Super ending for great weekend. 28.4.2013

Very poor morning in bird observatory. Fog was freaking dogged! Anyway we had to make some watching from the bunker and Jari put some nets on.
Some Chaffinches flied around, first Wryneck for the year passed bunker after 1,5 hour watch. Nice year tick for me.
Later me and Jari were standing in the bunker when Aki called about Ring Ouzel. Quickly we found the bird sitting on a tree in south-side forest. Guys called to Aatu who´s collecting eco year-ticks. Later all of us saw the bird and it seemed that bird was stayed in small area. Petteri proposed that we could catch the bird.
So we make some efforts to chase it in the net. After 40minutes it finally succeeded!
And what a beauty it was! 2cy Female.

Pepe and Aki with the bird.

What a bird ! 

This nice Greenfinch was also in the net. 

Later we cleaned the house and when people did something, Pepe found two White Storks flying very close to station. Nice station ticks for Jari and Pepe and lifer for Hanna.
We left about at 2 pm and our first stop was in Hanko where we twitched nice male Collared Flycatcher!
Second lifer for Hanna and great yer-tick for me.

Collared Flycatcher.

This is always nice specie. 

Some couple found male Subalpine Warbler yesterday from Espoo and that was my biggest target for the day. I drove quite fast from Hanko and when we arrive to the Lukupuro in Espoo, there was many people checking the bird.
We found it quickly and i got some photos of it.

Subalpine Warbler, male. 

Little bit closer. 

What a great bird. It get some food from the undergrowth and it looked very healthy.
This was only 32th record from Finland, so it´s true rarity here.
Great end for the weekend i think!
Thank you Jari, Pepe, Aatu, Aki, Hanna, Dick, and others who had great time with me this weekend.

See you soon.

-Tomppa-

Hey, there´s a Ring Ouzel! 27.4.2013

This was again great day in Hanko bird-observatory.
Standard watch started at 5:40 am and everybody except Jari came to the bunker. He had to open some nets. Sadly this was quite slow morning and like yesterday, Eiders were most numerous birds.
Jari got some Robins, Common Redstarts, Chaffinches and some other birds from the nets.
We had some good birds from the bunker also. Two Arctic Skuas, many Common Terns, one Rough-legged Buzzard, Hobby and some local Slavonian Grebes.

Robin.

Common Redstart. 

Arctic Skua, light morph.

Petteri took some photos of Chiffchaff.

First Lesser Whitethroat for me this year.

But after all, this was the day of Ring Ouzels. Jari noticed three Thrushes flying near the bunker and he yelled that one of those is Ring Ouzel! Soon we noticed that all of those birds were Ring Ouzels!! Nice flock of these scarce migrants here. Im not sure but this could be record flock ever in this station. In first flock there were one male and two females. Later we had one lonely bird and this is record migration ever here!
Later me and Aki went to Hanko city where some dude saw Hoopoe earlier.
No luck with that, but we met Dick Forsman there, always nice to see him.
Dick told us that in Täktom area were Black Redstart today and we went to check the places.
No luck in first place, but we found nice field where we had two Ring Ouzels more! I went to check those closer and Aki went to find the Redstart.
It was impossible to get any good pic of Thrushes.. So shy guys.. Aki found he´s target specie, so Black Redstart was still there. Nice afternoon!

Male bird. 

Female bird.

After we had some stuff from the store we arrived back to station. Later some food and sauna.
Nice ending for good day.

This Yellow-necked Mouse had some dinner on our feeder. 

More text tomorrow.

-Tomppa-

Rain and some ticks. 26.4.2013

Grey morning, me and Aki and Aatu went to the bunker where we had standard watch 4 hours.
Lot´s of Eider went West, some Terns and Arctic Skuas migrate and lot´s of Chaffinches flied around.
It took 3 hours 50 minutes before rain started and it continued almost all day.

Common Eiders. 

Great Arctic Skua photo!

Later rain ended and with Aki we went to check places around the area. Some Common Redstarts have arrived and one Chiffchaff was found. Also 4 Ringed Plovers, lot´s of Robins, Song Thrushes, Showelers, Common Shelducks and others.
This was clearly day off and we are back tomorrow with more power and species :)

Red-necked Grebe.

Brambling.

Common Redstart.

Chiffchaff.

Year ticks now 163. Today i got Whimbler, Arctic Skua, Common Redstart and Arctic Tern.

-Tomppa-

Lifer and other good birds.

What a day i had!
Yesterday some dude found Green-winged Teal from Vihti.
Me and Roni Väisänen went to look at it in the morning and we arrived to Vihti about 6:am.
There was some guy watching the place where the Teal was found and he told us that the bird is still there.
Quickly we took our telescopes and after 2 minutes we found the bird. Long waited lifer for me.
Bird looked good. Only one vertical stripe in both sides. No other white markings.
Here is very poor record shot where you can see vertical stripe and some Eurasian Teals with horizontal stripes.

Green-winged Teal, Anas Carolinensis. 

The place was actually very good. Many Teals, Wigeons, Bean Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, Swans and many others.
After Roni dropped me to Nihtisilta, i drove back home and after i changed my car tires i start to drive towards Hanko.
I checked few places before i arrived to Hanko where i did grocery shopping. Hobby and Little Gull where new species for the year.
After i arrived to Hanko Bird-observatory i met the boys, Tuukka, Jonne and Jarkko. We decide to take some watch from the bunker before i give them a ride to the buss station.
It did not took long when Jonne found some big bird flying above Hanko city.
White Stork! Soon there was two birds! Soon they disappeared for a while but Tuukka found them flying towards us.
Jarkko ran back to the station to crap he´s camera and we just waited on the bunker and looked how these amazing birds flew only 50m from us! I took some photos but where in bad light most of the time when they were close.
After this show, birds flew to North and some guys saw them from Täktom witch is near Hanko city.
Nice.

Close one. 

Both birds. 

Grass Snake.

Later i drove boys to the buss and when i returned to the station, i took some watch in the bunker.
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Tree Pipit and other nice shit.
I found also Pied Flycatcher from the yard.
Nice day with many new species for the year. Tomorrow will be rain all day, so not much expectations...
Let´s see.
Thanks everybody for company today.
Year ticks 158

-Tomppa-

Great days. 20-21.4.2013

What a great two days i had. Yesterday i did not have time to write any post, so there is for both days.
Yesterday was nice sunny day and i met Jari in Viikki again. One field was almost under water and there was many birds having party in the water.
We found some Wood Sandpipers and single female Garganey. Also few Barn Swallows, about 60 Teals, 50 Common Snipes and some other common birds.
Otherwise Viikki was little bit disappointment.. One Osprey, and other stuff.. nothing special :)

Bean Geese. 

Barnacle Geese. 

Northern Lapwing

I had little troubles with the time because i had to go to help my sister to move she´s stuff to new apartment

Today i went to Maari bird tower where i had nice watch. Common Cranes, Chiffchaff, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Caspian Tern, Smews and other stuff.
Later i went again to Vantaa, this time to check some Ring Ouzels. When i arrived to the place, Roni Väisänen came trhere with he´s girlfriend Annika. Nice to have familiar company. Later we found one Ring Ouzel, but it was super shy. I got very poor document photo of the bird.
After this, Roni remembered a sighting of Pink-footed Geese quite near and we drove there quickly.
Birds were still there and little bonus was two Tundra Swans! Nice year-tick.
Here is some photos from the day.

Reed Bunting.

Osprey. 

Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers. 

And that poor photo of that Ring Ouzel.

Can you id it? :)

Thanks Roni for company and it was nice to see you after long time.
Next two nights i must work, but next Thursday i go to Hanko bird observatory. More story from there later

-Tomppa-

Windy. 19.4.2013

This was one of those windy and cloudy days. Not much to tell..
My shift ended at 6 AM and after that i drove to Viikki where i met Jari. While i waited Jari i checked some fields near by. Lot´s of Lapwings, some Geese, tens of White Wagtails and two new species  for the year.
Lone Eurasian Golden Plover flied over the fields and soon i heard familiar voice, flock of Eurasian Curlews dropped out in the field. Nice start.
Soon Jari came and we walked to the hot spot, witch is middle of the fields.
Few Stock Doves, Robins, Song Thrush, lot´s of Skylarks and so on while we walked.
Wind was strong today and sometimes it was hard to keep your telescope stable. Fortunately we had even little bit wind shelter behind one barn.

Almost 200 White Wagtails today in Viikki. Maybe more.

Immediately discovered that many species have arrived in last few days.
Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Northern Wheatears, more Geese and Doves.
In two hours we saw also two Marsh Harriers, two Kestrels, one Barn Swallow, Goshawk, Bean Goose race Fabalis, lot´s´of Curlews and many more. It was nice to stand there and just watch how much birds there was.

Whooper Swans.

Eurasian Curlews.

Marsh Harrier. 

After the fields we decided to check Hakala bird tower. Winds was even stronger there and it was very hard to watch anything.
Few Grey Herons, four Smew males, lot´s of Teals, few Wigeon, two Northern Shovelers , Mallards and some Goosanders. Shoveler was new tick for the year.
I really hope the sun will shine tomorrow when i go to Viikki again. I want to get even few good shots.
Thanks Jari for company. See you to morrow.
Year ticks 131

best.

-Tomppa-

Grey day. 16.4.2013

Today was really cloudy and dark weather. Everything looked like grey.
Before noon i went to Seurasaari and i took nice little walk around the island. Many new birds there and many birds were singing actively.
Seven Robins, Winter Wren, Dunnock, Song Thrush, 35 Chaffinches, two Black Woodpeckers, one Great-spotted Woodpecker, Oystercatchers and many others.

One of many Robins today.

Mute Swan.

Singing Blackbird male.

Oystercather.

Chaffinch male.

Itchy Mew Gull.

One strange thing i noticed. Black Woodpeckers had destroyed many trees in southern side if the island.
It seemed that they would have did it by fun, but i think it must be something about food.
Never seen so much destruction!
Later afternoon i went to Suomenoja and i was hoping species like Common Pochard and Moohern.
I went to south-side tower and stated to look around.
Black-headed Gull colony is back and there was about 1000 birds screaming constantly.

Little part of the flock. 

Not many birds worth mention.. Lone Marsh Harrier was best bird from tower.
Some flocks of Thrushes were flying around but mostly those were Fieldfares. One Mistle Thrush flied towards west.
After i get bored in the tower, i went to shore where i saw big flock of birds. Mostly BH-Gulls and Mallards, but four Pockhards and few Tufted Ducks also! Nice.
At the same minute, rain started and i walked back to my car. Sadly the lake was still frozen, but not for long. Soon there is huge numbers of Ducks and Mooherns.

One of the four Pockhards. 

Nice day with five new species for this year. Number is 120.
Can´t wait for the weekend, then gets back to watch birds.

Hear you soon.

-Tomppa-

Spring birds and many ticks. 15.4.2013

Finally my 5 night shifts are over and i had some time to watch birds.

Many new species arrived last weekend and because i missed it when i was working, me and Jände went to Viikki after my shift. 

I picked up Jände at 7:30 and we arrived to Viikki at 8:00. Low wind was actually quite cold and there was only one plus degree. 

Immediately after i came out of my car i spotted some falcon hoovering above us. First year tick for the day was Common Kestrel! 

Record shot.

After this we walked to the fields and i started to check birds with telescope. 

Many Lapwings, Skylarks, few Stock Doves, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, five White Wagtails (tick), and lot´s of Fieldfares and Starlings. 

Soon we spotted lonely Barnacle Goose flying over us and that was tick for me too. 

I scanned the fields many times and after about 8 rounds i finally found few Meadow Pipits feeding with Skylarks. Nice. 

Not much to photo but it was really pleasure to watch such a big group of birds after long winter. 

First Wagtails for the year. Finally.

We left after an hour and when we were walking two Common Cranes flew above us quite near. Tick again!

When we arrived to my car, flock of Bean Goose flew over the area.

Bean Goose flock.

After Viikki we take short coffee break and then we went to Haltiala to check some fields. 

Not much birds there.. Chaffinch, Skylarks, Lapwings and so on.. Later two Cranes, Mistle Thrush (tick)  and lonely Bean Goose migrate over the fields. 

Local Yellowhammer in Haltiala.

Common Crane.

Later Jände needed to go to work and i gave him a ride. I decided to continue my day in Hernesaari and i took little sea-watch. Only two Black Guillemots worth mentioning. Guillemots were tick again so total ticks were seven! 

Jackdawn. 

One of four Barnacle Goose in Hernesaari.

What a nice day. Tomorrow i try to have some time for the birds, but so much things to do after 5 nights in work.. 

Thanks Jände for company. 

Best. 

-Tomppa-