Waders Inbound

Both Thursday and Saturday saw quick trips to Laajalahti made.
I like to catch up with waders as they arrive, and Laajalahti is the best place to do it.

Wood Warblers were obvious as we walked along the wooded trail to the tower.

Wood Warblers - Gem

Wood Warbler - What a brilliant song. It always takes me back to when I started out birding, and making trips up to the Wicklow mountains in search of the few Wood Warbler, Pied Flys and Redstarts there were (if any).

On the tower itself, things were still somewhat on the quiet side, though good numbers of Spotted Redshank were fresh in.

Spotted Redshank - Full Summer birds are hard to beat.

Jack Snipe and Temmincks stint were also nice to see.

Temminck's Stint - one of Laajalahti's specialties, easily one of the best sites to see this species. One of those birds, extremely rare in Ireland, which I get to enjoy regularly.

A single adult Little Gull was also giving good views, another cracking feature of the spring migration here in Finland, I regularly hear them going over, giving their ridiculous squeaky toy call, on my evening run.

Little Gull - Adult - Classic puffed out chest posture, with tiny bobble head.

Caspian Terns were making a noise nuisance of themselves, as usual. First world problems.

I stopped into Suurpelto to see if there were any wagtails on site yet. No luck in that regard, though a welcome Merlin, always scarce here, was hunting the marsh.

These Lapwing soon saw her off though.

Lapwing - Breeding waders, still abundant in Finland, are something I try not to take for granted. 

These birds are essentially breeding in the middle of a housing development, and still doing well. 

Suomenoja was in full breeding mode, as masses of Black Headed Gulls made their cacaphony, but now the ponds were teeming with hunting Common and Arctic terns.

It's a real change of pace to see terns here, switching from salt to fresh water, occupying every pond and lake. This has the added bonus of them becoming very accustomed to people, making very close approaches.

The Slavonian grebes were as resplendent as ever.

Slavonian Grebe - At this time of year it's important to me to absorb as much of these colourful birds as possible. Soon it will be about brown skulky nightsing species and distant hard to ID raptors in the sky. This shot of early spring vibrance is essential.

The Little Ringed Plover pair were still present on their puddle seeming to be happy with it as a breeding site. Again, another simple example of waders breeding everywhere in suburbia. 

Sunday was spent in the garden enjoying barbeque and beer, and watching migrating flocks of geese, and the resident terns and gulls on the lake. 

A misty start to the morning.

Common Sandpiper - a breeder on our beach. Their song and fighting has become a feature of our garden soundtrack.

 Soon the night singers will arrive on mass. Looking forward to that.