Last week. 19.9.2020

 This week has been very much other things than birding. We made two short walks with kids and I tried to see birds during those events. Here is few pictures from those. 

Common Raven.

Tree Sparrows.

Nice view in Viikki fields.

On 15th I was preparing my self to a football game ´when I noticed an alarm message of Short-toed Eagle heading West from Vuosaari. My schedule was super tight, but I managed to stop at the Viikki refinery and against all odds, I saw the bird pretty well! I had only my binoculars and telescope, so no pictures, but some people had amazing set of photographs of this beautiful lifer! My bird species number #342 in Finland. We had 3-3 draw in our game after losing two players with injuries and we were down 1-3 at some point! 

On 16th I lured my family to the car and we tried to twitch the same Short-toed Eagle this time from Kulmakorpi, Espoo where it was most of the day. But with my luck it left about 40 minutes before we arrived. I only saw this 1cy Hen Harrier near the place. 

Distant 1cy Hen Harrier.

Today I had nice morning trip to Lammassaari and Vanhankaupunginlahti area. Sun was shining, pretty hard wind but very nice weather. I arrived to Pornaistenniemi tower and started to check the area. 

In the small lake fron of the tower I had lone Smew, two Whooper Swans, some Wigeons and calling Black Woodpecker. Soon I also found small flock of Bearded Reedlings flying above the reed bed. Soon I got info of juvenile Peregrine Falcon hunting at the bay and I found it easily because of the all Crows chasing the Peregrine. Light conditions were very bad for photographing, but I managed to get some silhouette photos of the bird. 

The bird in the middle is Peregrine Falcon.

Nice view from the tower.

Soon I continued to the Lammassaari, but I had few stops along the way. From the log path to the island I had nice flock of 16 Reedlings. Biggest flock I´ve ever had there. Also nice bird was juvenile Red-breasted Flycatcher which was calling the "trrrrrrt" call few times and I saw it shortly before it mowed to another bush.

Two male Reedlings.

Photographing these in flight is pretty challenging.

At the Lammassaari I had nice 40 minutes. 12 Dunlins, five Ruffs, migrating Sparrow Hawks and lone Common Buzzard. Nothing really exiting, but always nice to see those. 

Common Buzzard and Hooded Crow.

Later Sanni left to work and I took kids to Haltiala, where we visited earlier this summer too. Vilma had another short riding with small pony and Julius were excited about animals and tractors! 

Vilma.

Later we visited Vuosaari and twitched a local Hoopoe from there. Bird was showing nicely, much easier than the bird I had in Oulunkylä earlier this year. Here is few photos from there too. We also spend time at the playground there, so it was fun for all of us again. 

Eurasian Hoopoe.

Possibly my first photo of the "hair" of this species.

Soon it walked behind the fences and was not really photogenic anymore.

Last photo of the bird. It was spending time in the yard of kindergarten. 

Great day and nice week. Thank god I have busy job so week are running rapidly. Next month we are going to Estonia for the weekend with my uncle Jände, so that is one I´m waiting a lot. 

-Tom