Into The Swing

We arrived back from Ireland late on Friday 12th and stayed over at the inlaws in Espoo.

This worked out surprisingly well, as just as we were about to leave the house to take Kuura for a walk, news came through of either a European or Siberian Stonechat just 15 mins walk up the road. Naturally we tailored our route to intercept.

We arrived to a large assembled crowd and I set up the scope and was delighted to see a crisp looking Siberian type.

There was some debate over the ID on site, with most there favouring European. However, just back from refreshing ourselves with hundreds in west Cork, I was happy the unmarked rump I had seen, combined with that neatly demarcated throat, put it firmly in the Sibe camp.

It was trapped later that evening and confirmed to be a young male Siberian (though will be interesting to see if Stejnegers is in the running).






Dozens of Waxwing were flycatching around the place whilst watching the Stonechat. The perfect reminder that you are back in Finland.


On the Sunday we made our way down to Saltfjarden were we instantly were able to enjoy a stunning juv Golden Eagle and an adult male Rough Legged Buzzard.


Golden Eagle - 1CY



Also present around the car park were two Great Grey Shrike. Peak migration time for these frosty beauties, and there seems to be a bumper crop of them this year.







 Great Grey Shrike



This was also the weekend I put out our garden feeding station, in the hopes of attracting in migratory species early and having them stay the winter. 

Amazingly, the birds found this the very next morning, with a beautiful male Grey Headed Woodpecker taking top billing, along with Tree Sparrow and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.






This Saturday I started out at Lohja dump. There was nothing of interest on the waste buildings, so I made my way down to the trash pile. 

Here I ran into Jan Södersved, and after a quick scan through the trash gulls and a quick chat, we agreed there was nothing too interesting among the gulls, so we decided to split up, me checking out the gulls on the hill and Jan working the trails for passerines.

After a cursory scan of the gulls on the hilltop, I noticed another large group on an embankment below me. A quick scope of these produced an obvious crisp 1st winter Caspian among them. Jan emerged from the end of the trail at this point and I called him over.









Views were a tad distant, so Jan jumped in my car and we drove round to this group, where the bird sat comfortably for us.






Jan kindly provided some open wing shots for me.

This has now been my best ever year for encountering Caspian Gull in Finland, both in terms of finding and seeing them. Great birds.


Caspian Gull - Jan Södersved


Caspian Gull - Jan Södersved


Caspian Gull - Jan Södersved


Caspian Gull - Jan Södersved

Whilst watching this bird, another interesting individual popped up beside us.

Initially quite pale and striking, I was concerned about the blocky head shape, dumpy structure, gawky herring-like facial expression, and what seems to be too much going on in the wing coverts. Would welcome opinions on this one.


SeaGull - Jan Södersved

From here I moved to Myrans where I ran into a small flock of Nutcracker and two Hazel Grouse.

Sunday was pretty much a rest day, though I did nip out briefly at news of a Siberian Stonechat on patch at Saltfjarden. 

Alas I was not so lucky this time, as I arrived to news that the bird had been eaten by a Great Grey Shrike. 

Finnish birding problems. C'est La Vie.

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