Something amazing.. 29.5.2012

Date 29.5.2012 will be remembered as one of the best days ever!
I started my work at 7am and this time i had to be at hangar roof. I was sitting there and at 8:21am something happened.
I saw weird looking bird coming from north and when it came closer i realized that im watching ALPINE SWIFT! It was totally unreal.. Bird did some circles just 10m(about) away from me.
I saw white belly and throat, huge size and when some Common Swifts came it´s size was even bigger.
I almost fell of the roof.
Hole situation lasted maybe 45seconds but in that time i was sure that this bird is not weird looking Common Swift.
This would be fourth record from Finland if RC accept this one.
Here is a photo of one bird so you people can see what it looks like. Photo is taken in Israel at 2011.

From Israel 2011, Alpine Swift.

I was in little shock rest of a day and people called me and congratulated me. Something totally new for me.
I still have little bit unreal feeling.
My shift ended at 4pm but day wasn´t over yet. Some people found Ring-necked Duck at Hanko birdstation just two days ago and there was opportunity to twitch it! We drove to Hanko and when we arrived little bit late there was something like 12 car groups waiting. We drove in one line to the parking lot and walked to the Ring-billed Duck place.
We were greeted by Aatu and he showed where the bird was. This duck was new lifer for me so it was worth of all driving.
Thanks Jari for company again! Here is great photo of bird, tajen by Aleksi Mikola. Sorry Aleksi but i had to borrow this.

Ring-necked Duck, male. (c) Aleksi Mikola

Huuh, what a day, maybe once in a life time? How knows.
More stuff coming soon.

best

-Tomppa-

Espoo, 27.5.2012

Yesterday after little partying, i had to go out and watch some birds.
I woke up of course late and when i arrived to Finnå waste-water treatment plant clock, it was already noon.
I walked my normal clockwise route.
Sun was shining and there was something like 23degrees and i sweated like a pig..
Only normal species was seen..

Common Pochards, Tufted Duck and Shoveler male.

Gadwall Male.

Reed Bunting.

Common Rosefinch male.

Slavonian Grebe.

Finnå is one of my favorite place just because of Slavonian Grebes, maybe in the future i can have super photo of this specie.
After Finnå i went to the Maari birdwatching-tower. This time i left my camera in the car and just focused watching birds.
When i arrived to the tower i saw Jari Laitasalo and he´s girlfriend. Im not good with the names but was it Mirka? Sorry Jari if im wrong.
Almost first bird what i saw was Little Tern witch is nice specie here. Other birds were common shit but it was nice just watch birds in good company. Jari fond also Long-eared Owl hovering in the air, weird but nice.
Other birds worth mentioning was 3 Sparrow Hawks, Hobby, Broad-billed Sandpiper ans Osprey.
Thanks Jari for company and hope when you get your ass in to the Hanko Birdstation you will see something nice.

Best.

-Tomppa-

Lazy me...

Sorry for the late posting.. I had no inspiration to write anything. Last day in Hanko bird observatory was quite slow...
I came home at Saturday and we did not see any significant... Sunday was better there and Petri, Jonne, Jari and Aatu saw Black kite and White-backed Woodpecker. Good job guys!
I must thank all you guys and also Aleksi and Kaisa for nice company. It was nice to be in station again.
Now this week in work and then i have more time to watch birds.
Sorry for this photoless post, see you soon.

-Tomppa-

Nice arctic migration, 18.5

Morning came way too early, we woke up at 4am and after little coma i got my self to the bunker. Weather was nice but wind was little bit too hard.. First Geese flocks came very soon after we start and Divers started their migration also.
Here we do sea-watch in 30min periods and normal mourning routine is 4hours. Here is numbers from routine.
m = migration
Black-throated Diver 739m
Red-throated Diver 31m
Diver Specie 552m
Barnacle Geese 1297m
Brent Goose 119m
Geese Specie 163m
Steller´s Eider 18m
Black Scooter 460m
Velvet Scooter 76m
Long-tailed Duck 2874m and 200 local birds
Eider 45m and 5000 local birds
Water bird specie 1975m
White-tailed Eagle 8locals
Marsh Harrier 2m
Greater Spotted Eagle 1m (Afternoon, i didn´t see it)
Oystercatcher 50 locals
Bar-tailed Godwit 1m
Ruddy Turnstone 1m
Arctic Skua 10m and 3locals
Short-eared Owl 1m
Yellow Wagtail 1m
Thrush Nightingale 4locals
Bluethroat 1local
Ichterine Warbler 1local
Red-backed Shrike 1 local
Parrot Crossbill 2m

Same time Jari got some birds from the net and i got some hand-pics.
Rest of the day was slow and wind was still very hard... Best bird came from net when Aleksi got weird looking Chiffchaff witch had features of ssp. Collybita Collybita witch is southern race of this specie.

Flock of Black-throated Divers.

Mr. Chaffinch.

Common Rosefinch, male.

Thrush Nightingale. 

Chiffchaff, possible ssp. Collybita Collybita.

At evening we went to the sauna.

Nice day with nice numbers of birds.

-Tomppa-