Hen Party

Half the weekend was taken up with the happy event of attending the wedding of some friends.

This, luckily, provided the chance to see a nearby Eagle Owl. Not sure if that's a good or bad omen for the happy couple.

On Sunday I managed to get out for a few hours, after re-hydration, and headed down to Saltfjarden.
I probably left it a bit late, but there was a decent haul of juv Hen Harriers around, providing good views in the vicinity of the car park. Alas, it was only Hens, and I didn't manage to connect with any of the Pallids in the area.

Plenty of waders were on the move too, with Curlew, Ruff and Golden Plover in good numbers.




Golden Plovers - nice to get up close to these beauties.

Raptors on the move included several White Tailed Eagle, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard.

It's around this time of year I become more appreciative of the odd Osprey. Having enjoyed them in numbers all Summer, they're now noticeably infrequent.
Occasionally I try and nab phonescoped shots of moving raptors, just to see how possible it is. 




Osprey - you can easily tell what it is, at least. I'll miss these guys as the autumn rolls on, love that distinctive shape and flight style.

Same goes for the flocks of Cranes on the move. It's an amazing sight to see a line of Cranes on the horizon, sometimes hundreds in number. 


These were just a few of a Crane procession 70-80 birds long in the horizon. Incredible to think these giants will be in Israel or similar in just a couple of weeks. Behemoths on the move. 

Järsö had yet more Goshawk, Hobby and WT Eagle, as well as several calling Red Throated Pipit among dozens of Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtail.

Other highlights from during the week included an evening trip around Porkkala with the family, during which we saw a number of Moose.

Coming around the corner at Järsö, we were amazed to see a line of cars just pulled over, with people sitting on the roadside watching this beautiful family feeding peacefully in a roadside field, completely unperturbed by passers by.

They really are stunning animals, and a constant reminder of how really different the wildlife here can be.





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