Slaty-backed Gull in Kouvola 24.1.2021

Yesterday afternoon I was doing some groceries when I got message to our alarm system. "Putative Slaty-backed Gull in Kouvola" Shiit... I missed the first for Finland by three minutes so obviously I was super interested about the bird. Still, no chance to go and twitch that moment, so I had to made some plans for this morning. 

I started around nine o clock this morning and I arrived to the site about 1.5 hours later. River bank, where the bird was seen was full of birders and my min target was very easy to see. It was swimming near the shore, but soon moved a it further. I started to watch the gull and see all the features. At some point it moved back near us so I got pretty decent photos despite the poor light. 

Bird was adult in winter plumage and quite easy to ID, but I can imagine what went through finders head when she watched this beast. Elissa Soikkeli was the finder of the bird, congrats! 

Here is few pictures of the bird.

Typical head markings and broad white edges. 

Back color is very different than other dark-backed gulls here.

Slaty-backed Gull.

And again, what a bird and so so rare.

On my way back I had about seven Grey Partridges from my car and soon I decided to drive to Riihimäki, cause Crested Lark was seen there earlier same day. Bird has been there already some weeks, but finally I had time to visit the site. 

First I arrived to the wrong place, but I collected Common Pheasant to my year list from there and I had to drive another 1,5 km to the right place. 

Some other birders around too and took me about five minutes to find the bird. It was sitting on a branch and soon landed quite near. Poor light there too, so record shots only.. Great bird anyway. 

Dark morph male Common Pheasant.

Crested lark on a branch.

Crested Lark on the ground.

What a day. Great birds, great people twitching. Quite much driving again, but it was really worth it. Again, congrats to Elissa who found the Gull! What a weird place to see bird like this. Also almost forgot to mention that we twitched Twite to my stroller list with Julius yesterday. Quick twitch without camera this time, but one of my easiest missing species left with strollers.

Slaty-backed was my lifer number 345 in Finland, so if there is any luck this year, I might reach the 350. Who knows?

More birds next week, I hope. 

Tom