Dotterel inVuosaari 25.9.2021

 I was watching TV at home when I got message of Eurasian Dotterel in Vuosaari hill! I took my gear and drove tho the site where I met small group of people watching the bird. 

Very smart looking juvenile bird was resting in the low vegetation and sometimes it moved a bit. Finally got even decent photos of this species which breeds in Lapland and arctic tundra. It is not are in the north, but here it is very good bird. 

Also calling Grey-headed Woodpecker and Red-throated Pipit in the area. 

Some images below. 

Through the telescope.

What a camouflage! Not easy to spot from there if you just walk by.

Juvenile bird. 

Front.

Side.

Hiding! 

What a bird. 

Hopefully more birds like this and even rarer pop up from Helsinki are in next weeks.

-Tom 

Grey Wagtail 20.9.2021

 After my day at the office I took my time at the gym and then went to Vanhankaupunginkoski to twitch Grey Wagtail which was found earlier today. Bird was relatively easy to relocate, but it was super shy. I had only binoculars and phone, so my photos are really poor. Taken with my Samsung. 

Grey Wagtail.

Grey Wagtail.

This species is about annual in this area and some individuals in Helsinki every year, but not really easy to find. Juvenile birds as this is the most likely to be seen here. Great bird.

-Tom 

Seurasaari with kids. 19.9.2021

 Yesterday I had very pleasant walk around Seurasaari in Helsinki. Place is mostly forest, but very easy with kids and there is lots of bird feeding during the winter months, so lots of birds are staying there all year long. We had two Black Woodpeckers, two Great-spotted Woodpeckers, Coal Tits, Robins, one Eurasian Nuthatch and juvenile Red-breasted Flycatcher there. Loads of fun for kids when birds landed on your hand to get nuts or what ever. Some photos below. 

Julius showed me the Nuthatch.

On my hand. 

What a beautiful bird.

Juvenile Red-breasted Flycatcher. This was a nice surprise.

Nuthatch again.

Great trip and quality time with my wonderful kids.

-Tom

Long staying Mandarin Duck with kids. 18.9.2021

 This Mandarin Duck was already found 15th of April, but cause I´m pretty lazy, I went to twitch it few days a go. I took Vilma and Julius with me and we had nice walk around the area in Simonkylä, Vantaa. Finally we found the bird with kind help of another twitcher. Duck was in the bush, sitting on a branch and it stood there the whole 20 minute we spend there.. Stupid peace of nature. I was hoping some nice images, but this is all I got. 

Mandarin Duck.

Bush Duck.

What a beauty even in a bush. 

-Tom

Short visit to Hartola again. 3.9-5.9.2021

 Weekend at the summerhouse with my mother, brother and my kids. Sounds pretty common these days. I have this thing that I have to leave the city at summertime. I really enjoy time at the countryside and that quietness, nature and peace. Already missing those. 

Anyway we had great couple of days. Good food and company. Nice birds from Hartola, Black Grouse, Willow Tits and bird of the trip, migrating Rustic Bunting times two! Pretty big influx in Finland with Rustic Buntings and tens and even over a hundred birds counted from some places. I had two and I was very happy! 

Fox Moth, Macrothylacia Rubi caterpillar. 

Sweet Willow Tit.

Big Surprise, European Mole on our porch! Shame that my camera was not ready for this.

-Tom

Stroller tick Pallid Harrier 1.9.2021

 During my day at work I got info of two Pallid Harriers in Haltiala, quite near from where I live and at some point I noticed that at least one bird was still there when I was released from work. I took Vilma and the stroller and together we twitched the Harrier. It was showing nicely, but from distance. Also one Hen Harrier around. While I was watching those birds I heard Red-throated Pipit calling and flying over the site. 

Pallid Harrier approaching.

Pallid Harrier.

Hen Harrier with great camouflage.

Autumn is already here and lots of migrating birds around. 

-Tom

August

 During the August I spend much of my free time with my kids. Our divorce was quite big hit especially for Vilma who is already old enough to understand much more than her brother who is only three years old. 

On 8th of August I twitched Great Snipe from Paloheinä and saw in in flight only briefly... I used over six hours for that... 

24th I quickly twitched Bar-tailed Godwit from Arabianranta, but that was almost all before our trip to Estonia with my uncle Jände. I also visited Hartola with my friends and we had great time there. 

First photos from Hartola trip where I had my UV-light, and then footage from Estonia.

Triphosa Dubitata from Hartola.

Catocala Fraxini from Hartola.

Our trip to Estonia was 12th to 16th of August. We stayed in Kiige puhkekyla, pretty near cape Pôsaspea in Western Estonia. We had sea watch every day and once we visited Nova area where we had nice flock of Turtle Doves and some local Montagu´s Harriers. Great long weekend!

Caspian Gull.

Caspian Gull.

Caspian Gull.

Caspian Gull.

Caspian Gull.

Shorebirds from Haversi beach.

Common Buzzard from Kiige.

Common Buzzard.

European Oystercatchers migrating from cape Pösaspea.

Red Knots from Cape Pösaspea.

This flock of Great White Egrets came from Finland.

Turnstones.

Bar-tailed Godwit.

Rough sea and Bar-tailed Godwits.

Distant Black Terns migrating.

Adult male Montagu´s Harrier.

Juvenile Black-headed Gull.

Passport picture for Sandwich Tern.

Dunlins and Curlew Sandpiper in Haversi beach.

Soon to be wet Grey Plover.

Turtle Doves! 

Turtle Doves in Nova area.

Common Greenshank.

More birding in September! 

-Tom

Pretty quiet summer birding during the July.

 On 12th of July I had evening trip to Vanhankaupunginlahti, where I twitched Red-crested Pochard and had few other year ticks during my 2,5 hour walk. 

During the the July I had several trips to our summerhouses at Hartola and Loviisa. Not too much proper birding, but I had Black Kite migrating North from Hartola and nice family of five Long-eared Owls from same site. Here is some pictures from July.

Beautiful Brown Hairstreak, Thecla Betulae

Common Toad.

Common Frog.

Juvenile Long-eared Owl.

Three Ospreys.

Four-spotted Chaser, Libellula Quadrimaculata

More birding in August! 

-Tom