Also a White-backed Woodpecker was seen.
In the evening I went once more to try if the Great Snipes would be closer but only a single bird was heard and it was far. Then I continued to Lappeenranta Joutseno where 3 Quails were twitched in Ravattila and a Turtle Dove in Perä-Ahola. I also found 2 Ural Owls, probably young birds and lots of Corn Crakes but nothing really interesting.

On the 29th we were again on a night-trip with Hanna but we found only a Grasshopper Warbler in Koitsanlahti. In Kullinsuo we heard the Great Snipes and saw a couple of Short-eared Owls. Otherwise it was again really quiet. Only a Great Reed Warbler was heard in Siikalahti. This was for sure the worst ever June for night singers in Finland!

During the last days of June it was raining again.

May birding

On the 1st of May we were birding in Sari but only a White-tailed Eagle and a Bewick’s Swan were seen. There were more than 800 Teal in Lammitaus so we couldn’t locate a Green-winged Teal even though it was still there.

On my birthday I went to a short nightsinger trip and heard a Ural Owl, 2 Long-eared Owls, 4 Spotted Crakes and 10 Water Rails. In morning we went to see a Grey Wagtail to Oronmylly and then went to Siikalahti were only a Red-throated Diver, a Rough-legged Buzzard, some Whimbrels and a flock of 11 Jays were seen. Then we decided to leave to Virolahti to stay the rest of the weekend. On the afternoon we were in Kurkela where we managed to see only one bigger raptor but luckily it was a Greater Spotted Eagle! In Lintulahti we saw some Spotted Redshanks, a couple of Caspian Terns, Arctic Terns, Pied Flycatchers and so on and in Hurppu we saw Eiders and Red-necked Grebes. We put a tent up to Leerviikki and at night we heard some migrating flocks of Common Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks and a Bewick’s Swan.

On the 3rd of May we were the whole morning in Hurppu where we saw 56 Bewick’s Swans and 249 swans that were too far to identify, 3195 geese, 2158 of them were already Barnacles, at least 4000 Common Scoters, 128 Black-throated Divers, 736 Oystercatchers, 7 Whimbrels, a Bar-tailed Godwit and 5 White-tailed Eagles. On the way back home we stopped in Ylämaa Väkevänjärvi where was a flock of 10 Steller’s Eiders, a White Stork and a Black Kite! On Joutseno Konnunsuo we counted still more than 4000 grey geese (Bean and White-fronted) and in Imatra Liete we twitched a Moorhen and in Rautjärvi Miettilä we saw a female Capercaillie. Pretty good trip we had!

On the 4th day I had a good lunch hour as I saw 3 White Storks and a Black Kite in Siikalahti. Also the first Sand Martin of the year was seen. On the next night I heard a Jack Snipe and on the 6th day I saw a Hawfinch in Tarvaslampi and a Temminck’s Stint and a Little Ringed Plover in Siikalahti.

On the 7th day ”potu” alias Miika Suojarinne came to Parikkala and right away we managed to twitch a Kingfisher in Sammallampi. A couple of Sedge Warblers had arrived there too. On a short night-trip we heard a Ural Owl, a Long-eared Owl, 2 Spotted Crakes and 10 Water Rails. On the 8th day we were birding in Saari again and found 2 Pink-footed Geese in Rautalahti, an Ortolan Bunting and 40 Lapland Buntings in Akanvaara Tetrisuo and a Ringed Plover in Lammintaus.

On the 9th day we had a traditional bird tower competition again. In 8 hours we managed to see 86 species but nothing really special. The best birds were 4 Greylag Geese, a flock of 22 Bewick’s Swans and a Dunlin. 2512 geese were seen altogether. Nothing really was migrating and sun was shining too bright! In the afternoon we went to twitch a Black-tailed Godwit in Tarassiinlahti and in the evening we were extremely lucky to see a 2 c-y Montagu’s Harrier migrating from our back-yard! On the 10th day we found 2 Wrynecks and 2 migrating White Storks but soon we were really too tired and we had to go to rest.

On the 11th day maybe the same 2 White Storks were back again. Now they were in Tetrisuo fields where they stayed whole day and on the next night they were sleeping on the top of electric poles. During a couple of days the year-ticks were a Wood Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Thrush Nightingale. On th13th day we were checking the last owl nest boxes and saw a female Capercaillie and also went to check that everything was ok with our only breeding Tengmalm’s Owl.

On the 15th I drove again to Virolahti. On the way I stopped in Konnunsuo where I found 7 Pink-footed Geese and a Short-eared Owl. In Virolahti I found “potu” and together we continued to the sea and we saw a Turnstone in Leerviikki and a Knot in Hurppu.

On the 16th day we woke up at 3 a.m. heard a couple of Thrush Nightingales and Water Rails and drove to Lakakallio where we started counting the arctic migration at 4.15 a.m. During the next 8 hours we saw 5 Bewick’s Swans, 15419 geese, mostly grey geese – a Pink-Footed Geese with them, 274 divers, 3 Black Kites, 30 Whimbrels, a Swift, a Red-backed Shrike and 2 Wood Larks that were singing the whole day. In the afternoon we saw only about 3000 Barnacle Geese but at least 50 000 arctic ducks (Common Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks). A Bluethroat was singing a couple of seconds and an Arctic Skua migrated. At night a Nightjar was singing.

On the 17th day we started again at 4.15. and during the next 7 hours we saw 32680 geese, mostly Barnacles – 20696. The best bird was a Lesser White-fronted Goose that only I saw migrating in a flock of 1300 Barnacles. I was very lucky to find the bird right when it was very close, but it was impossible to tell to the rest of birders where it exactly was. Also 51 Scaups, 266 divers, 2 Short-eared Owls, a Spotted Flycatcher and so on were seen. Same time Hanna was guiding a Dutch group there in Virolahti and they were lucky to see a family of 4 Lesser White-fronted Geese migrating in a flock of Barnacles.

On the way home I stopped in Vakevänjärvi where I saw 2 Arctic Terns (rare in South Karelia), a Honey Buzzard and a Bittern. In Lappeenranta Ihalainen I twitched an Icterine Warbler. And even though I was extremely tired at home I still went to back-yard to watch evening-migration and saw more than 7000 Common Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks and an Arctic Skua.

On the 18th day Hanna was back from North Karelia with her group and in the afternoon we went to ring some Ural Owls. The group had one of the most memorable experiences as we were really targets for an angry Ural Owl female. Luckily we had good helmets with Hanna so nobody got hurt and 3 chicks were ringed soon. Then we went to see a Tengmalm’s Owl and checked that there were now 6 chicks but 2 of them were much bigger than 4 really small ones. With Hanna’s brother Miika I still went to ring another Ural Owl’s chicks. This female wasn’t that aggressive but it was nice to hear a male calling too.

On the 19th day I heard already 10 Thrush Nightingales in Siikalahti and on the 20th day I saw a Dunlin and a Redshank and on 21st the next year-tick was a Common Rosefinch.

On the 22nd day I started a long way to Oulu. In Juva I picked up “potu” and the next stop was made in Siikalatva Piippola Kortteinen where 2 Black Terns were found. In Oulu we ticked a Terek Sandpiper in 5 minutes before we went to see my brother Rikus family where we also stayed at night. After an hour or so we went to pick up Antti Vierimaa and continued to Sanginjoki to check a Pygmy Owl nest. In Pyykösjärvi we still found a Pochard and luckily saw a flying Glauscous Gull. At 11.10 p.m. we still picked up Andreas Lindén from the railway-station and went to sleep.

On the 23rd day we woke up at 7 a.m. and drove to Kiviniemi where a Common Whitethroat was heard and then went to pick up Antti and continued to Toppila where a Black Redstart and a Blackcap were found easily. In jätäri we saw 2 Turnstones and a Cormorant and heard several Common Rosefinches. In Huutilampi we weren’t lucky to see a Moorhen but then our time was over – we had been lucky on our short preparation for the 24 hour bird-race that was going to start.

We went to start the race to Sanginjoki where not only a Pygmy Owl but also Hazel Hens, a Black Woodpecker, Common Crossbills, a Crested Tit, Treecreepers and 3 Waxwings were found. We still couldn’t find a Moorhen but a Gadwall and a Pochard were found in Pyykösjärvi, a Black Redstart, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a Blackcap in Toppila and a Cormorant and Turnstones in jätäri. Also a Terek Sanpiper was found and a Pheasant and Stock Doves. In Kiviniemi we just missed a big rarity – a Bee-eater has just left south. We got the message while we were parking there! A Sparrowhawk, a Merlin, Little Terns, a Common Whitethroat and Starlings were seen. In Kempeleenlahti the best birds were 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Stints and a Broad-billed Sandpiper and in Teppola some Black-tailed Godwits and a Short-eared Owl.
We continued to Tyrnävä Murto where Ortolan Buntings were singing and 2 Whimbrels were heard and seen, Short-eared Owls were flying and a beautiful Dotterel was standing on a muddy field. In Liminka we got a Collared Dove and in Virkkula a White-tailed Eagle and Shelducks. In Lumijoki Letto we saw a falcon that was either Hobby or a Red-footed Falcon, but it landed too quickly and in Sannanlahti we saw a Caspian Tern.
It was already late so we continued to Siikajoki Tauvo where we walked for an hour and saw a Smew, 2 Slavonian Grebes, an Arctic Skua and a Bluethroat. The water level was very low, Tauvo was like a desert!
In Raahe dump we saw an Eagle Owl and then we continued south to Pyhäjoki where in Heinikarinlampi we heard a Spotted Crake, a Willow Grouse and several Green Sandpipers. The rest of the night we were trying to find something from the fields but we found only several Short-eared Owls. At 4 a.m. we drove to Elävisluoto were quite a few divers and arctic ducks including 2 Scaups and 2 Eiders and also 2 Razorbills were seen. A barnacle Goose was standing on a rocky island and also 2 Arctic Skuas were migrating. In Tankokari we heard a Garden Warbler and in Hanhikivi we saw a Red-necked Grebe.
Then we drove towards north again and saw a Mute Swan in Raahe Lapaluoto and a Buzzard and a Jay before we were in Siikajoki Säikänlahti where only some Bramblings were heard. In Sääri area we found Linnets, a Golden Plover, a Red-backed Shrike, 2 Bean Geese and a beautiful flock of 45 Knots. Also a Rough-legged Buzzard kind of buzzard was seen migrating but too far. In Lumijoki Varjakka area we finally heard a Wood Warbler and a Chiffchaff and also saw a male Three-toed Woodpecker. It was our last species number 156 and after all we came 3rd in the race. Pretty well done as 3 of us were living far from Oulu and Antti had been mostly away from Oulu whole spring.

With ”potu” we had a horrible drive back home, but luckily in Juva we managed to twitch a stunning male Montagu’s Harrier that had been found 10 minutes earlier. Finally I was back at home after being 40 hours awake!

On the 26th of May I saw 3 Dunlins, a Temminck’s Stint and heard a Great Reed Warbler in Siikalahti. On the 28th I heard an Icterine Warbler and a Corn Crake and heard and saw a Nightjar and on the 29th day I went to hear a River, Grasshopper and Blyth’s Reed Warblers and Golden Orioles as they had all arrived in a couple of days. I also heard now 2 Great Reed Warblers.

On the 29th day my holiday finally started. I drove directly through the whole country to Jalasjärvi to twitch a Blue-winged Teal. The bird had been just found again so I could tick this lifer easily from other twitchers scopes. Also a couple of Marsh Sandpipers had been found just a couple of hours before and I even saw them copulating. Other birds seen on this very good birdlike were 9 Red-necked Phalaropes, a Broad-billed Sandpiper, a Redshank, 2 Temminck’s Stints, a Ringed and a Little Ringed Plover, a Marsh Harrier, a Short-eared Owl and 4 Garganeys.
At night I drove until Kärsämäki Nurmesjärvi, on the way I saw some Short-eared Owls and an Eagle Owl. After some hours sleeping in my car I continued to Kuusamo where I checked a small pool in rubbish tip where a Little Ringed Plover and 2 Red-necked Phalaropes were found and then continued to a hut where the rest of my birdrace team: Jukka Salokangas, Andreas Lindén, Jaakko Aarniala and Vesa Jouhki were already. They had already been preparing to Kuusamo bird race for a couple days – Jukka even longer.

After a good sleep I started to prepare for the race but at night of 31st of May I really couldn’t find anything. At morning I twitched 2 Red-flanked Bluetails from Konttainen.

The month changed while preparing for a race where we had our victory from last year to defend.

April

On the 1st of April I tried to twitch a Black-throated Thrush again in Savonlinna, but the bird was gone. On the way back to Parikkala I saw a Nuthatch in Punkaharju Lusto. In Siikalahti and small open waters nearby I saw some Whooper Swans, Goldeneyes, Lapwings, Woodpigeons, Blackbirds, Common Buzzards and a Snow Bunting. On the next couple of days I saw also some Starlings and Skylarks and a couple of Canada Geese and twitched a Greylag Goose and 2 Nuthatches.

On the 4th day in Siikalahti I saw already 30 Lapwings, 7 Buzzard, 52 Woodpigeons, a Rook, a Goldfinch and a Reed Bunting. Also a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was seen amongst the “common” White-backed Woodpeckers, a Grey-headed and a Black Woodpecker and several Great Spotted Woodpecker. In the afternoon I went to check some owl nest boxes and saw a young White-tailed Eagle migrating.

During the next few days it was colder again so almost all Lapwings and Woodpigeons were going back to south. It was pretty cold and everything still covered with snow. So on the 5th day I drove to Joutseno where in Konnunsuo were already more like spring. 2 flocks of Bean Geese, lots of Common and Rough-legged Buzzards, some Chaffinches and a couple of Stock Doves and Meadow Pipits. On the way back I saw still 2 Red-throated Divers in Imatra Vuoksi.

On the 7th day I saw 2 Nuthatches, I even got pretty good recordings. In the afternoon I drove to Ylämaa to twitch a Great White Egret. The bird was found standing on the ice with Whooper Swans. Also the 1st White Wagtail was seen and on the way back I saw some Black-headed Gulls. On the next afternoon I had pretty good time in Siikalahti where an Osprey, a Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, a Stock Dive, a Curlew and altogether 3 White-tailed and a Golden Eagle were seen. A Grey-headed Woodpecker and Black Grouses were calling too.

On the 9th day the best birds were a Cormorant and the 1st vulpinus Buzzard. A Flock of Mistle Thrushes, 500 Woodpigeons and 250 Lapwings were again flying south, and soon it started to snow very hard. So on the next day we decided to visit my grandmother in Mikkeli.

On the 11th day it was more like spring even though the weather was stilp retty poor. 68 Curlews were going straight to north. 45 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed and 2 Common Gulls, 40 Skylarks, a Wood Lark, 2 Song and 4 Mistle Thrushes, 24 Fieldfares, 10 Redwings, 25 Meadow Pipits, 100 Starlings, 500 Chaffinches and 25 Siskins were also seen. A flock of 15 Long-tailed Tits were moving towards east. On the small open water places Goldeneyes, Mallards, Goosanders and Coots didn’t hate too much space. Also a Couple of Canada and Bean Geese were swimming there.

On the 12th day I twitched a Shellduck in Imatra and on Konnunsuo there were already 550 Bean, 50 White-fronted and 6 pink-footed Geese. Also 6 Hen and 4 Marsh Harriers, 4 Merlins, a Peregrine, 10 Golden Plovers, a Green Sandpiper, some Linnets and Lapland Buntings and at least 5000 local Chaffinches were seen.

On the 13th of April I went to twitch. On the way I twitched a Mute Swan and saw an Oystercatcher in Imatra but then I continued to Pukkila Kantelejärvi where I easily saw a Green-winged Teal – my bird number 339 in Finland. The spring was further there so I stayed there longer and saw Pochards,, Tufted Ducks. Wigeons and Pintails. I continued to Orimattila Ruha to see geese but the biggest surprise weren´t the geese or Bewick’s Swans but that I found the same Green-winged Teal there! It had moved several kilometres exactly while I was changing the place. On the way back I saw a Wheatear and 2 Shelducks in Lappeenranta.

On the 14th day I saw my 1st Rough-legged Buzzards for the year in Parikkala. The species had been very common only 100 kilometres south for whole winter! 40 Wagtails were also migrating. On the next few days the open water areas were still very small but Teals, a Pochard and a Bittern arrived. On the 15th day I saw 8 Canada Geese, 2 Bean Geese, 3 Cormorants, 4 Snipes, 3 Goldfinches and so on in Siikalahti but then it started snowing again! So I went to check some owl nest boxes and found the first Ural Owl. In Rautjärvi Lahnanen I saw again 2 Shelducks, they were probably the same birds that had been flying around South Karelia for days.

During the next days the back-winter continued: On the 16th day I saw a Greylag Goose, on the 17th another Ural Owl was found, on the 18th a Tengmalm’s Owl was found, on the 19th we saw a Woodcock and on the 20th day a Bittern was walking on the ice in Siikalahti. On the 21st day 2 White-tailed Eagles, already 7 Marsh Harriers and a Rook were seen.

On the 22nd day 125 Curlews were migrating and 75 Bean Geese were flying around. 2 Rooks were on the field with a Whimbrel on a flock of Curlews. The open water areas were already full of common waterfowl but nothing better.

On the 23th of April I found a hybrid male of Mallard and Wigeon. Also the 1st Wigeon, and 2 Great Crested Grebes were seen, but the best bird was a beautiful male Pallid Harrier that I found in Siikalahti. In the afternoon I drove to Lappeenranta Vainikkala to twitch a flycatcher that had been there for days but only now it had been though to be something else than Pied… The bird had been found again just a minute before I got there and the bird sure was something special. As I’ve seen quite a few Semicollared Flycatchers on my trips I really thought this to be the 1st ever in Finland. Unfortunately the bird wasn’t caught during that evening and on the next morning it was gone. Maybe it stays as a mystery bird forever?

On the 24th day new birds in Parikkala were a Smew, a Pochard, 2 Bewick’s Swans, a Linnet, a Greenshank and a couple of Hen Harriers. In the evening also 3 Water Rails were heard. On the 25th day we were counting migration in Siikalahti. And it was really a good day! In 8 hours we saw altogether 5212 thrushes, 7369 finches, 1746 Woodpigeons, 93 Wagtails, 80 Whooper Swans, 420 Bean Geese, 7 Black-throated Divers, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 36 Rough-legged Buzzards, 201 Lapwings, 105 Curlews, 655 Black-headed Gulls, a Common Tern, 2 House Martins, 3 Tree Pipits and some local bird numbers were 2 Gadwalls, 102 Teals, 350 Mallards, 6 Pintails, 5 Shovelers and so on. In the evening I twitched a White Stork in Simpele.

On the next day still small open water areas were full of life: altogether more than 200 Goldeneyes and Teals, 128 Mallards, 31 Great Crested Grebes and Smews, a Common Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff were found. In Siikalahti the first couple of Slavonian Grebes, 2 Little Gulls, a Garganey, a White-tailed Eagle and a Common Tern were seen but I decided to go to see what birds I could found from the new open waters in Saari. Greenshanks, Shovelers and Pintails were found on every place; in Jyrkilä I found 2 Pink-footed Geese and lots of Teals. I decided to check all of them carefully. In Lammintaus I found 200 geese but also lots of Teals again. I was checking them for a second time when I found it – a Green-winged Teal! After an hour the 1st twitchers arrived – it was the 3rd ever in South Karelia.

During the next days I was able to go to see the 1st ever Grey Wagtail in Parikkala. The bird was singing actively so we decided to keep the place as a secret because of there might have been too many birders coming to see it as the season in Siikalahti was beginning.

On the 28th day I saw a Greylag Goose and 2 Garganeys in Lemmikonsalmi, already 14 Slavonian Grebes, 10 Ospreys, a Ruff, 2 Redshanks, a Hobby, 2 Swallows, a Rook and a Whinchat in Siikalahti. At night the 1st Spotted Crake, 5 Water Rails and a Long-eared Owl were heard.

On the 29th day I went to ring the Tengmalm’s Owl mother that had still 6 eggs on its nest. On the last day of April we went to Saari to twitch a Green-winged Teal as a lifer to Hanna. It was pretty difficult to find from a flock of 820 Teals! Also a Redshank, a Yellow Wagtail, a Spotted Redshank, 5 Wheatear, 5 Whinchats and altogether 400 geese were seen and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was heard. At night I heard 6 Water Rails, 2 Bitterns, 2 Long-eared Owls and a Ural Owl.

March

On the 1st of March we were still in Åland with my brother Pirkka, “potu” Suojarinne and Mikko Ala-Kojola. After an early breakfast we went together with several other rally-teams to Styrsingsudden. There was almost no migration at all, a couple of Eiders and 25 Black Guillemots were swimming on the open sea and better migrants were a couple of Scaups and a Razorbill. On the forest-road we heard a flock of Parrot Crossbills, Goldcrests and a singing Treecreeper. In Västerfjärdeni we saw a Wren and in Storby another one. In a harbour we saw a female Eider and also a Common Scoter. We were already on our way to Hammarudda when we got a message that there was a Moorhen found in Storby Postbryggan. While we turned around we saw a Jay but soon we were twitching a Moorhen. One day earlier it’d been a really good winter-tick. In Jomala Djurvik we saw a couple of Common Crossbill – a male was singing. In Hammarudda we saw some Black Guillemots and Re-breasted Mergansers and a Black-throated Diver.

We still went to Lemland Nåtö where we saw 15 Grey Herons, in Maarianhamina we saw an Arctic Redpoll in a flock of Redpolls and while we were waiting to get to the ferry we saw a migrating Common Buzzard. From the ferry we saw in harbour a couple of Grey Herons and a Black-headed Gull. We still were scanning the sea for a couple of hours from the ferry and saw 2 Common Scoters, 3 more Black-headed Gulls and a flock of 8 Velvet Scoters and 8 male and 7 female Steller’s Eiders!

During the next days I wasn’t very motivated to do any birding because of it was really still a winter in Parikkala. On the 3rd of March I saw 2 Herring Gulls and on the 6th some Mallards and a Goldeneye in Tyrjä. A White-backed Woodpecker was seen In Siikalahti and a Tawny Owl was heard in Melkoniemi at night. On the 8th day I saw a Goshawk migrating and a Great Grey Shrike again in Siikalahti. On the next day in Saari the best observation was a flock of 27 Waxwings. On the 13th I we heard an Eagle Owl in Simpele and during the next day I was playing the last ice-hockey tournament of the season and a couple of Whooper Swans were seen. In the evening I went to twitch an amazing flock of 8 Red-throated Divers to Imatra Vuoksi. Also 500 Herring Gulls and a Great Black-backed Gull was seen.

On the 15th of March I tried to see eagles in Tyrjä, but only better birds were a Common Crossbill and a Herring Gull. But in Siikalahti I managed to see an adult White-tailed Eagle migrating. In the evening we went to Vuoksi and saw the divers again and altogether 1250 Herring Gulls, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and a probably intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull. On the way back we managed to hear a couple of calls of a Great Grey Owl in old breeding place and also a couple of Tengmalm’s Owls. On the 16th I saw an eagle that was too far to identify in Siikalahti. It was probably a Golden Eagle. A Grey-headed Woodpecker was calling and a Black Woodpecker was seen. On the 18th day I saw an adult Golden Eagle migrating even though the weather was awful. Also a Goldfinch was migrating and in Tyrjä I saw a Dipper and some Whooper Swans here and there.

On the 21st day we drove to Kiljava to BirdLife weekend. On the way we stopped in Vuoksi and on the way we saw 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and common Buzzards. On the next day we stopped in Lahti Asemantaus where a Crested Lark was wintering still and in Vuoksi we saw 2 Great Black-backed Gulls and an early Pochard and so on.

On the 24th day I saw a beautiful “borringe” Common Buzzard. Also a Snow Bunting was seen and a Grey-headed Woodpecker was calling and White-backed Woodpecker was seen again in Siikalahti. On the next day I saw again a Golden Eagle but the weather was again really bad. On the 26th day only a Common Buzzard and some Whooper Swans were seen. In the afternoon I did a long bicycle trip, but saw almost nothing.

On the 28th day we had a traditional wilderness rally. We got a familiar area, but somehow all woodpeckers were missing! We couldn’t find any better woodpeckers. All our better observations were made in very early morning in dark: an Eagle Owl, a Tengmalm’s Owl, a Pygmy Owl and amazing 13 Hazel Hens were heard and 1 seen. 6 Black Grouses were lecking and later during the day only 2 Goshawks, 2 Common Buzzards and a Great Grey Shrike

On the 29th day I saw the first flock of 5 Lapwings, a Woodpigeon, a Skylark, a Fieldfare and an adult White-tailed Eagle migrating. A Grey-headed Woodpecker was calling and 3 Black Woodpeckers were fighting – of course now, not the day earlier.

On the 30th day I saw again an adult White-tailed Eagle, a Starling, a couple of Common Buzzards and on the last day of March I saw 20 Lapwings, 13 Common Buzzards, some Woodpigeons, a Skylark, a Starling, 3 Snow Buntings and a big surprise a young White-fronted Goose. The weather was still very cold, it was snowing but when the sun was shining it was really warming!

Pretty good February

Normally February is the most boring month of the year, but again we’re having a Euro-winter so at least in the southern part of South Karelia we had much more birds than in normal winter. Unfortunately the border of the normal winter was in river Vuoksi so in Parikkala we’re having as small number of birds as always. Just the last days of January had been the coldest days in whole winter so it was interesting to see if the birds had survived.

On the 1st of February I twitched a Nuthatch in Likolampi and then drove to Imatra to twitch a Grey Wagtail again. That was the last time the bird was observed, I couldn’t see it, just heard it calling. Maybe the extremely cold days had been too much for this rare winterer? In Vuoksi I saw a Cormorant, a Canada Goose and a Tufted Duck, in Vallinkoski a Great Grey Shrike and in Korvenkanta a Goldfinch. In Lappeenranta I drove to Skinnarila where I tried to find a Song Thrush without luck. Only 20 Fieldfares were seen. I wasn’t lucky in Kukkuroinmäki either where I couldn’t find a White Wagtail. In Konnunsuo I saw another Great Grey Shrike and a Hawk Owl.

On the 4th days night I heard an Eagle Owl and a Ural Owl in Tyrjä. And on the 5th day I went by bike to lake Argus where I saw 2 White-backed Woodpeckers, a Grey-headed Woodpecker and a Black Woodpecker. Also a Nuthatch was seen again in Likolampi. Not bad eco-ticks!

Crazy twitch!

On the 6th day we left to a craziest twitch ever. With Sampsa Cairenius and Miika “potu” Suojarinne we left to Stockholm to twitch a Yellow-browed Warbler! So we drove first to Helsinki. On the way we saw a Kestrel in Kuusankoski, a flock of 8 Grey Partridges, a Common Buzzard and 2 Rough-legged Buzzards in Elimäki. In Helsinki we still got some year-ticks of gulls before we drove to a ferry that was full of ice-hockey fans that were going to Sweden hockey-games. Because of the fans it was difficult to get any sleep during the night.

On the 7th day we woke up early and soon we climbed up to the bridge of the ferry. But the fog was extremely thick, so it was impossible to see anything. At mid-day we finally had managed to drive to Järfalla Sjäbysjön where we easily found the right place. There were about 30 twitchers watching to a feeder and right away when we’re parking we’d see that there was something happening! The bird must have arrived. I took my scope and camera and almost ran to the other birders and pretty soon I managed to see the Yellow-browed Bunting hiding in the middle of the dense branches some 5 metres from the feeder. Also potu managed to see the bird soon but it took some time before Sampsa also saw it. It seemed that all the other birders had been waiting for the bird to arrive for the whole morning! We’re extremely lucky! We spent a couple of hours trying to get some good pictures of the bunting, but the weather was still so foggy and dark and the bird wasn’t present all the time. We could see the bird twice about 25 minutes altogether and finally we managed to get some good enough pictures. When the bird left again with a flock of Yellowhammers we decided to keep on birding. On the feeder we had seen also some Nuthatches, heard a Coal Tit and saw a Woodpigeon calling already.

We continued to Vallentuna to twitch and photograph a Black-throated Thrush. The bird was there already and even though the weather was getting even worse we managed to get some pretty good pictures. Pretty soon we had to start our way back to the harbour. We still checked a couple of open bays in Stockholm and saw Coots, Black-headed Gulls, Canada Geese and so on. On the ferry we went to eat the best but also the most expensive lunch I’ve ever had. But we had really something to celebrate!

On the 8th of February we were in Helsinki at 9 a.m. We started birding right away and twitched a wintering Barnacle Goose and 4 Wigeons very close to the harbour. Then we continued to Lauttasaari where we saw a Smew, 5 Tufted Ducks, 350 Goldeneyes, 700 Goosanders and surprisingly 4 Pine Grosbeaks. In Espoo Kaitalahti we heard a Wren calling and saw a big flock of Siskins. In Kirkkonummi Ämmässuo rubbish tip potu and Sampsa managed to see a Glauscous Gull but I couldn’t find them from the flock of 4600 Herring Gulls. It was still very foggy. In the afternoon we drove to Siuntio to twitch a White-fronted Goose and 2 Bean Geese. It was already late when we went to Kirkkonummi Saltfjärden where Bearded Reedlings were heard and a couple of Common and Rough-legged Buzzards seen. Then we still had a long way back home.

On the 10th day I had to drive to Lappeenranta and on the way I saw the first migrant in South Karelia too – a Herring Gull was with Canada Goose, a Tufted Duck and a couple of Smews in Vuoksi. On the next evening I twitched a calling Tengmalm’s Owl in Rautjärvi Lahnanen.

On the 13th day I found a Goldeneye and 12 Mallards in Tyrjä but even though I was birding the whole day only other birds I found were a White-backed and a Black Woodpecker in Siikalahti. It was really a winter in Parikkala. In the afternoon of 14th of February I drove again to Lappenranta and saw a Rough-legged Buzzard, 9 Starling and a Rook in Kukkuroinmäki. At night we went to owl-trip with Pekka Punnonen but only an Eagle Owl was seen in Toikansuo and a middle-sized owl seen in Vihtola. Next day we were birding in Lappeeranta fields with Pekka and Jari Kiljunen and saw some Common Buzzards, a Great Grey Shrike, a Dipper, a flock of 30 Black Grouses and again the same birds in Kukkuroinmäki.

A week later on the 20th day I was back in Lappeenranta because of I had the get my car from the service. With jassi we saw a Wren in Toikansuo and in the evening I saw an Eagle Owl again. On the next day I had really nothing to do, so I drove to Savonlinna to twitch a Carrion Crow that had been staying in a rubbish tip. I managed to find from the flock of Hooded Crows, Ravens and Jackdaws and then I continued to see a Black-throated Thrush again. The thrush was now staying in the middle of the city in good bushes full of berries.

On the 22nd of February I did the winter bird count again. 472 birds of 22 species were found. The best birds were a couple of Grey-headed Woodpeckers, a drumming White-backed Woodpecker, a Great Grey Shrike, a Sparrowhawk and 2 Arctic Redpolls.

To Åland

On the 27th day I drove to Nastola where we met with potu again. We twitched a wintering Crane and continued to Lahti to twitch a Crested Lark. The lark was perched on a branch and it was singing very quiet but beautiful sub-song. I managed to get some good pictures of it. Soon we continued to Turku where we were in the evening. There we met my brother Pirkka and Mikko Ala-Kojola and soon we took a ferry to Åland. We were going to a bird race! At 1 a.m. we were in Åland and after an hour driving we’re finally in Torp in our hotel.

On the 28th of February after some three hours sleeping we woke up, had a breakfast and started to rally at 7 a.m. We started from Degersand where we had Red-breasted Mergansers, Black Guillemots and 2 migrating male Eiders. In Torp we heard a Coal Tit singing and in Storby we found a singing Wren and one of the only Rock Pigeons of the island. A Water Rail was found from a reedbed where we had found the same species 3 years earlier in a race too. On the harbour we saw a female Eider. In Käringsundby we were lucky to find an Arctic Redpoll in a flock of Redpolls and in one feeder we saw 2 Chaffinches, a Brambling and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Also a Black Woodpecker was heard drumming. In Hammarland we saw a Dipper and heard a Crested Tit and soon continued to Jomala Hammaruddan where Willow Tits were welcoming us. But then it started snowing very hard. We couldn’t see almost at all to the sea. After almost an hour waiting the weather turned better and we could see 10 White-tailed Eagles, 2 flocks of Purple Sandpipers, 16 Smews and so on but still the visibility wasn’t good enough to see more seabirds like Razorbills or scoters. Luckily a flock of Waxbills flew over us and a Treecreeper was calling. In Kungsöbatteri we saw a Great Grey Shrike but then we ran out of luck. Both Ramsholmen and Torpfjärden just spent our time with no new species. The next new species were found in Maarianhamina harbour when a Coot and a female Scaup were found. In Lemland Nåtö we saw 15 Grey Herons. We continued via Finström (where another Rock Pigeon was seen) to Sund Kasteholma where we managed to twitch a Kingfisher and saw also another Water Rail. Even though we did our best we couldn’t get any more species so our final number was 53. It wasn’t enough to be in top in this extremely good quality rally. In the evening we made plans how to start March in Åland on the next morning.

January

As every year on the 1st of January we went birding and tried to see as many species as possible. We also tried to see species that we hadn’t seen before in 1st of January. Our 1st year tick was a Hawk Owl in Imatra Vallinkoski. It was still almost dark when we checked the river Vuoksi and saw some common species but also 5 Cormorants and a Canada Goose. A Grey Wagtail was found easily from Meltola and other birds there were a Hawfinch and a Goshawk that flew over us. In Kupari we saw 10 more Cormorants. In Räikkölä we found easily 2 Hawfinches, a Chaffinch, 2 Fieldfares and a Grey-headed Woodpecker. In Salo-Issakka the only better bird was a Coal Tit. As Joutseno had been joined to Lappeenranta, it was strange to book a Common and a Rough-legged Buzzard 2 Great Grey Shrikes to be seen in Lappeenranta Konnunsuo. In Kukkuroinmäki we saw 10 Herring Gulls and when a Goshawk was making all the crows fly we found also 6 Starlings from the huge flock. In Mustola we saw a Blackbird and in Luukkaansalmi 5 Starlings. When we were trying to see a Nuthatch in Pappilanniemi I got a message that there was a Kingfisher in Grey Wagtail place! We were pretty sure that the bird won’t stay there for long but after 20 minutes when we haven’t seen the Nuthatch and we had got a message that the Kingfisher was still there, we decided to go. Thanks to Jarmo “jamppa” Pirhonen who was keeping a Kingfisher in control so we could see this gem fishing in evening light. An adult Whooper Swan was flying up to the river and in Itä-Siitola we saw a family of Whooper Swans but also a Tufted Duck and a male Smew. We’d had a great start for a year 2009!

On the 2nd of January I visited Siberian Jays. There were 4 of them and they were hungry! The almost attacked me when I started to give them some food. Some Goldcrests and Crested Tits were heard. On the next day I saw a White-backed Woodpecker and a flock of Black Grouses in Siikalahti. Later I was driving in Rautjärvi Kangaskoski when I suddenly lost all visibility to the road because of combination of new snow and sunlight. So I crashed my car to a deep ditch! Luckily nothing went badly broken and after all I managed to drive to Lappeenranta and catch up rest of my ice-hockey team as we were going to play to Suomenniemi. On the way I saw a couple of Whooper Swans and a Black Woodpecker. On the 4th day the only year ticks were a Hazel Hen and a Dipper in Tyrjänkoski.

On the 6th day I did a winter bird count. I was skiing around Siikalahti and saw altogether 20 species, best birds were a Black Grouse, Long-tailed Tits, a Great Grey Shrike and Waxwings. On the 9th day I was in Uukuniemi where only better bird seen was a Whooper Swan.

On the 10th day we had a traditional birdwalk in Imatra. We were walking with “potu” Suojarinne in Virasoja-Kymälahti –area and saw a Pygmy Owl, a Dipper, a White-backed Woodpecker, 6 Fieldfares, a Great Grey Shrike and even a Grey Heron flying over the city. After the race we still went to see a Grey Wagtail, a Hawk Owl, a Canada Goose and saw 2 more Great Grey Shrikes, another Pygmy Owl and a small raptor which probably was a Merlin. The evening celebrations were fun and after only 3 hours sleeping we started our way to Lappeenranta. We were birding with “potu” and Jari Kiljunen and in Toikansuo we saw 8 Goldfinches, 3 Teals and a Rough-legged Buzzard. In filed areas we saw another Rough-legged and 4 Common Buzzard, a Great Grey Shrike, 3 Pheasants, a Blackbird and on the way back north also a Kestrel in Konnunsuo.

In the mid January I was birding a little every day but nothing was found. It was really a winter in Parikkala. Because there was really nothing else to do I went once to see Siberian Jays again. On the 17th day I went to Savonlinna to twitch a Black-throated Thrush. There had been twitcher waiting for it for several hours in very cold weather, but I found the bird at 10.50 a.m. when it was perched in a top of a tree for a couple of minutes and then disappeared again. We continued to a rubbish tip with “potu” and “jamppa” where a Carrion Crow had been found by jamppa some days ago. But the weather was so foggy that all crows seemed to be just black! So we drove back to see the thrush and now it was seen very well and I managed to get some pictures too.

On the 24th of January was a traditional Garden watch -day and we participated in our own garden but also in Hanna’s parents garden in Tarvaslampi. The best birds were a Grey-headed Woodpecker and a flock of Waxwings. On the next day I saw the first Fieldfare of the year in Parikkala.

On the night of 28th I heard a Tawny Owl in Melkoniemi. The last observation of the month was a Three-toed Woodpecker that was calling in Ristimäki.