Bird tower competition week
On my birthday on the 2nd of May before my work I saw some Long-tailed Ducks and Common Scoters in Härskiinmutka, on my lunch-hour some Ruffs, Wood Sandpipers and Spotted Redshanks in Siikalahti and after work we left to Saari where we saw 30 Golden Plovers in Akanvaara Tetrisuo, a Bewick’s Swan and a Black Kite in Pohjanranta, 12 lekking Black Grouses in Jyrkilä amd 5 Canada Geese, a Common Sandpiper and a Whichat in Kanavalampi. On the 3rd day I saw only a couple of Hazel Hens and 2 female Smew in Siikalahti.
On the 4th of May I saw 3 Velvet Scoters in Härskiinmutka and in the evening we checked all the nest-boxes in Punkaharju and also some in Tarvaslampi with Miika. A couple of Long-tailed Tits, a Pied Flycatcher and 3 House Martins were seen. Late in the evening my brother Pirkka came and it meant next 4 days would be birding days.
On the 5th of May we started early and saw an Oystercatcher in Härskiinmutka. Then we continued to Siikalahti and stayed there until midday. We saw 20 Common Scoters, a Hobby, a Little Ringed Plover, a Temminck Stint, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Sand Martins, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Sedge Warbler, a Blackcap, a Common and a Lesser Whitethroat and a Thrush Nightingale were singing.
When it started to get too bright and hot to continue, we decided to go to check Lake Simpele from different places. We headed first to Tähtiniemi and right away I found a flock of 4 Steller’s Eiders! Nothing else interesting was found there or other places.
In the evening we headed to Saari and found 2 Merlins, some flocks of Golden Plovers, a Bewick’s Swan, a Redshank, 22 Yellow Wagtails, some Spotted Redshanks, a flock of 67 Ruffs, a Stock Dove and the best birds were found in Uukuniemi Suurenjärvenliete where a Short-eared Owl, a Pink-footed Goose and a Jack Snipe were seen. On the way back home we still heard a Wryneck in Moskuunniemi and then we still went to see a breeding Ural Owl.
On the 6th day we started right after midnight but a night-trip to Siikalahti was a disappointment. Only 7 Water Rails, 5 Spotted Crakes, some Bitterns, 2 Thrush Nightingales and some flocks of migrating Common Scoters were heard. I was working the day but in the evening we still headed to check some of the last nest-boxes. No owls were found but we saw a lekking Capercaillie and n Elk.
On the 7th of May was the Bird tower competition. We, 3xAalto, Matti Lötjönen and Ilpo Kuusisalo, were in Siikalahti main bird tower early and at 5 a.m. the race started. It was nice warm weather and we didn’t need to wear most of the clothes we had with us at all. But there weren’t many birds on the bay or migrating. Anyway after 2 hours we had seen already 70 species but nothing better. A Gadwall, 500 Common Scoters, 12 Long-tailed Ducks, 2 Hen Harriers, a Redshank, White-backed Woodpecker, 2 Black Woodpeckers, some Cuckoos, a Dunnock, a Thrush Nightingale, a Sedge Warbler, some Jays and Bullfinches and so on. Luckily the visibility stayed good and even though it came very warm, we managed to get new species all the time. So we still found 2 Red-throated Divers, a Rough-legged Buzzard, 2 Hobbies, a Green Sandpiper, a Stock Dove, a Sand Martin, a Swift, 6 Waxwings, a Common and a Lesser Whitethroat, House Sparrow, 3 Tree Sparrows and the best bird of the day a Black Kite. Finally in the end of the race we got a Tree Pipit, a Smew and a Siskin too.
So after all we got 95 species and were this time 2nd best tower inland. The best was Outokumpu Sysmäjärvi. No other teams had 90 species inland. Saari Tarassinlahti had 88 and Rautjärvi Simpele 85 species.
But the day wasn’t over yet! A Ross’s Gull had been reported from Janakkala Röyhynsuo and after a short visit at home, we started a long way to Janakkala.
After 4 hours driving we finally parked to Röyhynsuo and we still had to walk last 2 kilometers. But luckily the bird was still there! It was a beauty, but unfortunately it didn’t look well. It was resting on next to the pool alone and after some time a Hooded Crow flushed it. Luckily it could still fly well and after some time it flew right in front of us! So we could see and photograph it really well!
We saw also a Ringed Plover there and after we had photographed enough, we started a long way back home. We stopped in Lappeenranta Kaislanen where a Savi’s Warbler and a Water Rail were heard and finally at 1 a.m. we were at home.
On the 8th of May we started at 8 a.m. and heard a Wood Warbler in Moskuunniemi. Then we headed to Saari again as there had been 2 Red-breasted Geese found. Geese had disappeared but we headed there anyway. In Akonpohjanlahti we saw 70 Golden Plovers and soon we heard that the geese had been relocated in Uukuniemi Suurenjärvenliete. We hurried there and soon found the birds. They weren’t showing really well so after some time we continued to Pohjanranta where we found a Black-tailed Godwit.
We still ate in Parikkala and then Pirkka had to start a long way back north to Kemijärvi. He still tried to see a Greater Spotted Eagle that had been seen in Siikalahti heading towards north but wasn’t lucky, so this lifer is still missing on his list. Maybe next year?
J.A.