Extra Dinosaurs

Beautiful weather this weekend saw temperatures rise to a tropical 12°C, resulting in actual sunburn whilst enjoying Saturday's visible migration.

It was all about big dinosaur like birds. I started with some nice Crane flocks nearby.

Common Crane

Even in early morning a heat haze was rising, making phonescoping difficult. 

I made my way back to Inkoo to chance my arm with the geese again. The heat haze made phonescoping non-viable, but the flock dynamic had changed entirely, a reduced number in general, no Pink Footed Geese, and the beans were now mostly Taiga Bean geese, as opposed to majority Tundra from the previous weekend. A pretty decent count of 45 too, trundling about among the Whoopers for comparison. 

I then made my way to Saltfjarden and timed this well, as just as I arrived word came through of a White Stork headed our way.

White Stork - rare but increasing. The first pair bred in the south west of Finland a couple of years back. A species benefitting from climate change.

The bird approached us from the south, rounded to the north, before deciding on heading west. 

White Stork - another dinosaur bird. Always good to refresh your experience with these in flight, as Spring and Summer birding often encounters White Stork and Crane in the air at height and distance. 

Migration was in full swing again, with excellent numbers of Rough Legged Buzzard moving through, my personal count rounding out at 35 individuals along with several Kestrel, 1 Merlin, 2 Marsh Harrier and 3 Osprey. Down at Porkkala they counted an amazing 150 Rough Leggeds, top notch raptoring.

I also picked up a very brief adult male Pallid Harrier to the east, the same bird which likely had been seen coming off the sea at Porkkala by others earlier, however I lost it when another birder stood in front of my scope asking for directions to it. Frustrating and not a satisfactory view of my first for the year.

At least the Rough Legged Buzzards put on a better show. 

The first Tree Pipits of the year also went over calling.

Sunday was a much quieter affair, with migration seeimgly shut down for some reason.

I managed to find a pair of handsome Bewick's swans first thing at Transkarla which were my first for the year.

Bewick's are reasonably noteworthy birds, dramatically fewer in number than the resident Whoopers obviously, and merely passing through. These birds were twitched during the course of the day by a group outing.

Bewick's Swans - I do like swans, and Bewick's are the most charming of the 3 European species. Great character to them, and having that bonus scarce value too. I think they'd still be my favorite even if they weren't scarce though.

We then tried Morsfjarden in the hope of some open water and maybe ducks and Bittern. Unfortunately the water is still solid but that did provide for a pair of roosting White Tailed Eagle. A few Teal, waiting patiently on the ice were the best in terms of quacks.

The local Cranes were particularly photogenic though.

Saltfjarden was dead by comparison to yesterday, with just a single resident Osprey and a few flyover waders such as Ringed and Little Ringed Plover.

Some nice additions to the garden list this weekend included Baltic Gull, Green sandpiper, Tree Pipit and Common Snipe.