New binoculars and twitch. 26-27.10.2015

So, yesterday I picked a pair of new Swarovski SLC 8x42 binoculars from Birdlife store, Viikki. Because that area is good for birding, I took my daughter Vilma with me and together we had great adventure.
After i got the binos we took about 3 km walk from Viikki to Vanhankaupunginlahti. Not much birds around, mostly Tits, Crows, Goldfinches etc. My main target was Pygmy Owl in Vanhankaupunginlahti so I didn´t took much stops before that. In old Viikki sewage farm I got Goldeneye to my stroller list with Black Woodpecker and nice flock of Goldfinches.
Finally I arrived to Pornaistenniemi which is closest part of the Vanhankaupunginlahti and I met some photographers. I asked if they know about Pygmy Owl and they told that it was just there few minutes a go. So, I continued and found another photographer and before I asked, he told me to look the owl! Sadly at the same moment Owl took off and I saw the tail feathers.. Anyway, Vilma was in our strollers and I got tick!
We also had nice White-backed Woodpecker and Great-spotted Woodpecker in same area!
Great time with the girl until she started to cry and I was in trouble... Fortunately I was close to buss stop and we went back home.

New Swarovski SLC 8x42

Fieldfare

Goldfinch.

Pornaistenniemi woods.

Today I twitched Pied Wheatear from Hollola after I drove Vilma and Sanni to my mother in law. Bird was little bit too far for proper photographing, but close enough to see even some features. My Finnish tick number 314 and year tick number 240. After i left, I had flying female Capercaillie close to Wheatear place! Another year tick.
Here is some distant photos of the star bird of the day.

So far...

Yeah, it is a Pied Wheatear!

-Tom

Ringing and Strollering in Helsinki. 16.10.2015

Today I joined Roni Väisänen and together we went to Östersundom, which is part of the eastern Helsinki. Place is often used for ringing activities, and today we had same plans in our minds.
We arrived just before half eight and just after we parked the car, we had Pygmy Owl calling! We listened and soon there was two birds calling from very different directions. Awesome start!
I helped Roni to put the nets on and then after quick coffee we made first round.
We had some Wrens, lots of Robins, even more Blue and Great Tits, one Dunnock, four Reed Buntings, few Treecreepers and one Goldcrest. I don´t have the total number of the ringings, but i think we caught about 50 birds, most of them Tits.
Also some nice birds around the area, not from the nets. Black Woodpecker, Sparrow Hawks, Redpolls, Bramblings etc.
Here is few pics.

Angry Treecreeper!

First year male Reed Bunting.

Eurasian Wren in first light.

First year Dunnock.

Later I had time to go our with my daughter Vilma, and try to find new awesome stroller ticks.
I was luckier than last time and I found my first Woodpecker species for the list, Great-spotted Woodpecker. Also other new species were smart looking Spotted Nutcracker! Bird which is always nice to see. Vilma slept whole time and I was happy!
Thanks Roni for great company, and I hope we can take this again very soon.

-Tom

Stroller ticking 14.10.2015

Seriously, what happened to the time? My last post is from month a go...
Biggest reason must be our daughter, who was born in 30th of September. After that day my life has not been the same what it was. And this time I mean it in a good way! I finally ticked long staying Pectoral Sandpiper to my list, but otherwise birding has been very slow.

Soon after we got back home, I started to collect stroller ticks. Rules are simple, and you just need strollers, baby, and go out. If you can see or hear bird, just hold the strollers and make sure that your baby is with you.
My first trip outside was visit to Käpylä and there i ticked Domestic Sparrow, Tree Sparrow and other common stuff. Best bird was definitely Hawfinch.
Next days i have been outside every day and ticked some nice stuff. Late Willow Warbler, Rough-Legged Buzzard, Goshawks, Wren to name just a few. Every day before today I got some new species on my list, but today was day of zero ticks.. 41 species in a week is still quite good I think.

Record shot of the Rough-legged Buzzard through my binoculars.

Goldfinch today quite near my house.

Sparrow Hawk.

More stroller and other kinds of birding stuff coming soon. I will try to visit Viikki or some other better birding place this week.

-Tom-