Snakes and Adders

Migration continues apace as we push into May, and birds continued to jump onto the garden list.

Cuckoo, Little Gull, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Wood Warbler all had featuring roles.

I'm loving, in particular, the Pied Flys and Little Gulls.

This male Pied Flycatcher appeared mid week, instantly singing and throwing his weight around. He had a few squabbles with a pair of Great Tits who are building in one of the nest boxes. Apparently they are often the more dominant cavity nester and will push Great tits etc out. However he seems to have left them be for now, focusing on the other plentiful boxes we've placed. After several days of constant singing, he attracted a rather cute female yesterday. He has space for several in the garden, so hopefully he finds a couple more for his Mormon lifestyle.

What a great little song

The first Little Gull appeared on the lake over a month ago, though that wasn't viewing from the garden. This week, however, several have been hanging around the Black Headed colony in the bay. 

Little Gull - these have been a delight all week. Often courting in flight right overhead in the garden, their "Pe-keh Pe-keh, Pe-keh" calls can be heard all day from anywhere in the bay. 

Common Tern - the bay is also frequently host to both Common and Arctic terns.

GoldenEye - an underrated gem of a duck

We have also had Goosander prospecting nestboxes in the garden, another breeder to be proud of.

Out and about in the Kirkkonummi area, Thrush Nightingales are back in full force, their awesome, powerful song blasting from every patch of scrub.

Hirundines are steadily returning too, but have not yet reached peak numbers, though I did encounter both Swallow and House Martins. 

On the wader front, Wood Sandpiper flocks were apparent going over Saltfjarden and Woodcock seemed especially plentiful, flushing from roadsides in many locations.

Grey Headed Woodpecker was particularly vocal this weekend, with dozens of breeding locations given away by whistling birds anywhere I stopped. 

My first Red Breasted Flycatcher was a real treat, singing in typical mobile fashion near Finntrask.

A lot of my time this weekend was taken up, however, not with birds, but with these beautiful creatures. 

Adder

It was clearly the big weekend for snake movement, and I encountered more this weekend than I have my entire life previously.

We didn't see many when we lived in the city, but clearly that has, in a most welcome fashion, changed.

Whilst standing at a night singer spot, watching Thrush Nightingales fighting, a movement at my feet caught my eye. 

I soon realized I was surrounded on all sides by Adders, some fighting eachother, and  likely fresh out of their nighttime resting place or perhaps even their winter quarters. They were certainly out in force today.

Uhhhhh....

With my wellies on, I was in no danger (not that their venom would do much damage anyway), but obviously didn't want to disturb any of them. Nonetheless, getting out of dodge was tricky, and required a meandering route back to the car. Indeed, even at the car, my path was blocked. 

This guy couldn't make up his mind which way he wanted to go, even seemed to take a curious interest in me at one point. Stunningly beautiful creatures, especially when you get these black and white types.

Wonderful Adders

Unfortunately, I more often see them like this. They are a common road casualty. This one I passed over (unharmed) just sitting on a road, but before I could get back to it, a following car squished it. I have come to suspect some drivers will take aim at them, sadly. 

It's distressing to see such a beautiful animal in this state, so I always try to shoo them off roads when I find them.

This individual is dead, but with the brain crushed is still moving. Such a waste of beautiful snake.

I saw about ten freshly dead individuals this weekend. Such a shame.

Freshly dead - immaculate. Sometimes cars pass over them at such speed they get whipped up and hit on the undercarriage., killing them but leaving them pristine.

Later, at Saltfjarden, I came across the second species of snake available in mainland Finland (smooth snake exists only in the Åland islands), a beautiful Grass Snake.

Grass Snake

Stopping at one of my Grey Headed Woodpecker sites, listening from the car, I noticed this cute little guy below me on the roadside, looking up at me. He seemed entirely happy to stay in his warm, sunny little spot, allowing me to scope him from various angles.

Hello!

Grass Snake

Another cracking little animal. Obviously, snakes are not something an Irish birder is used to, and these both remain something exotic.

A rather pleasant weekend enjoying some new sights.