Love In A Time Of Corona

These are interesting times we live in, and it is in such times that I am very glad we moved out into the countryside a couple of years ago.

If you must isolate yourself, it's best to do already surrounded by nature.

Our love of nature is playing a huge part in making this whole isolation and contagion thing kind of luxurious to be honest.

We saw it coming of course. For me especially I could see things gearing up to sending everyone home to work. For weeks I had been doing extra shopping. Not the mad panic buying of the morons out there with toilet roll and pasta, but I had been building stocks. Dog food for Kuura, frozen vegetables for us. Whatever would reduce visits to the supermarket.

And so the order came down. Go home. 

We're not on such stringent measures as Ireland yet (though the entire capital province is locked down from the rest of Finland) and can still move around a bit.

Birding locally as a family is pretty easy and with the time of year that's in it, we just let the birds come to us.

A hop, skip and a jump from us were these fresh in Bewick's Swans, 4 together. Always scarce, it's good to see them stopping off on their way to Russia.

Garden Birding has been productive too, with migrants such as Waxwing, Starling, Chaffinch, Eurasian White-Fronted Goose, Tundra Bean Goose, Canada Goose and Black Headed gull all popping up, with the gulls having taken over their usual breeding island again.

A patch of colder weather has meant we are keeping the bird feeding going, which also plays in to having more birds in the garden.

A reasonable size flock of Yellowhammer have been making use of our oats and singing actively on the warmer mornings.

Siskins have also been regular and giving the odd little song flight.

Woodpeckers have been the stars, however, with 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker regularly fighting it out in the garden, a pair of Grey Headed Woodpecker routinely passing through and whistling in the neighborhood, and a drumming Black Woodpecker giving that machine gun drum across the bay.

Great Spotted Woodpecker - hard to beat that red colour flashing through the garden.

We've had no shortage of mammals either, with the usual deer and hares feeding at night, and Red Squirrel and Wood mice during the day. Being at home even produced a mammal tick for the garden in the form of a Stoat hunting the woodpile.

Wood Mouse - adorable...and for most of our predators, lunch. 

With my birthday approaching we made preparations for a few days out at the cabin for a change of pace, but not before my birthday presents of two new Goldeneye/Goosander nest-boxes were put in place in the garden.

Our inherited duck boxes had reached the end of their lifespans. These new ones will give us another ten years of quack-tastic fluff balls leaping from trees.

Out at the cabin, life takes on an even more relaxed pace, if that's possible. Mornings are spent absorbing caffeine and atmosphere.

We usually do a cabin trip this time of year, taking in a range of Goose migration stop off sites which are in the area. These are usually free of people at the best of times, but it's even quieter now. Bliss!

However, this year, a near by "old man of the forest" male Capercaillie was being seen at a supermarket just a half hour up the road. 

I've seen a fair few Capercaillie in my time here, but they've all been females and chicks. A male has always been high on my want list, and I had always vowed to go for a "crazy" one if he ever popped up nearby. This one turned out to be no distance away, and so was irresistible.

We arrived at the supermarket at around 9 a.m and began checking the bird's usual haunts. Not being successful we walked a few woodland trails, all very pleasant, but no sign of the old man. 

Seemingly having failed we made to leave. Driving out of the supermarket, and stopped at the T-junction for the main road, I thought to myself "that's a strange rock there HOLY FOOK!". 

A quick U-turn back into the supermarket car park and we enjoyed amazing views of a stunning bird. 

Western Capercaillie - the bird fed happily on the other side of the road seemingly oblivious to passing traffic. The level of intricate patterning in the upperparts blew me away. Just stunning.

To our absolute horror the bird then began to cross the road...very very slowly. Each approaching car elicited much internal screaming and visible wincing. 

Luckily each driver slowed, avoided or even outright stopped to allow the local hero to pass. 

He then continued to make his way towards us. He was not displaying, and we stepped back to give him space. I have no idea if he is a "rogue" which attacks people, but that's not an experience I need. If a bird like this is happy to feed without concern there's no need to cause him any. Just enjoy the privilege of seeing such an incredible bird.

Capercaillie - 4K video (choose highest quality available)

I can't get over the feet and legs of this bird. What a dinosaur! Added to my list of one of the best birds I've ever seen.

We then said our goodbyes and made our way on for a bit of geese action.

As usual, Tundra Bean Goose was the commoner of the two Bean geese, seeing very few Taiga (which were always distant).

I love Bean Geese. Every Spring you have to re-adapt to sorting through them and their Eurasian White-Fronted Geese companions. Picking out those broad, crisp fringed coverts and taking in the variety of bill shapes and patterns.

Classic Tundra in every respect. Short, thick neck. Blocky head. Dinky, equilateral triangle-esque bill. Small orange bill ring.

Variety of bill shapes and patterns.

Eurasian White-Fronted Geese were also present in excellent numbers, always a little cuter and more demure than the Beans.

Eurasian White-Fronted Goose - a tad classier than their Greenland cousins. Call me old fashioned.

Whilst a visit to the cabin is always good, the surreal nature of this particular visit isn't lost on us. But if you must isolate yourself, make sure you have sunrises like these. 

Hopefully restrictions don't prevent further visits during all this. Stay safe out there folks.