MEGA! Naumann´s Thrush in Estonia 19.11.2012

Yesterday me and Jände went to twitch Naumann´s Thrush in Kihnu Island, Estonia.
Bird was found by Aivo Klein few days earlier and it was first just a red tailed bird and little by little Aivo get the ID of the bird.
When the alarm came, we were ready to go. We took the evening ferry and after long sailing and quite fast driving, we arrived to Linnamäe where we stayed over night.
We continued our drive at 6am because the ferry to the island started at 8:40am
In the harbor we met Tiit Vohta, Andrus Jair and Mihkel something, sorry i don´t remember..
Same time Uku Paal, Margus Ots and Riho Marja were in the island and the saw the bird.
This was very good news for us!
Hour later we arrived to the island where Aivo and Tarvo Valker waited us.
Quick drive to the most southern ti of the island where the bird was seen.

Boys, searching the bird. 

We started to walk trough the bushes and on the road but nothing in first 40 minutes..
Then we tried other place where Aivo had the bird earlier. Some of the people saw little thrush flying in the bushes! Bird was very shy but now we had some idea where it should be.
We walk back and again bird flew other side of the small area. This time i saw the bird, but only dark "little thrush" flying..
Again walking and i don´t have energy to write how many times we flushed the bird but finally we saw it enough well to give it ID!
After better views we took a little break.
Later i was going to behind the fence witch is in the garden, i got the best views of bird. Nice orange-rusty color on sides and whitish belly especially in the middle. Orange underwing and quite clear supercilium!
That kind of secured the birds id. God i was happy!

Place where Thrush liked to be. 

Kihnu lighthouse. Bird finder Aivo in the photo also.

The thrush was not only bird in the island. I had one Pine Grosbeak also and that was second new specie on my Estonian list! Super day. Only thing what bothered me, was that we did not get any photo of the thrush.. Sadly.

Only bird photo... Coal Tit.

This thrush was only 20th for the Western Palearctic, so it was MEGA.
About at 4pm we left from the island and everybody was happy.
On our way back to home, we had little problems with Jändes car, so we ledt it in the Pärnu city.
Thanks Andrus and Tiit for a ride to Tallin!
I must thank also my supervisor Lauri to let me go on a work day, Ilkka to taking my shift and thanks for all who effected any kind of way to this twitch.
Today bird was still present, so who knows how long it going to stay.

best.

-Tomppa-

Afternoon birding 13.11.2012

I was too tired to wake up earlier than 9:45 am.. After breakfast we hit the gym with  Sarina and then was right time to watch some birds.
Weather was super nice, little wind, sunny and quite warm. I started from Lauttasaari and i parked in same parking lot like last time. First bird was Pine Grosbeak again and i had to take some photos of it! Sorry guys for all these Grosbeak photos, but it´s quite rare here normally, so i have to take few every time. (This time i left the Waxwings alone.)

Grosbeak, again.

I continued my walk and soon i arrived at the shore. I did little sea-watch and best bird was adult White-tailed Eagle. Soon i found another of these giant eagles, this time immature bird. Some Wigeons and Goldeneyes were swimming in the sea and Sparrow Hawk flew quite near my head. Hawk had little Crow patrol behind it so it was hurry i guess.
I was walking along the beach when i noticed more Rowan-trees near, i checked those and i found Bullfinches, Black Birds, one Fieldfare, some Waxwings and one Grosbeak again! Here is photo of it, i know you like :)

Black Bird, 1cy i think.

And the Grosbeak, enjoy. 

I walked to the most southernmost point of this are and there was again one Sparrow Hawk. Most birds were Blue and Great Tits and it will start notice that there is less birds every day..

Sparrow Hawk. 

When i walked back, i noticed huge bird witch must be endemic in Lauttasaari!

Boot-footed Oystercatcher! 

Best sighting of the day!
I walked back to my car and then i noticed huge clouds coming.. Nice weather was soon gone and i thought, what i should do.
I drove to the Tähtitorninmäki, where i saw Humes´s Leaf Warbler earlier this year. There was no sunshine when i arrived there but the reason why i went there, was still present.

Little bit better photo than last time. 

Nice Northern Haw Owl allowed me to take few photos. Nice ending for my day.
As you can see, almost same species last time.. Sorry for that, but here´s no other birds.. Without this nice Owl, my day would have been incomplete, so i went there.
Next time i promise some spontaneous things. Let´s see what those are, and when.
Now two night in work and then Finnish twitching society´s autumn meeting. It´s nice to meet some familiar faces.

Best.

-Tomppa-

Sunny day in Helsinki. 9.11.2012

Finally some time watch birds. This week has been tough in work, so two days of came for good time.
Today i start from Töölö, and this time Hawk Owl twitch was successful! It took only few minutes after i arrived when i saw the Owl flying and chasing Magpie. Soon it came closer and i managed to get some photos.

Little bit dark, but otherwise nice photo. 

More light. 

Owl moved constantly and it was all the time teased by the Crows and Magpies and it was actually quite hard to photo... But anyway, super nice bird indeed!
I continued to the Finnå and i was hoping some rarities again. Place was totally dead and only few Gold Finches and some Tits were only birds...
So, no much to tell about finnå. I continued to Lauttasaari, same place where i found Grosbeaks few weeks ago.
I arrived and noticed huge flock of Bohemian Waxwings in one tree. I went closer and i counted about 200 birds! Nice.

Rowan fruits are best! 

Traffic in the tree.

I checked also other Rowan trees and some Grosbeaks were still present.
Only 3 birds, but that´s something.

Pine Grosbeak. 

All Grosbeaks were female / 1cy male type birds. No red males this time.
After birding, i went to the gym again, my goal is to have biggest biceps of all birders in western palearctic!!
Hah, yeah.

Next week i next time to watch birds, if weather is good.
Now is good time for rarities, everybody out now!
Hear you soon.

best.

-Tomppa-

Shitty day in Kirkkonummi.. 4.11.2012

Shitty day... I was twitching the Slaty-backed Gull with Tuukka but we miss it in three minutes!! What a nice luck...
We spend almost 9 hours there.. best sightings was Caspian Gull candidate.. One Pine Grosbeak, and many species of Tits, including Crested.
Maybe some one can found the bird tomorrow and i have better luck.

Flock of Herring Gulls.

I was not only one who wanted to see this super rarity.

There was almost 100 people in the area but Gull was hiding very effective.
Sorry for a short post, im not in good mood after this...

Best.

-Tomppa-