Summerhouse and Lesser Grey Shrike7.6-9.6-2020

Last weekend we had short trip to our summerhouse in Loviisa. Lots of things to do after the small storm . I cut the crass and later we got few visitors. Kids were playing and swimming. We had nice meal, I had little time to watch around and fly my drone.
Bird of the day was definitely Red-footed Falcon, which I found during my drone flight. Second calendar year male hunted some insects and soon continued South East from our yard. Shame that my drone was in 100m altitude, so I had kind of hands full there. I even got lifer when I found two Hairy Hawker dragonflies near our cottage! Here is some pictures from the day. When we arrive back home on Sunday I twitched Ortolan Bunting quite near my house.

South East side from our summerhouse. 

At least one Great Bittern has been in this reed bed the whole spring and it was calling constantly during the day.

Hairy Hawker, Brachytron Pratense.

Family of Mute Swans.

Peacock Butterfly, Aglais Io.

Barn Swallow.

Variable Bluet. Coenagrion Pulchellum.

Camberwell Beauty. Nymphalis Antiopa.

On 9th I was normally working and I noticed Lesser Grey Shrike in our alarm system. Great news was that my  co-worker Peetri was the founder of the bird! Finally I was released at four a clock and bird was still there. I picked up my kids and together we drove to Saltfjarden in Kirkkonummi where the bird was seen.

Last update was almost two hours before we arrived, but when I parked my car some friendly birder came and told me that bird is still there.
I took my telescope and I found the bird quickly. Then Vilma to the stroller and there it was, my stroller tick number 250! Damn I was happy, still are!

Kids wanted to walk to the bird tower so we had nice adventure and besides birds we also watched cows, dragonflies, butterflies and all kind of interesting flowers. Near the tower we met my old pal Pekka Komi. He is my mothers old class mate and we always stop talking about stuff.

Yellow Wagtail.

Vilma and Julius in Saltfjarden.

Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Grey Shrike and Pekka.

Lesser Grey Shrike is really good looking bird. 

Soon we walked back and it was time to have something to eat. At the parking lot we met my friend Matias Castrén and few other birders who saw the bird very well too. This was my fifth Lesser Grey Shrike in Finland.

Lesser Grey Shrike.

Large beetle on the menu. 

Kids wanted to have burgers, so we went to Hesburger in Kirkkonummi and after that it was so late that we just drove back home.

What a great ending for the day with my kids. Getting 250 species with strollers and kids have been one of the most amazing things I have experienced ever during my 20+ years in the field of bird watching. We have been in so many different places and it has give me so much joy that I really recommend to do try it if it is possible.

-Tom