Last two day in Vanhankaupunginlahti area 26-27.5.2020

This week I have been doing a evening shifts at work, so that gave me an opportunity to go our before that.

Last two days I have spend several hours around my local area and tried to catch my bird number 200 for this year. I made one night trip to Pornaistenniemi and Viikki after my shift and I got Great Bittern, Great Reed warbler and Blyth´s Reed Warbler to my list! 

On 26th I went to Lammassaari and I hoped to see Common Rosefinch and stuff. When I parked my car I already heard one male singing, so that was easy. I walked to the log path and there was more and more Rosefinches singing and some females just feeding in the trees.

Female Rosefinch.

Male Rosefinch.

I walked the path and most of the singing birds were Sedge Warblers and those were also quite easy to photograph.

Sedge warbler.

And another.

I arrived to Lammassaari and notcied and Ichterine Warbler singing near the path. This species is one of my all time favorites and I never get bored to listen or see those. I found the bird singing high up and photos are not good, but in video you can hear the song very well. 

Ichterine Warbler.

And again.

Funny angle made this bird look a bit weird.

Nothing special in Lammassaari and when I walked back I heard another two Ichterines singing near my car. Good walk and one new bird. 

That same day I got info of Greenish Warbler in other side of the bay, so I decided to twitch it along the way to work. Bird was singing nicely and there was few birders looking for it. 

On 27th I took my bike and ride to Purolahti tower first, but besides Red-backed Shrike nothing really interesting there. Loads of Rosefinches, some Yellow Wagtails, Little ringed Plovers etc. Soon I went to Hakala tower where I had nice two hours with Petri Lankila. Flock of Broad-billed Sandpipers were the best sighting and Temminck´s Stints, two Little Gulls, male Northern Pintail were nice too. No raptors migrating or anything else.. Felt like summer already.

Male Garganey.

White-tailed Eagle just before it catches a fish.

After I left the tower I checked the fields near by, but not too much birds. Some Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches and stuff.

Two new species to my year list and the list is now 201! Broad-billed Sandpiper was the number 200. Quite many easy species still waiting for me, so I´m not going to quit now. 

More later this week. 

-Tom