Grey day. 16.4.2013

Today was really cloudy and dark weather. Everything looked like grey.
Before noon i went to Seurasaari and i took nice little walk around the island. Many new birds there and many birds were singing actively.
Seven Robins, Winter Wren, Dunnock, Song Thrush, 35 Chaffinches, two Black Woodpeckers, one Great-spotted Woodpecker, Oystercatchers and many others.

One of many Robins today.

Mute Swan.

Singing Blackbird male.

Oystercather.

Chaffinch male.

Itchy Mew Gull.

One strange thing i noticed. Black Woodpeckers had destroyed many trees in southern side if the island.
It seemed that they would have did it by fun, but i think it must be something about food.
Never seen so much destruction!
Later afternoon i went to Suomenoja and i was hoping species like Common Pochard and Moohern.
I went to south-side tower and stated to look around.
Black-headed Gull colony is back and there was about 1000 birds screaming constantly.

Little part of the flock. 

Not many birds worth mention.. Lone Marsh Harrier was best bird from tower.
Some flocks of Thrushes were flying around but mostly those were Fieldfares. One Mistle Thrush flied towards west.
After i get bored in the tower, i went to shore where i saw big flock of birds. Mostly BH-Gulls and Mallards, but four Pockhards and few Tufted Ducks also! Nice.
At the same minute, rain started and i walked back to my car. Sadly the lake was still frozen, but not for long. Soon there is huge numbers of Ducks and Mooherns.

One of the four Pockhards. 

Nice day with five new species for this year. Number is 120.
Can´t wait for the weekend, then gets back to watch birds.

Hear you soon.

-Tomppa-

Spring birds and many ticks. 15.4.2013

Finally my 5 night shifts are over and i had some time to watch birds.

Many new species arrived last weekend and because i missed it when i was working, me and Jände went to Viikki after my shift. 

I picked up Jände at 7:30 and we arrived to Viikki at 8:00. Low wind was actually quite cold and there was only one plus degree. 

Immediately after i came out of my car i spotted some falcon hoovering above us. First year tick for the day was Common Kestrel! 

Record shot.

After this we walked to the fields and i started to check birds with telescope. 

Many Lapwings, Skylarks, few Stock Doves, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, five White Wagtails (tick), and lot´s of Fieldfares and Starlings. 

Soon we spotted lonely Barnacle Goose flying over us and that was tick for me too. 

I scanned the fields many times and after about 8 rounds i finally found few Meadow Pipits feeding with Skylarks. Nice. 

Not much to photo but it was really pleasure to watch such a big group of birds after long winter. 

First Wagtails for the year. Finally.

We left after an hour and when we were walking two Common Cranes flew above us quite near. Tick again!

When we arrived to my car, flock of Bean Goose flew over the area.

Bean Goose flock.

After Viikki we take short coffee break and then we went to Haltiala to check some fields. 

Not much birds there.. Chaffinch, Skylarks, Lapwings and so on.. Later two Cranes, Mistle Thrush (tick)  and lonely Bean Goose migrate over the fields. 

Local Yellowhammer in Haltiala.

Common Crane.

Later Jände needed to go to work and i gave him a ride. I decided to continue my day in Hernesaari and i took little sea-watch. Only two Black Guillemots worth mentioning. Guillemots were tick again so total ticks were seven! 

Jackdawn. 

One of four Barnacle Goose in Hernesaari.

What a nice day. Tomorrow i try to have some time for the birds, but so much things to do after 5 nights in work.. 

Thanks Jände for company. 

Best. 

-Tomppa-

Tick, Tick, Tick. 9.4.2013

First of all, i am sorry for a post with out photos.
Last days my birding activities has been more like sea-watch type of birding.
Yesterday i had quick watch in Hernesaari where i found Greylag Goose and Grey Heron. Normal Eiders, Goldeneyes, Goosanders were present in huge numbers.
Today´s sea-watch was in Lauttasaari. Freaking cold when i arrived there and most of the birds were really far away.
First round and i found some Canada Geese, Long-tailed Ducks, Eiders, Cormorants, Goosanders, Tufted Ducks, White-tailed Eagle, some Whooper Swans and of course many Mute Swans.
After 30min i had species like Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Woodlark, Great-crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser. Nice wave of ticks in short time.
Sadly, that was almost all.. Male Smew and some Geese in distance were best sightings after those ticks..
After lauttasaari i drive back home to get some breakfast.
Next weeks weather forecast is little bit better. +15 degrees and sunny! Can´t wait.
Now 5 night in work and then spring is here!

Hear you soon.

-Tomppa-

Hard 1.4.2013

This was again cold and windy morning.. After yesterdays sightings in Suomenlinna, me and my uncle Jan decided to check the places.
We took 9:20 ferry from Kauppatori and after 15min we arrived to the island.
After quite long walk from ferry to Kustaanmiekka without birds, we had little sea-watch.
Many Long-tailed Ducks, Eiders, Goldeneyes, Tufted Ducks and Goosanders today. We did not find yesterdays Crested Grebes, Greylag Gooses or Grey Heron.. Better luck next time.

Only common birds. Church behind. 

Another common bird, House Sparrow. Female.

At the end, we took quick coffee break and then we leave the island.

!INTERJECTION!
Especially if you are not from Finland, i highly recommend you to visit this beautiful place.
In summer time you can see Guillemots and many other interesting birds there.
http://www.suomenlinna.fi/en

Next place after Suomenlinna was Lauttasaari were we had quick sea-watch again. Two White-tailed Eagles were best.
Final place for the day was my new home patch Viikki. We took quick tour in Pornaistenniemi with out birds and after that we decide to check Viikkis olf waste-water treatment plant.
Many Mallards and some Goldeneyes in the lake and soon i noticed weird looking birds around the Mallards.

Bird was little bit smaller than Mallards. 

Maybe Mallard x Wigeon hybrid? 

Wing panel was almost violet. 

What you think?
Thanks Jände for company. Not many species today, but nice company and funny things always make our days good. I think we don´t have boring days :)

One more day off before work, maybe something coming soon.

-Tomppa-