Volunteering in Siikalahti bird lake
Our local birding club organized clearance of nesting islets in Siikalahti. These islets were built ten years a go, but after that trees and bushes had taken over the surface. Last year three islets were cleared and right away birds used these islets more for resting and breeding. These islets were originally built for terns, gulls and ducks, but waders like to roost on them too.
Seven eager volunteers arrived with saws and garden shears. Ice was still strong enough even there was a bit of water over it. In a couple of hours we managed to clear eight islets of trees and bushes. Largest trees were already several meters high and quite thick.
There was still nearly half a meter of snow. Luckily snow was soft, so digging stems out from it was easy. You have to cut all saplings as near the ground as possible for good results.
On the 17th and 16th of March we were in Joensuu where was a BirdLife weekend. Local bird-association PKLTY had their 40th birthday too.
On Tuesday the 20th of March we were again in Siikalahti and cleaning breeding islets. In an hour we managed to cut trees from 3 islets.
H.A. & J.A.