. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

Amazing April

On the 1st of April I was still in Parikkala so the traditional places Siikalahti, Lemmikonsalmi and Särkisalmi were checked. A couple of Canada Geese, Buzzards, a Rough-legged Buzzard, 50 Lapwings, a Linnet, 37 Snow Finches and so on were migrating and the open water places had Goldeneyes, Goosanders, Mallards and Herring Gulls. Also a Grey-headed Woodpecker was heard and a small flock of Long-tailed Tits were seen.

On the 2nd day I headed south where Hanna already was. On the way to Helsinki I stopped in Lappeenranta where a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Mistle Thrush were seen and in Sipoo I saw a Hen Harrier migrating. Before I picked up Hanna from Zoological Museum I visited in Viikki where nothing special was found – the back-winter had pushed all the better species more south.

On the 3rd day we finally started our bird trip to Kuwait! Together with Tero Linjama, Janne Kilpimaa, Petri Kuhno and Tero Toivanen we birded there for 9 days and thanks to Pekka Fågel a Finnish birder living in Kuwait, everything went perfect! The whole Kuwait trip story: Kuwait 4th to 12th of April (for example Socotra Cormorant, Dunn’s Larks, Shikra, Oriental Skylarks, Mynahs, Bridled and White-cheeked Terns – altogether 20 WP-ticks!)

On the 13th of April we were again driving back to Parikkala. We twitched a Pallid Harrier in Joutseno Konnunsuo where we had also a Peregrine Falcon, 2 Bewick’s Swans and several other year-ticks. Anyway the spring had came slowlier than we had thought and there was still snow on the ground and not many migrants around.

During the next couple of days I saw the first Marsh Harriers, Great Crested Grebes and Green Sandpipers. Also an early Red-throated Diver seen. I started to check the owl nestboxes and surprisingly I found a couple of Ural Owls.

On the 19th day we were in Siikalahti bird tower with Johannes Hänninen and in 8 hours we didn’t see many migrants but a Bewick’s Swan, a couple of Garganeys, a Heuglin’s Gull, 369 migrating Wood Pigeons, more than 300 thrushes, 2000 Chaffinches and so on. In the afternoon I saw some hundreds of geese in Saari where I also twitched a Gadwall and an early Scaup.

On the next day we were again at the tower with Hanna and Pekka Punnonen. And now we were lucky – we saw a Kingfisher! We also went to ring a female Ural Owl and after we had eaten we went back to Siikalahti with Pekka and saw a migrating 2nd c-y Pallid Harrier – already the second Siikalahti tick of the day!

On the next days I saw some Barnacle Geese and a Pink-footed Goose in a big flock of Bean and White-fronted Geese in Siikalahti. Also Shovelers, Slavonian Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, Wrens, Wheatears and the first Wood Sandpiper arrived. On the night of 24th and 25th we heard 5 Water Rails and a Spotted Crake.

And on the next days we birded with Pekka around Saari and Rautjärvi but nothing special was found. We also checked many empty owl nest boxes. Only year ticks were a Tree Pipit, a Common Sandpiper, a Chiffchaff, Common Scoters, a Common Tern, 2 Ruffs and 2 Black-tailed Godwits that we twitched.

On the 27th day we were again in the tower with Hanna and Pekka and again we were lucky. 50 Little Gulls had arrived; we counted 14 Slavonian Grebes, 2 Swallows and so on. 2 White-tailed Eagles were migrating and then a Lesser Spotted Eagle!

On the 28th day Miika Suojarinne came to do birding with us. We went to twitch a Pectoral Sandpiper to Liperi. Surprisingly Ahonkylä fields had also 150 Greenshanks, 8 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Ruffs, a Spotted Redshank, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Pink-footed Goose, a Bewick’s Swan and a Short-eared Owl. In the evening we still drove to Kontiolahti Pitkäranta where we twitched a Great White Egret. Also 106 Great Crested Grebes, 22 Common Scoters, 2 Long-tailed ducks, 22 Black-throated divers and 14 Whimbrels were counted.

On the next day I got another Siikalahti tick when Esko Veijalainen and Jari Kontiokorpi found a migrating Black Stork! Luckily I managed to drive to Siikalahti so fast that the bird was still soaring above Siikalahti. In the evening 3 Sand Martins, a Jack Snipe and a couple of Yellow Wagtails were seen.

On the last day of April the only year-ticks were a Willow Warbler and a Pied Flycatcher. At night 10 Bitterns, 10 Water Rails and 2 Spotted Crakes were heard.

March – Spring comes and again winter

The March started with a Pygmy Owl in Sammallampi. The bird was sitting on a top of a tree for whole morning and several birders saw it.

On the 2nd of March we did a winter-bird count. We found altogether 6 White-backed Woodpeckers. The most common bird was a Redpoll but most of the 87 birds were in one flock. Otherwise the count was pretty boring; a couple of Goldfinches were only other interesting birds.

On the 5th day 40 Herring Gulls were already at river Vuoksi in Imatra. On the 8th day I went to record woodpeckers and saw the first Common Buzzard and a Whooper Swan. In Tyrjänmäki I saw a Grey-headed Woodpecker.

On the 10th day in Kanavalampi I saw 12 Whooper Swans and on the next day the spring seemed to be arriving when a Skylark and a Lapwing were seen.

On the 12th day I saw some more Lapwings even though the fields were covered with snow. In small open water in Lemmikonsalmi was the first couple of Goldeneyes and Herring Gulls, also a Blackbird, a Rook, a Snowfinch, a Common Buzzard and the first migrating flock of Waxwings were seen.

On the 14th day we twitched an Owl that was calling in Tarvaslampi, it was an Eagle Owl. I managed to get really good recordings! We also stopped in Melkoniemi where a Tengmalm’s Owl and a couple of Tawny Owls were heard.

On the 15th day we went to Kiljava to BirdLife meeting. On the way we twitched an overwintering Crested Lark in Lahti. The weekend was great and on the way back we saw all the overwintered birds on Vuoksi (Smews, Tufted Ducks, Canada Geese, Whooper Swans and a Red-breasted Merganser) and plenty of Herring Gulls and a Great Black-backed Gull.

On the 17th day I saw a White-tailed Eagle in Siikalahti and on the 19th day there were 3 Rooks on our backyard.

On the 20th day I drove to Kirkkonummi where Hanna was already once she had a dream job from Helsinki zoological museum – she was painting the backgrounds for dioramas. On the way I stopped on Vuoksi and in Lappeenranta Toikansuo where I finally found 2 Twites. I was hoping the Eastern holiday in Southernmost Finland would give me many interesting observations and several month-ticks. But what happened, very bad back-winter! It was minus 20 degrees at nights and snowing a lot. Still on the

21st day we had pretty good weather and we started at early morning in Porkkala. The only migrating birds were 2 Grey Herons but 500 Long-tailed Ducks, 300 Eiders, 20 Mute Swans and a Parrot Crossbill were nice to see. In Saltfjärden we right away saw 2 Bearded Reedlings, heard a really early Bittern and saw several Reed Buntings. Later 57 Canada Geese, 20 Lapwings, 10 Buzzards and 2 Goshawks, Starlings, a White-tailed Eagle and a Mistle Thrush were seen. In Mattby we saw 4 Bean and 2 Greylag Geese, in Helsinki Lauttasaari a Wigeon and in Espoo Nuottalahti 90 Tufted Ducks and 4 Pochards.

On the 22nd day we had planned to go to Hanko but on the way a really horrible snowing started. So we decided to check some fields in Karjaa where 2 Bewick’s Swans, 55 Bean and 37 Canada Geese were found in Kvarnbacka. In Lappträsk the birds had kept the water open and there were 146 Mute and 110 Whooper Swans, 72 Canada Geese, 62 Mallards, 29 Tufted Ducks, 18 Goldeneyes and 16 Coots. But the weather was so bad it was impossible to continue so we decided to go sightseeing to the castle of Raasepori and Mustio canal. The roads were extremely slippery so we had a small accident and checked how deep are the local ditched. Luckily I managed to keep 3 wheels on the road and the car was easily lifted up. On that road most of the cars we saw were on the ditches! Calls to Hanko and Kirkkonummi told that the weather was as bad in Hanko but in Kirkkonummi the sun was shining. So we had a short stop in Inkoo Gallery Karaija where were again lots of bird paintings and then continued to Kirkkonummi. Nothing special was found but in Järsö we twitched a Ringed Plover and saw a flock of 50 Stock Doves, a Wood Pigeon, 3 Rooks and a White-tailed Eagle.

On the 23rd day I birded with my old friend Risto Nevanlinna. We had been birding together last 20 years ago when I lived in Espoo. The day was really cold so nothing really special was found. In Suvisaaristo we saw 130 Tufted ducks and 100 Long-tailed Ducks, in Kasavuori 2 Grey Herons, 6 Smews and Cormorants already on their colony. Anyway the day was really fun! In the afternoon I picked up Hanna from Helsinki where we twitched a Little Grebe in harbour. Later we still birded a little in Kirkkonummi but only a flock of 6 Wood Pigeons, a Great Grey Shrike and a White-tailed Eagle were seen.

On the 24th morning I went to Saltfjärden where I finally saw a local Golden Eagle. Also 4 White-tailed Eagles, 55 Reed Buntings and a Bittern were around. Then I twitched a Wood Lark in Hila before I started my long way back home. I decided to drive first to Kotka where I twitched again a Black-throated Thrush and a Wood Duck. Then I continued to Hamina where I twitched a Great Grey Owl. On the same place also a White-backed Woodpecker and a Nuthatch were heard- Also a couple of Chaffinches were already singing. Also some more common birds were seen on the way.

In South Karelia there was maybe more winter than in whole winter. There was lots of snow and really cold! So I didn’t do almost any birding for days.

On the 29th of March we had a traditional wilderness-rally. Hanna came also and we were birding in a border of Russia in Rautjärvi. We started at 02.30 a.m. but the owls were absolutely quiet. The first bird was seen after 3 hours driving when a Hazel Hen was found. Soon we heard a couple of Pygmy Owls too. Then we started to look for woodpeckers because all the real wilderness species gave more points than regular species in this rally. The best point-species was a White-backed Woodpecker. After all we managed well: we found 7 Grey-headed Woodpeckers, 4 White-backed Woodpeckers, 5 Hazel Hens, 2 Black Grouses, a Black Woodpecker, 3 Goshawks, 12 Common Buzzards, 2 Dippers, 5 Great Grey Shrikes and 6 Snow Finches but the best species was a Great Grey Owl! With all the woodpeckers we came 2nd in thi race where 9 teams were exploring in different areas. The social evening was again great!

On the 30th day in Särkisalmi was a Canada Goose and in Lemmikonsalmi a Goosander. In Rautalahti I saw 92 migrating Snow Finches. It seemed that the spring was finally coming (again), even 3 Lapwings were flying around over the snowy landscape.

On the last day of March it was +10 degrees and sun shining so the snow was melting really fast! On my lunch hour I saw a White Wagtail, 30 Lapwings and a flock of 2 Wood Pigeons and a Stock Dove. In the afternoon I saw more Lapwings and Wood Pigeons, a Kestrel, a Starling and a Black-headed Gull.

The spring was finally coming, but we’ll go to catch the summer to Kuwait. More soon…

February – and it’s not a winter

On the 1st of February once I had finished at work I drove to twitch some February-ticks. At Imatra Vuoksi I saw Canada Geese and a Black-throated Diver and also Whooper Swans, a Tufted duck, Smews, a Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Herring Gulls, a Goshawk and some Cormorants. In Lappeenranta Tuohimäki I saw a Kestrel but In Toikansuo only Redpolls and 5 Arctic Redpolls.

In the evening I drove in a terrible weather to Kotka where I birded next day with Markus Keskitalo. The sea was fully open and there were no snow at all, but it was raining. Common Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a Cormorant were seen and a Wood Duck in Sapokka and a Pochard in Sunilanlahti were twitched. A Black-throated Thrush was finally found on third try from Mussalo Etukylä where also a White-tailed Eagle was soaring on the sky. In the evening I drove to Lappeenranta where we birded together with Pekka Punnonen and Jari Kiljunen on the next day. The weather was still awful and only a Goldfinch, Chaffinches and all the same bird in Imatra Vuoksi were seen.

On the 5th day I drove to Savonlinna to twitch a Pintail and do some shopping. Pintail was again one more bird that I’ve seen now in every month. On the 7th days evening I was once again in Lappeenranta and finally I heard a Tawny Owl calling in Hanhijärvi. I also twitched 2 calling Long-eared Owls in Joutseno Pieni-Läykkä. On the 8th days evening we heard a Ural Owl calling in Kullinsuo.

On the 9th day I was birding with Sampsa Cairenius. First we twitched a Rough-legged Buzzard in Savitaipale Tainasuo where also a Great Grey Shrike was seen. Then we continued to Lemi where in Urolanlahti a migrating Goldfinch was surprisingly seen. Soon we were again in Toikansuo where a Rook and a Teal were seen and then we hurried to Joutseno Kukkuroinmäki where Jarmo Pirhonen had found a Capercaillie. In Konnunsuo area we still found a couple of Great Grey Shrikes.

On the 10th day I finally found a Hawfinch in Imatra Linnansuo and also all the wintering birds were seen in Vuoksi again. Now there were 6 Herring Gulls. In the evening we went to check the Ural Owls were again on their nesting site.

On the 14th day I surprisingly saw a Fieldfare and a White-tailed Eagle in Siikalahti. It was a good an hour trip: only 7 species were seen but 2 winter-rally ticks and also a White-backed Woodpecker. On the 16th day we saw several White-backed Woodpeckers, 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and 14 Black Grouses there.

On the 17th days morning we kept a birdwalk in Imatra Vuoksi. The weather was awful but some of the wintering ducks were seen. During the day we birded in Lappeenranta with Jari Kiljunen but in a horrible weather nothing else that a Grey Heron in Luukkaansalmi and a Fieldfare and a Great Grey Shrike in Toikasuo were seen.

On the 21st days evening we heard a Pygmy Owl in Jalaslampi but then again the weather went bad. On the 23rd morning we went to skiing and see Siberian Jays with Jari Kiljunen. Also a displaying Goshawk was seen. In the afternoon I drove to Joutseno Kukkuroinmäki to twitch 2 or 3 Common Buzzards. In the evening in Vuoksi we counted already 130 Herring Gulls and also 3 Great Black-backed Gulls – the spring was here!

During the next day we went to see the Siberian Jays with Pekka and we also found 2 Hazel Hens, 2 Treecreepers and 1 or 2 Three-toed Woodpeckers. In Kirkonkylä we saw and heard a Grey-headed Woodpecker and in Siikalahti a White-backed, a Black and a Black Woodpecker. With common Great Spotted Woodpecker we saw altogether 6 woodpecker species in 3 hours! In Satumäki we saw a flock of 12 Siskins.

On the leap day I went to twitch day-ticks. On the morning I got a Grey-headed and White-backed Woodpecker. After the work I drove to Vuoksi where all the same birds were seen but the diver had disappeared. Then I twitched a Kestrel, Common Buzzards and a Great Grey Shrike in Joutseno and Grey Herons, a Rook and Teals in Lappeenranta. Then we continued with Pekka to Askola where we heard an Eagle Owl that I recorded. In Hanhijärvi we heard 2 Tawny Owls that unfortunately stopped too soon when another Eagle Owl started to call. Then we still heard a Tengmalm’s Owl in Penttilä. I still continued to Hanhijärvi to try to record Tawny Owls but now there were 2 Tengmalm’s Owls calling with the Eagle Owl.

January – Euro winter continues

On the 1st of January we started the year in Ylämaa Väkevänjärvi where weren’t only Pekka Punnonen and Jari Kiljunen but also a White-fronted Goose with more than 60 Whooper Swans. Of course many other year ticks were seen, a Black Woodpecker was the best one. We continued to Rumpu where a Nuthatch was till present. Also a Crested Tit and a Trecreeper were heard. Then we continued to Lappeenranta Toikansuo where in a flock of Redpolls we saw an Arctic Redpoll, a Snowfinch flew over us and a Chaffinch was also heard. In Luukkaansalmi we twitched a Hooded Merganser that was now there with a couple of Goosanders. In Laihia we tried to find a Pheasant but we found something better – a flock of 4 male and 2 female Steller’s Eiders! While I was putting a message about the Steller’s Eiders to other birders we got a message there was a Glauscous Gull in Luumäki. So we drove there and a nice adult bird was still present with a couple of Herring Gulls. In a hurry we drove back to Lappeenranta wherein Tuohimäki we twitched a Kestrel and then to Joutseno Pulp first only a Cormorant was found but finally a Black-throated Diver too. With Hanna we still managed to get to Imatra Vuoksi before it was too late and we saw a Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Smews.

On the 2nd day I just checked the Siberian Jays were doing well in Parikkala. Also some Black Grouses and 2 Hazel Hens were seen. There was still almost no snow, so the forest-roads were drivable. And on the next day I saw a Dipper in Tyrjä and the day after that I saw a Hazel Hen and some Black Grouses in Siikalahti.

On the 5th day we birded with a Catalan birder Dani Burgas. We started from Savitaipale Kaskei where was a tame Hawk Owl. We had dead mice with us and the bird came to catch them right away the were dropped to the ground. Unfortunately the bird was too fast so we couldn’t get any good pictures. We were lucky to find also a White-backed Woodpecker which is really rare in that area – we even saw the woodpecker attacking the owl! Next we twitched 2 Three-toed Woodpeckers in Lappeenranta Hanhikemppi and 7 Waxwings from the harbour. In Toikansuo we saw 2 Arctic Redpolls and 3 Linnets in a flock of Redpolls and a Shore Lark was still there too. Also a Goshawk and a Sparrowhawk were seen. In the afternoon we saw again the same birds in Vuoksi.

On the 6th day we checked the furthermost owl nest boxes in Rautjärvi. A flock of Long-tailed Tits were seen and a Nuthatch was twitched. A couple of days later I saw a couple of White-backed Woodpeckers in Siikalahti, they were really acting like in spring already!

On the 13th day we finally got the last owl nest boxes checked with Matti Lötjönen. It was raining and only better bird was a Great Grey Shrike in Tyrjä.

On the 19th of January we had a traditional bird walk in Imatra. The city was split to 9 parts and a couple of birders were counting every single bird in their part. With Miika Suojarinne we were walking in Vuoksenniska area and altogether 17 passerine species were seen: 486 Great Tits, 299 Greenfinches, 150 Tree Sparrows, 35 House Sparrows, 26 Siskins and so on. After the race we had an hour to check the Vuoksi where were all the wintering birds 2 Smews, Cormorants, a Tufted Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Whooper Swans and of course Mallards, Goldeneyes and Goosanders but also 2 Canada Geese. Then we had a good time watching many pictures and videos and we went to sleep after 4 a.m.

Anyway we woke up early and drove to birding to Lappeeranta. In Toikansuo we saw a Rook, 2 Teals and a Great Grey Shrike. In Luukkaansalmi were 3 Herring Gulls, a Goldeneye, Goosanders, Black Woodpecker and a Goshawk. In Hakali we twitched a Blackbird and in Laihia 2 Pheasants.

On the 23rd day I had a good lunch-hour in Siikalahti where a White-backed Woodpecker was drumming and a Grey-headed and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker were seen. At night I did the first owl-trip and in Melkoniemi I heard an Eagle Owl and 2 Tengmalm’s Owl were calling shortly when I was whistling. On the 25th day In Tyrjä we heard an Eagle Owl that was calling in Russia.

On the 26th and 27th we had a Backyard birding day in Finland and we participated in our backyard and in Tarvaslampi, but nothing special was seen. On the 26th afternoon I managed to get a couple of good year ticks a Jack Snipe and a Merlin.

The last bird observation of the month was a Goshawk in Siikalahti on the 29th day. Amazingly it was still not a real winter! There was almost no snow and only in two day it had been more than minus 10 degrees.

December – Winter without snow

On the 1st of December we had a winter bird race. Together with Hanna and Jarmo Pirhonen we started from Lappeenranta Toikasuo in dawn but we couldn’t find an Eagle Owl we found only a Teal. Next we drove to Savitaipale Kaskei to see a Hawk Owl. In Taipalsaari we weren’t lucky but once we drove back to Toikasuo we found a Chaffinch, 2 Linnets, a Sparrowhawk and a Goshawk. In Askola we found a flock of 4 Twites. In Luukkaansalmi we saw 2 Goldeneyes, 2 Herring Gulls and a Grey Heron. 2 Pheasants were found easily in Laihia and in Joutseno Pulp we had a Common Gull. But we had spent far too much time – we still had to get to Imatra Vuoksi. On the way we tried to see some woodpeckers but we managed to find only some other species like Coal, Crested and Long-tailed Tits and a Brambling. In Mellonlahti we had a Goldcrest and Cormorants but we managed to get to river Vuoksi too late. It was already dark but we still managed to find 2 Smews and a Canada Goose. But we missed some species. After all we got 42 species, which wasn’t very well. We became 3rd in the race.

On the 2nd of December we drove with Pekka Punnonen to Ylämaa to twitch a wintering White-fronted Goose, a Scaup and a Nuthatch. In Toikansuo we saw 2 Great Grey Shrikes. In the afternoon I continued to Imatra Vuoksi where I saw a Common Scoter, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Rook and a White Wagtail! All the same birds were also present than the day before.

On the 6th day we drove again to Imatra but we couldn’t find anything new. In Joutseno Kukkuroinmäki I saw 2 Starlings. Surprisingly on the next day I saw a Starling also in Parikkala.

On the 8th day I went to see the familiar Siberian Jays. Only 2 birds were there. Also Black Grouses were seen. On the next day we drove to Taipalsaari with Pekka. Lake Saimaa was empty but the Hawk Owl was still in Savitaipale, then we checked a couple of Dipper places and in the afternoon we twitched a Kestrel in Lappeenranta and a Black-throated Diver in Joutseno.

On the 13th day I saw a White-backed Woodpecker in Siikalahti and on the next day we twitched an Eagle Owl in Rautjärvi Simpele Kokkolanjoki. Finally I got my first pictures of the species – unfortunately pretty bad ones.

On the 16th day we were again in Toikansuo with Pekka. This time we were lucky! First we twitched a Shore Lark and a Robin and then we found an Arctic Redpoll and saw a Merlin. Later we still twitched a Skylark in Taipalsaari Kolinlahti. In the afternoon I checked the Vuoksi River again but nothing new was there.

After the mid December there weren’t snow on the ground! Anyway there were a couple of minus degrees so we decided to start cleaning all the owl nest boxes. There were really few birds on the forests – just some Black Woodpeckers, Black Grouses and Hazel Hens. Also the Christmas holidays were spent with the nest boxes. One day our Catalan friend Dani Burgas was helping us. On that day we found a nice Pygmy Owls storage and in a couple of Ural Owl nest boxes were a couple of owl feathers.

On the Christmas day I did the winter bird count which was the most boring ever. Only better bird was a Grey-headed Woodpecker. Before the New Year we managed to check almost all nest boxes. When the year changed there was still no snow on the ground. It was really dark!

November – Winter comes

Already in the beginning of November days were really short. It was almost dark when I went to work and after the work it was only a couple of hours light for birding. On the 1st of November I was birding on our back-yard and watching to Lake Simpele. At lunch hour I had a good start to a November garden birding competition: a Black-headed Gull, a Great Crested Grebe, a Nutcracker and some more common species. After the work I drove to Saari to check the fields. No geese were found but a flock of 7 adult and 1 young Bewick’s Swans was a surprise.

On the 2nd day I drove to twitch a couple of more month-ticks: a Pochard in Lappeenranta Hanhijärvi and a White-fronted Goose in Joutseno Konnunsuo. The day before there had been still a couple of more ticks, but they had left.

On the 3rd day we counted the first winter bird count with Hanna. We walked more than 18 kilometres around Siikalahti: best observations were 2 White-backed Woodpeckers, 2 Teals, a White-tailed Eagle, a Nutcracker, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Great Grey Shrike, a Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Crested Grebe. New records were 94 Tree Sparrows, 253 Great Tits and 75 Blue Tits.

On the 4th day we were watching migration in Simpele water tower with Jari Kontiokorpi. We were expecting to see a good Whopper Swan migration but only 44 birds were seen. But a White-tailed Eagle and a flock of Pine Grosbeaks were good and a young Pomarine Skua was a really good one!

On the 5th day 2 Velvet Scoters were seen from our backyard and 3 Smews were still found around the lake. On the 9th day In Imatra Vuoksi I saw 9 Canada Geese, a Red-breasted Merganser, 8 Long-tailed Ducks, 6 Velvet Scoters and a Common Scoter with “konza”. Then we picked up “jamppa” and started a long way to western coast to Pyhäranta. On the next morning we started from Rihtniemi where only some Common Eiders, a Red-throated Diver and 4 Long-tailed Ducks were seen. The rest of the day we were checking many birding places in Uusikaupunki and saw a couple of hundred of Tufted Ducks, more than 130 Smews, more than 200 Mute Swans, Coots, a Crested Grebe, Common Buzzard, a White-tailed Eagle and so on. The second morning in Rihtniemi was better even though the weather was still really bad: a Black-throated Diver, a diver sp, 18 Long-tailed Ducks, 4 Common and 18 Velvet Scoters, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Black Guillemot, a White-tailed Eagle, a flock of Long-tailed Tits, 2 flocks of Waxwings, a Chiffchaff and the best one a Common Guillemot. Later we saw again a Common Buzzard, 19 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Crested Grebe but nothing much more.

On the 14th day I drove south to Kirkkonummi because of during the 15th and 16th day I was studying in Vantaa. On the afternoon of 16th day I had a couple of hour’s time for birding. In Espoo Laajalahti I saw 10 Canada Geese, a Grey Heron, 16 Bearded Reedlings, a Long-tailed Duck, 53 Great Black-backed Gulls, 215 Goosanders, 14 Smews and 13 Coots. In Helsinki Viikki and Kyläsaari I saw nothing. In the next morning we continued with Hanna and Pirkka to BirdLife meeting to Mikkeli. On the way we planned to twitch a Black-throated Thrush in Kotka. But we were lucky earlier – we were just crossing the border of Ruotsinpyhtää and Pyhtää when I saw a strange bird flying over the bay in Ahvenkoski. I parked the car and we ran after the bird and right away we heard 2 clear calls of a Kingfisher! We never saw the bird again but we were familiar with the call so it was a new self found bird species to me! Later during the day twitchers found 2 Kingfishers there. We had time for only a short stop in Kotka and the thrush wasn’t found – as it was never seen again. We continued to Mikkeli where we were a little bit late but we had a good weekend with good program and many friends.

The winter had arrived to Parikkala. It was dark when I went to work and again when I stopped working. In the end of November it was snowing a little so it wasn’t that dark anymore.

On the 24th day I was checking many places around the Lake Simpele but only some flocks of Whooper Swans and Goosanders and some gulls were seen. In Simpele Lahnanen I saw a Scaup and the best bird was seen in Pitkätsolaset – a migrating Golden Eagle.

On the 25th day we went to Taipalsaari with jamppa. On the way we stopped In Lappeenranta Toikansuo where were a Goshawk, 2 Linnets and a Twite. In Taipalsaari we found big flocks of Yellowhammers and Tree Sparrows, a couple of Chaffinches and a Brambling but nothing more. In Savitaipale we twitched a Hawk Owl that came to catch dead mice almost from hand. On a second try we managed to see a female Hooded Merganser in Taipalsaari. In the same place in Kirjamoinsalmi was also a Red-breasted Grebe. Another stop in Toikansuo was also good, we saw an Arctic Redpoll, 2 Teals and a Great Grey Shrike. Later we saw still 3 Siskins.

The last days of November I tried to do some birding but it was already winter. So only birds that I saw were the familiar Siberian Jays.