. . Lintuharrastajan päiväkirja Birders diary . .

On the 27th of August there was a bird-race in Rantasalmi that I participated together with “Potu” suojarinne and Miska Loippo. We started in Vaahersalo and managed to get a Woodcock and a Song Thrush and some other species before there was light and then in a couple of hours some of the better species we got were a Red-necked Grebe, a Wren, a Snipe, a Black Woodpecker, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler.

In Kosulanlampi we saw a migrating Honey Buzzard and heard a Red-throated Pipit. In the village we saw House Sparrows and after a short stop in Putkilahti we continued to Putkisalo which was really good, so we stayed there for more than a couple of hours. We saw 2 Ruffs, 5 Ringed Plover, 39 Canada Geese, a San Martin, 10 Starlings, quite a few migrating Honey Buzzards with a White-tailed Eagle and the best surprise 3 Bar-tailed Godwits.

We didn’t know any other good places to visit so we decided to visit all places for the second time. In Putkilahti we had a Goshawk and in Vaahersalo we found 2 Common Whitethroats, a Red-backed Shrike, Blackbirds and the last species which was one of our best, a migrating Arctic Skua.

with our 74 species we were 3rd best team and altogether teams had found 106 species. So South Savo is not that bad place for birding at all!

In the evening my brother Pirkka came to Parikkala so the next morning we started early. In Siikalahti we saw a Hen Harrier, a White-backed and a Grey-headed Woodpecker, an early Lapland Bunting, a Little Stint, a Grey Heron and a White-tailed Eagle. Water Rails were calling, some Dunnocks migrating and from the bushes we still found a couple of Garden Warblers and 3 Long-tailed Tits.

Later we did a short trip to Saari but only a Great Grey Shrike and a Hen Harrier were seen in Akanavaara Tetrisuo and another Hen Harrier and a Merlin in Pohjasuo. After Pirkka had started his long way to north I still saw a Nutcracker in Kangaskylä.

On the last day of August I still saw a Blyth’s Reed Warbler in Siikalahti and also a migrating harrier that probably was a Pallid, but it was too far.

During September I visited Siikalahti every day and several times on most days. On the first day I saw a Dunlin and heard a calling Red-breasted Flycatcher. In Kullinsuo I saw 2 Golden Plovers, 3 Red-throated Pipits and a Cuckoo and another Cuckoo in Kaukola. In Lahdensuo I saw still a couple of Whinchats and in Kirkkoranta I heard an early Redpoll. A couple of next mornings I saw 350 Cranes, a Black Woodpecker, a White-backed Woodpecker, a Wren, a couple of Grey Herons and a Chiffchaff.

During the weekend I counted 57 Barnacle Geese in Joukio so some of the local breeders had already left. While visiting Lappeenranta I checked Askola a couple of times but saw only 3 Golden Plovers, 2 Ringed Plovers and 21 Lapwings. On Sunday I walked around Siikalahti once again and saw a Hen Harrier, a Black Woodpecker, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, a Red-throated Pipit, 3 Wrens, 8 Sedge Warblers, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, a Nutcracker and 27 Reed Buntings.

On the 7th day there were 6 Red-throated Pipits, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Red-backed Shrike and a big surprise a young Moorhen in Kullinsuo!

On the 8th day on my lunch-hour I saw the first migrating flock of 70 Barnacle Geese and in the evening there were already 1550 birds migrating over our house in an hour. I also saw 2 Cormorants. On the 9th of September a Mistle Thrush was singing in Siikalahti and 450 Barnacle Geese migrating. The best bird was a migrating Nutcracker. With Harri Partanen we found a Bluethroat, 60 Meadow Pipits, a Red-throated Pipit, 8 Skylarks and 15 Lapland Buntings in Kullinsuo and in the evening 412 Cranes came to Siikalahti and while counting we saw an early Bewick’s Swan and heard at least 4 Water Rails.

On the 10th day I saw 3 Coal Tits, a Pintail, a White-backed Woodpecker, 3 or 4 White-tailed Eagles and 70 Barnacle Geese. In the evening we tried to catch owls but only a Tengmalm’s Owl was heard calling a couple of times around the mist-net in Tarvaslampi. On the 11th day I visited Kullinsuo again and saw 211 Barnacle Geese, 10 Lapland Buntings and a Bluethroat, in Vartialahti I saw a flock of 20 Common Scoters. Late in the evening aurora borealis arc was visible on northern sky.

On Saturday the 12th of September we drove to Saari again but only 2 Hen Harriers, a Grey Heron, a few Lapland Buntings and a Grey-headed Woodpecker were seen. But there were already at least 5000 Barnacle Geese. In Kullinsuo we saw a Red-throated Pipit, Lapland Buntings and the same Bluethroat again. 186 Cranes came to Siikalahti and even 7 Water Rails were heard. On Sunday I visited the forests but saw only some Crested Tits and a Grey-headed Woodpecker. It was very quiet in Siikalahti too but the weather was so good that I spend there some time just relaxing and enjoying the sun. In the evening I still visited Saari but saw only a Feral Pigeon in Pohjasuo.

On the 14th I saw 9 Feral Pigeons in Kangaskylä and a late Honey Buzzard and a Bluethroat in Siikalahti. The Bluethroat even sang for a while! On the 15th I saw a Bittern and another late bird was a Swift that was flying around the bay with some Swallows. In the evening I was counting the Cranes again and saw 275 of them. A funny Pygmy Owl was singing and calling there and another Bittern flew over me.

On next days I counted more than 500 Mallards and more than 500 Wigeons in Siikalahti, but nothing else interesting was seen.

J.A.