Brown Shrike 14.10.2021

 During my day t work I got message to our local Viikki WhatsApp group of juvenile Shrike which looked very good for Brown Shrike. I was having my lunch and during that some people ID´d the bird as Brown Shrike and oh boy, I had to run. 

I took my work car and drove to Viikki and walked about one kilometers to see the bird. I had only my camera and binoculars, but luckily kind fellow birders gave me good views from their telescopes. 

Only second record from Finland after bird in Hailuoto this September! We had to look the bird from distance, but I managed to have few poor pictures of the bird. 

Brown Shrike.

Bird was almost inside of the trees or bushes the whole time I spend at the site.

What a bird! 

Lots of twitchers at the site! 

Congratulations to Kaj Hällsten who found the bird! Let´s hope we will get more mega rarities like this in the near future! 

-Tom 

Homecoming Turte Dove and one dipped Tarsiger. 12.10.2021

 So, yesterday I came home from my trip to Estonia. What a great time I had there, but all good things must end at some point. I was out from the ship and passed the covid-test / inspections pretty quickly and I checked if long staying European Turtle Dove would still be around the corner. There was a sighting in tiira-system, so I gave it a try. 

I arrived to the site in Otaniemi, Espoo and I noticed a guy carrying a camera. He showed the Dove to me, so thanks a lot stranger! I had only few minutes for the bird, cause my kids were eager to see me after my trip (really they were expecting only large amount of candy from the ship, not me) but that was enough. Here is few pictures of this rare and charismatic bird. 

Turtle Dove.

Autumn colors were nice too. 

Juvenile bird has been in the area now for over a week.

Wind was strong and sometimes the birds had trouble to stay still.

Turtle Dove and leafs. 

Today I was way too late for Red-flanked Bluetail. I had kids and we had to eat after daycare, so we arrived around 6pm to Kaisaniemi and even during the time we spend there some others saw the bird. We were literally 5 meters from it, but nothing for me today. High hopes that it will stay over night and I will have time to twitch it during the day at work. Fingers crossed! 

-Tom 

Last day at the bird station. 10.10.2021

 Mother of all days for rarities, 10th of October. Shame that it was super windy and quiet. Great Snipe was til present and Uku got about 25 birds from the net. I tried like cray to find something, but no luck today. I have really nothing to tell about this day. I visited store for few beers and we had sauna. Got nice picture of Mistle Thrush, visited Môntu and got Caspian Gull like gull, but that´s all. Here is few photos from the day. 

Caspian Gull type of gull in Môntu harbor. 

Little bit better photo of Great Snipe.

Landing! 

First Lesser Whitethroat of the day.

Most common passerine here. 

Pale Common Buzzard.

Mistle Thrush.

So, I had Great trip here in Saaremaa. Thanks to Juha, Jände, Raul and Uku for company. I wish that I could bring my kids here some day. Amazing place, but for birds and rarities, very hard to cover and control. 

More birding in Finland.

-Tom 

Windy day at the station. 9.10.2021

 Again outside around sunrise. Lots of passerines migrated, Uku and Raul had some nets on and I walked around the area. Loads of Common Buzzards today and with them three Marsh Harriers, one Hen Harrier and finally first Goshawk for the trip. Also lone Peregrine Falcon later this afternoon from East side. 

I spend time with Uku at the ringing site and we had nice over 50 Golden Plovers, lone and pretty late Greater Curlew migrating. I checked the bay and even walked along the shore. I got one Common Snipe and two Jack Snipes there. Raul also found Great Snipe! We tried to take photos of the bird, but always it took off before we relocated it, so poor pictures below. 

We visited Laadla for some crackers and cake. After that Jände and Juha went to Môntu and they had adult Lesser-black-backed Gull there. 

Tomorrow my last day. Here is few photos from the day. 

Hairy beast. Catocala Fraxini.

Jack Snipe place.

Brambling in hand.

Golden Plovers! 

Great Snipe.

Half of the Great Snipe.

Greater Curlew of the day.

Dunnock.

Uku ringing maybe a Great Tit.

Very nice day and high hopes for tomorrow! 

-Tom 

Great migration. 8.10.2021

 Sunny and almost windless morning. Lots of birds around the station and already some sparrow hawks went South at that time! 

We drove again to the lighthouse and we had nice two hour watch there. Species of the day was Woodpigeon and we counted 24790 birds! 

Some photos from the morning.

One of the 42 flocks of Woodpigeons.

Two Chiffchaffs from the station this morning.

One of many Common Buzzard. This one from morning.

Later we visited Loode and there we had nice one flock of Razorbills, some Black-throated Divers and adult Peregrine Falcon. 

Walk around the cape was good and just before we tried to go to the store we noticed big flock of Common Buzzards near the station. 38 birds were counted in the air same time. I went to station bunker and I had nice five Kestrels, one Hobby, two Hen Harriers and at least 28 Buzzards with lone Marsh Harrier. Also many White-tailed Eagles around the area. 

Later I wanted to walk another round and took me about 5 minutes to find Firecrest from the bush near the road. I told Jände where to watch and yelled to Juha who I knew were at the yard. He ran there and saw the bird. It was new species for him in Estonia! 

Here is few pictures from the day. 

Lesser Whitethroat.

Common Buzzard.

Friends?

Beautiful Herring Gull.

Common Redstart and Chiffchaff. 

Long-tailed Tit.

Hen Harrier.

Me having a raptor watch. 

Common Kestrel.

And another. 

This time I got some images of the Firecrest.

Mad looking bird. 

What a day! Uku and Raul came this afternoon and we have three nets tomorrow, so maybe some rare birds will end up in that? Only couple of days left, so give me those rarities, please :) 

-Tom 

Migration day at the bird station. 7.10.2021

 We were already up much before sunrise and after breakfast we drove to check the bay and cape. Chaffinches had amazing migration going and we decided to stay in one spot to watch the migrants and maybe waiting for good opportunities to photograph birds. 

In few hours we were so cold that had to go inside for a break and for coffee. Thousands of Chaffinches and Siskins, two Swallows, many Sparrow Hawks, many flocks of Long-tailed Tits and others were counted. 

Here is some photos from this morning. 

Beautiful morning at the military museum near station. 

Grey Herons chasing each others.

Starling flock.

One of many Sparrow Hawks.

And another. 

Later we visited Môntu harbor, ut not much to tell from there. Also short visit to Laadla shop before we searched birds from Lighthouse and from station area. Migrating Hobby, bi flock of Long-tailed Tits, flock of five Common Buzzards, three local Redstarts etc. No rarities again.. 

Few photos from the day. I also used drone today for scenery photographing. 

Sörve lighthouse from South.

I think this is one of the most beautiful places in Estonia. 

Jände and Juha coming back to the car. 

Peninsula from North. Station house is right side of the road. 

Station and small forest near by. 

Star Gate in Sörve woods.

Laadla shop in autumn colors. 

Common Redstart and Mati. 

Flock of Long-tailed Tits.

Late Hobby migrated today.

Again one Brambling.

Common Chiffchaff. 

At the end we added about 14000 Chaffinches, 200 Siskins, 5000 Passerines and lots of other to our migration card. What a great day this was. 

More birding tomorrow, stay tuned! 

-Tom