Rough Legs Galore

Myself and Lyra took off into the country side for the day on Saturday, in search of Rough Legged and Golden Eagles.

We failed on the Goldie front, probably due to the slight drizzle at times, but Rough Legged Buzzards were absolutely every where.



Rough Legged Buzzard - nearly every lane I turned down had some, with a Max of 6 in one flock at Myrans, fighting and tussling in the air. Superb birding.



Rough Legged Buzzard - showing why they are so named. I prefer the new age unshaven leg look. No no. Call me liberal.



At times they would almost bar your path. This bird sat until the car was practically underneath on the way out.



Stunning












Big Sky Raptors

Other birds moving included good numbers of swans and geese.





Whooper Swan

On Sunday we hunted around Suomenoja for migrants. There was quite a bit of activity, including a few chiffs, song thrush, dunnock and a single mig Treecreeper in the saplings. 



Treecreeper


Tree Sparrows were visiting nearby feeders.

An erruption of calls from the reeds tipped me off to a flock of migrant Bearded Reedling, which lifted and headed off south east.





Bearded Reedlings - scarce. 

In the afternoon I made my way to Laajalahti in search of White Backed Woodpecker.

Barely 10 seconds out of the car I heard the familiar "klep" call, and there the bird was feeding, almost on the ground underneath an uprooted tree. 



White Backed Woodpecker - Male - my favorite woodpecker. Absolutely gorgeous.

 

I spent a lot of time watching this bird, unfortunately always in the rather shady enclosure under the tree.

It then disappeared off somewhere and I strolled around the car park hoping it would reveal itself.

Whilst doing so, I heard a couple of ticking calls which sounded spot on for Dusky Warbler (one had been seen in the nearby reedbed) but despite staking out the bushes for a good 20 minutes it never called again.

I would have stayed at it longer, but a Great Spotted Woodpecker making a commotion behind me drew my attention.

Flicking around a dead tree nearby, I raised my bins to see first the Great Spot...chasing a male Three-Toed Woodpecker.

Leaving the possible Dusky behind, I hurriedly made my way across the car park where the Three-Toed fed away, undisturbed by me, and soon a crowd of admirers.





Three Toed Woodpecker - male - I am eternally locked in a mental conflict between which of the two woodpeckers, White Backed or Three Toed, are my favorite. White Back just beats Three Toed...but not by much. Look at that stunning yellow crown




Sublime




I love the orange an yellow backdrops to the birding at this time of year.





A very enjoyable weekend of raptors, migrants and woodpeckers!

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