Midsummer in Loviisa and some witching. 25.6-28.6.2021

 So we spent midsummer in our summerhouse in Loviisa. I came first with kids and Sanni came day before. Not much time for the birds, but I took several photographs of dragonflies and butterflies. 

When Sanni arrived on 26th I had change to twitch. First came info of Arctic Warbler from Hamina and son migrating Eastern Imperial Eagle from Helsinki to East! I had to try the eagle! 

I said to Sanni that there is two lifer nearby, so go I must! I first started to look the eagle from Loviisa, but with my luck it went more south of the point I stood with few other birders, so no luck with that. Then I decided to try it from Hamina, so I drove about an hour and I had plenty of time to twitch that Arctic Warbler before I came to Hevossaari where I met about 30 more twitchers. We waited the bird, but at some point somebody said that it should be here already... No luck here either.. Arctic Warbler was a lifer for me so that helped a bit, but I really wanted that grand prize eagle! Maybe next time I will contact it. 

Few photos from the weekend.

Juvenile Pied Flycatcher.

Massive Common Toad.

Osprey.

Four-spotted Chaser.

Here is also a poor video where you can hear the Arctic Warbler singing. Make sure you got full volume, cause bird was singing pretty far away.

-Tom

Baillon´s Crake in Parikkala 24.6.2021

 On 18th of June Karri Kuitunen found, photographed and sound recorded an female Baillon´s Crake in Parikkala, SE-Finland. This species is very very rare in Finland with only 16 records before this bird.

One successful twitch was made before Janne and Hanna Aalto took the second group to the site. Place was a bit hard to reach without local help and there was private summerhouse very near by. 

We had about 25 people there that night and bird was singing almost all the time we spend there! What a great luck to be there week after it was found and still got the bird! It was a bit difficult to hear it because all the Sedge Warbler and other singers, but I managed to hear first few calls and then Janne borrowed his microphone / Hearing device and that helped a lot! 

Also many Corncrakes and other nice birds were singing and I had Short-eared Owl from the car pretty near of Parikkala. 

Part of our group.

Thanks for the guidance and company Janne and Hanna, this was a pleasure! Crake was lifer for me, and I have seen these only in Israel before this. 

Next post is from our Loviisa summerhouse where we spend the midsummer with my kids. 

-Tom

Hartola weekend 18.6-20.6.2021

 We spent very nice weekend at our Hartola summerhouse between 18th and 20th of June with my mother and kids. Lots of good food, swimming, birds, butterflies and stuff. 

I had few new birds to my year list from there including European Nightjahr, Hazel Grouse, Crested Tit and Parrot Crossbill. Also got one lifer when I found almost ten Lilypad whiteface (Leucorrhinia caudalis) dragonflies from our friends cottage! Species is not really rare at this area, but not easy to find from our capital area. 

Again, some photos from the trip.

Banded Demoiselle, Calopteryx splendens

Northern White-faced Darter, Leucorrhinia rubicunda

Red-eyed Damselfly, Erythromma najas

Summer evening.

Lilypad Whiteface, Leucorrhinia caudalis

Lilypad Whiteface, Leucorrhinia caudalis

Northern Chequered Skipper, Carterocephalus silvicola

Heath Fritillary, Meliteaea athalia copula. 

Four-spotted Chaser, Libellula quadrimaculata

Latticed heath, Chiasmia clathrata

Cimbex femoratus

Downy Emerald, Cordulia aenea

More posts coming soon. Almost a month behind now with these... 

-Tom