. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

On the 28th of May I started another 10 days holiday this spring but after work I still had to be nervous as our car was in service and it wasn’t absolutely sure it will be fixed. But luckily everything went smoothly and after 3 p.m. I was able to start a long drive towards Oulu.

I stopped only once on the way to fill the tank and buy some snacks and finally after 9 a.m. I was in Kempele Vihiluoto. Miska Loippo had arrived a little bit earlier and together we went to bird-tower to check the water-level and of course birds there.

There were lots of birds: a couple of Mute Swans, a Common Shelduck, several Pintails, Gadwalls and a Garganey, about 20 Greater Scaups, a Slavonian Grebe, a couple of Red-necked Grebes, a Pheasant, a Great Bittern, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, a flock of Broad-billed Sandpipers, a few Temminck Stints, a Short-eared Owl and a Bullfinch was heard. In a short visit in the evening we saw so many birds that we started to think if we should start our bird-race here next day?

After 11 p.m. I went to pick up my brother Pirkka from Oulu railway-station and finally after midnight we were ready to go to sleep in our comfortable room in hotel Vihiluoto.

PPLY bird-race

On the 29th of May Antti Vierimaa arrived at Vihiluoto and soon we had packed our car full of optics, food and birders. Miska had managed to visit the bird-tower briefly and he hadn’t seen as many birds as in the evening but he had seen a Pochard there. Anyway we decided to stay in ordinary plan and were soon driving towards Oulu Sanginjoki,

We checked a couple of places on the way but found nothing interesting and the drove to Kupareisenpolku. Already on the parking place we heard a Red-flanked Bluetail singing and as we knew it was very late day for this species, we decided to begin our race at 11:26 a.m. The race had to bee started between 11 and 12 o’clock.

But the rest of the forest was very quiet. After some time we had found only a Common Crossbill and a Treecreeper. So we soon had to move on. Our next bird was a young Ural Owl that was seen already far when it was sitting inside the nest-box. The we hurried to listen to a Wren that Antti knew and after some searching it was finally found. Luckily we also saw a Sparrowhawk and a Honey Buzzard there. And soon we were ticking a Pygmy Owl on its nest. Also this bird was just quickly listened so we didn’t really disturb the bird.

Next we headed to Pateniemi where we found out that there was very windy on the coast. Little Ringed Plovers were found easily but only other better bird we found was a Pheasant. In Oritkari we saw only a Northern Wheatear and luckily saw a migrating Rough-legged Buzzard and also the second Honey Buzzard of the day

We were late in our schedule so we almost skipped Oululahti but luckily decided to go there anyway and saw 20 Broad-billed Sandpipers, a Little Stint and a Caspian Tern there. In Vihiluoto the sea was quite rough but still we managed to see Greater Scaups, a Garganey, a Common Shelduck and some Velvet Scoters there. We had hoped to see more but the weather was against us. While driving towards Kempele we saw some Black-tailed Godwits on one field and then in Kempele we managed to find a calling Collared Dove quite easily. Then our next target was an Ortolan Bunting which wasn’t easy as it was singing very far and staying mostly quiet but finally we all heard it.

It was so windy that we made a decision to spent a lot of time for only one species and drove a long way to Relletti to tick a Great Grey Owl. On the way back we tried to twitch a Pallid Harrier couple that had been seen on one field several times but we weren’t lucky. But we were lucky to see a couple of Short-eared and one Long-eared Owl.

Finally we parked to Liminka Virkkula and walked to the tower where the wind was still strong. Some Broad-billed Sandpipers and Caspian Terns were seen but then we heard a Marsh Sandpiper calling and the bird was also seen. Then we saw a migrating harrier that first looked like a female Montagu’s Harrier but when it finally started soaring, it looked more like a Pallid – so it was left unidentified.

In Lumijoki Sannanlahti we saw some Barnacle Geese and n Arctic Skua on Lamukari and on the shore bay there were some Red-necked Phalaropes swimming. Also one Yellow Wagtail was seen.

It was already getting late when we headed to twitch a Tengmalm’s Owl that Antti had found while preparing to the race and then in Siikajoki Tauvo Merikylä we saw that there was still some migration going on far on the sea. So we quickly headed to Kaasa where we still managed to see some flocks of Common Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks and also a lonely Red-necked Grebe.

Then it was time to head to Munahieta. I was till closing the doors of our car while the others saw a Ural Owl. Then in Munahieta we found out that water-level was so low that there was a huge sandy plateau! After some walking we realized that it would take whole night to see the possible waders that usually were on the other side of Ulkonokka and we decided to turn back. With Pirkka we saw briefly a Merlin in flight but as more than half of the team has to see the bird we couldn’t get a single new species!

But now we managed to save some time so soon we headed to Säikänlahti that wasn’t in our ordinary schedule at all. And luckily there was a male Smew with many Goldeneyes.

The day changed while we were heading to Hummasti where we once again heard a couple of Jack Snipes. In Raahe we heard a Water Rail in Aittalahti, saw Canada Geese and a Lesser Black-backed Gull in Lapaluoto and then twitched a Great Reed Warbler in Järvelänjärvi. It was a new North-Botnic species for me. In Raahe city we still saw a Starling before we hurried towards Pyhäjoki to find night-singers. In Teerelänpuhto we heard a Stock Dove and then along Eteläinen Penkkatie we heard a couple of Thrush Nightingales and a single Blackcap.

Morning sea-watch was made in Ulkoharmi where we spent some time to find a suitable place and then ended up to a swimming beach. From the sea we found some Black-throated Divers and one Red-throated Diver and then surprisingly heard a Willow Grouse calling on the shore! But nothing else was seen so soon we did hit the road again.

In Parhalahti we saw nothing new but then second visits in Aittalahti and Järvelänjärvi gave us Coots and Slavonian Grebes. Those grebes had a nest too close so we almost didn’t see it at all!

In morning we hurried towards Siikajoki Vartti and then got a message that there was a Bee-eater right next to the cross there! So we headed there even faster than normally but anyway the bird was already long gone. There were some teams and other twitchers so we stopped there anyway briefly and it was a good stop as a Blyth’s Reed Warbler was singing and 2 Waxwings were seen. But soon we continued to Vartti where Antti had once again prepared well for us!

Soon we saw Black Woodpecker nestlings and then heard a Hawk Owl before we were even close to the nest. The along one forest-road Miska found a distant harrier displaying on the sky and soon we found out that there was a couple. They were far and in horrible light but slowly they came closer and closer and finally we could identify them as Pallid Harriers! And then we saw this couple chasing a Goshawk!

Our traditional bog-visit was again good as we saw a Golden Plover and a Whimbrel. a Few timed we had found a Montagu’s Harrier territory there but now we saw only a Hen Harrier which was a tick anyway. We were in a hurry so we had to continue towards the shore as we still missed many waders. On the way we finally saw some House Sparrows but in Alhonmäki we saw nothing new. Then in Karinkanta we saw a couple of Red-backed Shrikes but in Säärenranta the wind was awful again so no more species were seen.

Finally 24 hours were full and slowly we drove to Liminka Virkkula where I dropped Antti and Pirkka to go to do the log. I gad to go to drop Miska to Vihiluoto so he could start driving home. Finally I drove back to Virkkula to listen the results. Kalle Hiekkanen, Pauli-Pekka Österberg, Eino Hiekkanen and Ville Suorsa won with 161 species but we were second with our 154 species. The third team had got 150 species. After all we could be satisfied with our result as most of us were living far from Oulu and Antti hadn’t been birding much in resent years. Anyway he had done huge work with preparations during the last 32 weeks so thanks Antti!

I was already very tired when I dropped Antti to Vihiluoto to continue home with his car. Then we still went to eat with Pirkka before I dropped him to the railway-station and then I drove to my brother Riku. After some time I was ready to go to sleep and after all I slept for 14 hours in Riku’s caravan.

Tauvo

On the 31st of May I woke up and it had been raining a lot. I visited Vihiluoto, Kiviniemi and Oritkari and saw some Dunlins and Gadwall – both species we had missed on the race. Other birds I saw were the same birds than before. In the afternoon I went to Riku’s place but in the evening I picked up Antti and we headed to Siikajoki Tauvo ringing station.

We were driving past Merikylä crossing when Antti shouted: “What the hell is that – a Turkey!” I stopped the car and indeed there was a Turkey couple walking along the road! We took some pictures of thees escapees before continued the last kilometers to Tauvo.

We got our stuff to station and after some time Matti Tynjälä, who was going to ring in the station for whole season, woke up. It was about 10 p.m. and we had planned to sleep a little bit before the morning but soon we were putting up the mist-nets. After all I slept for a couple of hours and then went to help Matti.

The best bird of the morning from the mist-nets was a Bluthroat but even better bird was an Eagle Owl that was heard calling. Also Antti woke up early enough to hear it. It was nice morning and we caught some Pied and Spotted Flycatchers and so on, but later most birds were just Willow Warblers. With Antti we checked the nets for whole morning and saw about 100 Common Crossbills and heard a Red-throated Diver.

At midday we slept a couple of hours again and then in the afternoon we went to walk around whole Ulkonokka. It was once again very difficult to get to Munahieta because of there was so much water on the meadow and reedbeds, but finally we made it and then it was a long way to walk around the sandy plateau. 48 adult and 24 young Greylag Geese, 4 Common Shelducks, 19 Dunlins, a Red Knot, 59 Broad-billed Sanspipers, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Little Tern and a couple of Arctic Skuas were the best birds we saw.

In the evening Matti started to talk about a Blyth’s Reed Warbler that he had ringed on the morning before we had arrived. He wondered why it had been so short-winged. I asked if he had any pictures of the bird and once he showed the first picture I was shocked – he had ringed a Paddyfield Warbler – the first for North-Botnic! Luckily it had been several hours before we had arrived and not for example while we had been walking a round Ulkonokka…

In the evening I slept a couple of hours again and then woke up to check mist-nets. It was quite poor night and in the morning there were only a few Willow Warblers coming. So after all I went to sleep for 5 more hours and when I woke up Antti had also just awaken.

Hailuoto

In the afternoon we still helped Matti to close the nets and then drove to Oulu where I dropped Antti at home and then I decided to continue to Hailuoto. I managed to drive straight to a ferry and soon I was in Hailuoto. There I still checked Potinhamina where I saw 16 Common Shelducks, 2 Arctic Skuas, 8 Caspian Terns and 3 Dunlins and then still saw a Short-eared Owl in Keskikylä before I was in Marjaniemi where I started to sleep in my car.

On the 3rd of June I woke after a couple of hours sleeping and walked to the tip to seawatch at 2:10 a.m. After a couple of hours I finally saw the first migranting Common Scoters. Then in few hours I saw altogether 34 Razorbills, 103 Cormorants and also Common and Velvet Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Black and Red-throated Divers and a single Short-eared Owl.

In the morning I drove to Keskiniemi where I walked long walks to both directions along the shore. Between the walks I slept a couple of hours in my car. There weren’t many birds but one Sanderling and one Broad-billed Sandpiper were found and well photographed. Also a couple of Turnstones, Common Ringed Plovers, a couple of Gadwalls and Common Shellducks were seen.

Then I still visited Kirkkosalmi, Ulkokarvo and Potinhamina but only bird to mention was a Black-tailed Godwit. Then I drove to the harbor and soon I was on the ferry back to Oulunsalo.

Sea-Lapland

Next I drove a couple of hours to Kemi where I finally parked to “Allu” Hamari’s garden. Allu had prepared a good meal and after that we watched ice-hockey from television. I was already really tired when Allu told that we had two choices, either we would leave immediately birding or then at 7 a.m. I thought that 7 a.m. was too late as the weather-forecast was very hot for the next day. So after all only 30 minutes later Jouko Kärkkäinen came to pick us up and we headed to Ajos harbor. There we tried to start the engine of Jouko’s boat but even though the engine had just been on service, it didn’t start! Luckily Allu had another engine and after an hour delay we were finally on the sea!

It was again much windier than it was told to be so it was very wet ride! Soon we were all freezing. The first stop was made to make us warm mostly on one small rock but then in Keilakrunni we saw some really good birds! We saw 3 Common Eiders and 7 Black Guillemot there and they are not common birds in Lapland!

Then we continued to our main destination to Selkä-Sarvi where we did counts by walking around the whole island. Some Turnstones, Temmink Stints, a couple of Arctic Skuas and a Razorbill were seen there.

Then we just enjoyed summer morning on the island before we headed back to the sea. We checked several islands and rocks before we were on the shore again where we still started to check some places. Some more Turnstones, Arctic Skuas and a Velvet Scoter and so on were seen and then even 3 Garganeys but then I started to feel far too tired to continue. It was still a long and bumpy way back to Ajos and finally we were back to Allu’s place where I finally got possibility to go to sleep again. An I slept for 14 hours again.

To north

During the day we left driving north with Allu, both with own cars. In Tervola we ticked a Thrush Nightingale that Allu and Jouko had found earlier and also heard a Chiffchaff and saw a Starling before we continued to Rovaniemi.

In Rovaniemi we checked first Suksiaapa where we saw a couple of Slavonian Grebes, a Smew and a Black Woodpecker. In Niskanperä we saw a Red-throated Diver and a Common Scoter and in Harjulampi a couple of Great Crested Grebes. In Aronperä we saw nothing interesting so soon we continued towards Kemijärvi.

In Kemijärvi we went to check Sellu sewage pools with Pirkka as he had found a Ring-necked Duck there a couple of days earlier. But the duck wasn’t found vut we saw a couple of Gadwalls, a Garganey, a Red-throated Diver, a few Temminck Stints and 13 Jackdaws – good preparation for the race anyway.

After we had eaten pizza with Pirkka’s family, we started driving towards north again. In Pelkosenniemi Savukoski crossing we tried to find Little Buntings but found a Rustic Bunting. A White-tailed Eagle fle over us too. In Sokanaapa we saw a Great Grey Shrike, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Black-throated Diver and some Smews.

In Sodankylä we stopped in Ilmakkiaapa where only a couple of Bean Geese and a Broad-billed Sandpiper were observed but then Iso Moskujärvi was excellent! First we found a couple of White-fronted Geese, then Velvet and Common Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Shovelers, Black-throated Divers, a Goshawk and heard a Lesser Whitethroat. Also Sompiojärvi was good as we saw 16 White-tailed Eagles, lots od Smews, Velvet Scoters, a Spotted Redshank and when it was getting late we heard and saw altogether four Willow Grouses.

Finally we were in Saariselkä where Allu had managed to get us a cottage. There we had sauna before we went to sleep.

On the 6th of June we hit the road only a 8 a.m. and in Laanila river we found nothing but on the feeder of Savottakahvila we found a couple of Pine Grosbeaks. In Kaunispää hillside we found easily a single Dotterel. In Kaamanen 4 Tuulen Tupa we stopped for coffee and ice-cream and and saw a Siberian Tit on the feeder.

Then we headed to Inari Ivalo Mellanaapa where we met Juhani Honkola and saw a Jackdaw, a Rough-legged Buzzard and a couple of Lapwings.

In Utsjoki we headed to Skalluvaara where on the pools we saw a couple of Greater Scaups, Red-necked Phalaropes, a couple of Bluethroats, 8 Long-tailed Skuas and a tame Temminck Stint.

In Mantojärvi we saw one more Rough-legged Buzzard. We had heard that there were almost no voles and lemmings in whole Lapland, so there were almost no raptors either. On Utsjoki Ailigas we were lucky to find a Ptarmigan immediately when we reached the top and then in the village we saw a Siberian Tit flying in front of our car. Then we still followed Teno river and made some stops on the way to Karigasniemi and saw a White-tailed Eagle and a Merlin. I managed to see one Ptarmigan in flight on the top of one mountain on Norwegian side of the river.

But the best observation of the whole day had been a Lynx that we saw crossing the road somewhere on the way. It stopped pretty close next to the road but behind some bushes but I managed to get some pictures of it. Then it walked further but stopped to stare at us so that only its head was visible.

In the evening we got an apartment in hotel in Karigasniemi and we watched icehockey WC final Finland – Canada. Unfortunately Finland lost in overtime and finally we were able to go to sleep.

Lapland bird-race

In the bird-race morning we woke up at 8 a.m. and an hour later we were in a shop next door. Soon we were driving towards Ailigas but there we found out that the gate up to the fjeld was closed so we had to forget some species. Then we headed to Piesjänkä which was our starting place.

We walked along drier parts of Piesjänkä to the lakes and once we reached the shore it was time to start the race. We started with a flock of 70 Long-tailed Skuas, singing Lapland Bunting and Bluethroat and displaying Jack Snipe – not bad! We also found a Smew, some Long-tailed Ducks, Common Scoters, Red-necked Phalaropes and so on.

We checked the lake several times until we had to start walking back towards our car. Now we walked through the wet parts of the bog and soon found a Dunlin and a Broad-billed Sandpiper. Other surprises weren’t found until we were near the parking place where we heard a Bar-tailed Godwit calling inside the fences of reindeer round-up. Also a Merlin was seen flying against Ailigas.

Once we were driving, we saw a Kestrel in flight and a couple of stops gave us only some common northern species. In Inari Ahvenjärvi we saw a couple of Velvet Scoters and in Siltajärvi we heard a very northern Sedge Warbler. In Muotkaruoktu we saw a couple of Pine Grosbeaks on a feeder and in Ukonjärvi a couple of Black-throated Divers, Cormorants and Heuglin’s Gulls. So again a couple of good species!

In Pikku-Peitsamo we heard a Little Bunting singing and in Neitiaapa we saw a flock of 39 Taiga Bean Geese, but in Mellanaapa we saw only Lapwings. Then we twitched a breeding Siberian Tit and saw a Hazel Hen on the way which was very good as was also a very northern Hobby that flew over the road. In Kaunispää we weren’t lucky as Dotterel wasn’t found – there were again too many people on the top. Only a Northern Wheatear was seen there.

In Sodankylä we visited the lakes we had prepared earlier. In Sompiojärvi we saw several White-tailed Eagles but also a Golden Eagle! Also a Spotted Redshank, Temminck Stints, and a couple of Willow Grouses were seen. In Iso Moskujärvi we saw the same White-fronted Geese, Shovelers and this time a female Goshawk.

Then it was time for the first long drive of the race. We drove through Pelkosenniemi where we saw a couple of Capercaillies and Woodcocks. The day changed before we got to Kemijärvi where we checked some places without anything else than a Garden Warbler, but on the sewage pool we saw a Garganey, a couple of Pochards, a Red-throated Diver and heard a Red-necked Grebe. On the previous morning the Ring-necked Duck had been seen again, but again after that it was not seen.

Then we had a long drive to Rovaniemi where in Apukka we got a Skylark and later we heard several Common Rosefinches, a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and saw a Sand Martin and some Common Swifts. In Vitikanpää we saw Redshank and heard a Lesser Whitethroat, in Aronperä we saw Little Ringed Plovers, in Pöykkölä we had Pheasants and a couple of Common Whitethroats, in Harjulampi Great Crested Grebes and in cemetery we twitched a Wood Warbler. Then in Tuomilampi we saw a Slavonian Grebe, in Vanttauskoski we heard a Blackbird and in Auttiköngäs we saw a couple of Dippers.

We had still two hours to go when we reached Posio Korouoma parking place. Soon we were walking along a patch that was in very bad shape. All the bridges had collapsed so it was a long and slowly way. We were almost running but heard some Dunnocks, Wrens, Common Crossbills, saw a Parrot Crossbill and also a very angry Rustic Bunting. Finally we reached our ending place a couple of minutes before the race was over but saw nothing new there in time.

After some relaxing we climbed up along very broken steps up to the edge where we saw a Peregrine flying on the sky. And then a Black Woodpecker landed to the nearest tree and while walking back towards our car we still heard a couple of Treecreepers and then also a couple of Red-flanked Bluetails! So we had 4 species we had missed in the race!

In the race we had 124 species and won clearly. The record in the race was 125 species so we were close. But it really wasn’t good bird-year as there were almost no voles and therefore no raptors. Also many other birds were more difficult than in a normal year.

On the way to Kemijärvi we tried to twitch an Arctic Warbler in Juujärvi but found only a couple of Rustic Buntings and a Sparrowhawk (one more species that we had missed). A Red-throated Diver was on the nest on one pond and in Kostamo we heard a Little Bunting.

In the evening Allu left towards Kemi (he planned to sleep on the way soon) and pretty soon I went to sleep too and slept again 14 hours.

On the 10th of June we still visited sewage pools with Pirkka and saw Gadwalls (missed in the race), Garganeys, Pochards and a Red-necked Grebe. Then I had to start a long way back to home. Somewhere in southern Kemijärvi I saw a Jay crossing the road… I didn’t see anything else on the way. I ate good Thai-food in Suomussalmi and finally was at home after 9 p.m.

It had been a hard birding-holiday with too little sleep! But I had seen 185 species (without a Willow, Crested and Coal Tit!). Let’s see how long it takes to recover from this holiday?

J.A.