Humidity

The dry heat we had been experiencing for the past couple of months has yielded to the typical July humidity.

At times here, the humidity reminds me almost of rainforest conditions as the air clings to your skin and lungs, making birding a monumental effort.

This weekend we were, again, up at Hämeenkyrö, which meant another visit to Tampere dump.

Baltic Gull numbers were up significantly since I last visited, but nothing reminiscent of Heuglins present this time around.

Nonetheless they are rather stunning birds and I spent quite a bit of time with them and, of course, absorbing the variation in Herring gull that occurs here.

The back of the dump again held plenty of Blyth's Reed Warbler, with several still pumping out song even a week into July, and in the middle of the day.

Stupid stick.

Super on show

Otherwise the weekend was mostly about the raptors.

A float by Black Kite on the dump was my first of the year (one of two which had been in the area to my knowledge), and everywhere I visited was choc-a-bloc with Ospreys.

No matter where I looked, there was an Osprey gliding away holding a fish.

Honey Buzzards too were in abundance, particularly at Sarkkila, where Common Buzzard, Hobby, Marsh Harrier and Kestrel were also hunting.

A brief walk through the woods at the airfield produced a flush up Nightjar, also my first of the year (should really make more of an effort. These are really easy near this Tampere cottage)

Crossbills are also on the move now, with many flocks per day going over at home.

Hopefully we get a bit of Two-Barred and Parrot Crossbill movement with them.