My year has been great. Here is some highlights.
January.
Highlights for the January were Black-throated Thrush, Western Capercaillie, Pine Grosbeak, Shore Larks and of course my first lifer for the year, Iceland Gull. Also lots of Owls in January, including Eagle Owl, Hawk Owl and Pygmy Owl.
February:
This is maybe the most boring month of the year.. Some good Owls around Helsinki area. I got nice photos of Great-grey Owl and Long-eared Owl. Lots of snow and not much more..
March:
Highlight was very early female type Hen Harrier, Ural Owl and first migrant birds of course. Always nice to see when spring is coming and more and more birds coming back.
April:
9.4 i saw Wood Lark and that was year-tick number 100. Later more and more birds came back to Finland and Common Stonechat was first real rarity in April. Big influx of White Storks came arrived after second week and i had total of 7 birds in April. Other good species were Common Kingfisher, Ring Ouzel, Pink-footed Goose and Tundra Swan.
Last weekend of the month i spend in Hanko birdstation. Lots of migrants and on our way back to Helsinki we twitched Collared Flycatcher and Subalpine Warbler!
May:
Middle of the May we had very nice trip to Israel where i got few lifers. During our trip only real bird we missed was Little Egret in Kirkkonummi.
11.5 i had Blue Throat in Viikki and that was year-tick number 200. Best birds in May were Citrine Wagtail, Terek Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose and Booted Warbler. Last one was lifer for me.
June:
June was quite slow, but i was lucky to get some quality species. Lesser-spotted Eagle showed up in Espoo, Grey Wagtail in Helsinki and Black Kite in Vantaa.
July:
July started with nice species when i had one female Red-necked Phalarope and Ruddy Shelduck in Espoo. My July continued in South-East Finland where i had Greater Spotted Eagle. Not many quality birds in July so even White-winged Crossbil was good.
August:
Early August we had Yellow-legged Gull candidate in Espoo but not much else in first weeks of the month. Real MEGA came little bit later when Sabine´s Gull was found in Lempäälä and only 14th for Finland and second adult bird. Same day i twitched Great Snipe in Helsinki and last good bird for the month was Little Grebe. Also quick weekend in Rome where i had Firecrests and Short-toed Treecreepers. Also lots of Yellow-legged Gulls and other common stuff.
September:
First ten days were very good for Pallid Harrier and i saw one in Inkoo and we had Richard´s Pipit in same place. Also Great White Egret in Espoo early September.
Soon after that massive Yellow-browed Warbler invasion came to Finland and i saw four birds this autumn. Total of 420 birds were seen this autumn in Finland. I made also my only trip to Estonia and there i managed to twitch Estonias first Isabelline Wheatier and we found one Hawk Owl and two Lesser white-fronted Goose migrated with Barnacles in Pösaspea.
October:
Early October i had lonely Pallas leaf Warbler in Helsinki while i was working. Not many birds this year in Finland. European Turtle Dove was beset bird when i visited Suomenoja at 14th.
Later in the month we had long waited week in Säppi island and before that i twitched long staying Sardinian Warbler from Pori. Only fourth record for Finland. In säppi we had one Black-legged Kittiwake, Little Bunting, Guillemots and few Purple Sandpipers. Maybe rarest bird we saw was leucistic Arctic Skua.
November:
Not much birds in November. Highlight was 21st Desert Wheatear for Finland in Helsinki. Very nice tick for me.
December:
I sold my car and after that i had huge changes in my life, with moving alone in different place and so on.. I had only few photo sessions with Hawk Owl and i met very nice people from England who came to check that same Owl.
Early Christmas present came when i bought flying tickets to Israel and we are going next March with my uncle Jände.
Let´s hope that next year brings more rarities and great moments with my friends.
Summary:
Year 2013 has been great, many birds and memories. Total year-ticks in Finland 257 species. Easiest misses were Barred Warbler and all the northern species because i did not visit in Lapland.
My top 10 birds this year in Finland.
Sabine´s Gull, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Booted Warbler and Desert Wheatear.
I want to thank all my friends all over the world, you are best. Hope you had nice year and happy new year!
best.
-Tomppa-
January.
Highlights for the January were Black-throated Thrush, Western Capercaillie, Pine Grosbeak, Shore Larks and of course my first lifer for the year, Iceland Gull. Also lots of Owls in January, including Eagle Owl, Hawk Owl and Pygmy Owl.
 |
| Shore Larks. |
February:
This is maybe the most boring month of the year.. Some good Owls around Helsinki area. I got nice photos of Great-grey Owl and Long-eared Owl. Lots of snow and not much more..
 |
| Tengmalm´s Owl. |
March:
Highlight was very early female type Hen Harrier, Ural Owl and first migrant birds of course. Always nice to see when spring is coming and more and more birds coming back.
 |
| Great-grey Owl |
April:
9.4 i saw Wood Lark and that was year-tick number 100. Later more and more birds came back to Finland and Common Stonechat was first real rarity in April. Big influx of White Storks came arrived after second week and i had total of 7 birds in April. Other good species were Common Kingfisher, Ring Ouzel, Pink-footed Goose and Tundra Swan.
Last weekend of the month i spend in Hanko birdstation. Lots of migrants and on our way back to Helsinki we twitched Collared Flycatcher and Subalpine Warbler!
 |
| White Stork. |
 |
| Collared Fly. |
 |
| Subalpine Warbler. |
May:
Middle of the May we had very nice trip to Israel where i got few lifers. During our trip only real bird we missed was Little Egret in Kirkkonummi.
11.5 i had Blue Throat in Viikki and that was year-tick number 200. Best birds in May were Citrine Wagtail, Terek Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose and Booted Warbler. Last one was lifer for me.
 |
| Booted Warbler. |
 |
| Upcher´s Warbler in Israel. |
June:
June was quite slow, but i was lucky to get some quality species. Lesser-spotted Eagle showed up in Espoo, Grey Wagtail in Helsinki and Black Kite in Vantaa.
July:
July started with nice species when i had one female Red-necked Phalarope and Ruddy Shelduck in Espoo. My July continued in South-East Finland where i had Greater Spotted Eagle. Not many quality birds in July so even White-winged Crossbil was good.
 |
| Ruddy Duck |
August:
Early August we had Yellow-legged Gull candidate in Espoo but not much else in first weeks of the month. Real MEGA came little bit later when Sabine´s Gull was found in Lempäälä and only 14th for Finland and second adult bird. Same day i twitched Great Snipe in Helsinki and last good bird for the month was Little Grebe. Also quick weekend in Rome where i had Firecrests and Short-toed Treecreepers. Also lots of Yellow-legged Gulls and other common stuff.
 |
| Yellow-legged candidate. |
 |
| Sabine´s Gull. |
September:
First ten days were very good for Pallid Harrier and i saw one in Inkoo and we had Richard´s Pipit in same place. Also Great White Egret in Espoo early September.
Soon after that massive Yellow-browed Warbler invasion came to Finland and i saw four birds this autumn. Total of 420 birds were seen this autumn in Finland. I made also my only trip to Estonia and there i managed to twitch Estonias first Isabelline Wheatier and we found one Hawk Owl and two Lesser white-fronted Goose migrated with Barnacles in Pösaspea.
 |
| First Isabelline Wheatear for Estonia. |
October:
Early October i had lonely Pallas leaf Warbler in Helsinki while i was working. Not many birds this year in Finland. European Turtle Dove was beset bird when i visited Suomenoja at 14th.
Later in the month we had long waited week in Säppi island and before that i twitched long staying Sardinian Warbler from Pori. Only fourth record for Finland. In säppi we had one Black-legged Kittiwake, Little Bunting, Guillemots and few Purple Sandpipers. Maybe rarest bird we saw was leucistic Arctic Skua.
 |
| Little Bunting. |
 |
| Sardinian Warbler. |
November:
Not much birds in November. Highlight was 21st Desert Wheatear for Finland in Helsinki. Very nice tick for me.
 |
| Desert Wheatear. |
December:
I sold my car and after that i had huge changes in my life, with moving alone in different place and so on.. I had only few photo sessions with Hawk Owl and i met very nice people from England who came to check that same Owl.
Early Christmas present came when i bought flying tickets to Israel and we are going next March with my uncle Jände.
 |
| Hawk Owl. |
Let´s hope that next year brings more rarities and great moments with my friends.
Summary:
Year 2013 has been great, many birds and memories. Total year-ticks in Finland 257 species. Easiest misses were Barred Warbler and all the northern species because i did not visit in Lapland.
My top 10 birds this year in Finland.
Sabine´s Gull, Subalpine Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Booted Warbler and Desert Wheatear.
I want to thank all my friends all over the world, you are best. Hope you had nice year and happy new year!
best.
-Tomppa-
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