Summer Idyll
A catch up post.
Red-Necked Grebe - look at that colour!
Little Ringed Plover - adults and chicks
Always difficult to make a call on these things and these shots don't do it justice. In life it had that almost Yellow Legged gull tone of blue to it, which I've come to associate with some good Heuglin's candidates here.
We've been spending weeks living the Finnish Summer dream, which means grilled food, beer, G&TS, Sauna, Swimming, Hot Tubbing etc.
The newly built deck. Hot tub, sauna and lake adjacent. A luxurious way to cool off when it's ~ 30°C.
Birding has been on the sporadic side of things enjoying the last of the singing migrants before they go silent.
Icterine Warbler is among these, and it's an incredible year for them. Normally there's only one present in our neighborhood. This year there's 6 in song!
Icterine Warbler - Ickys are one of those species that, being rare back home, are a delight to have as an easy bird here.
I've also been checking in with the local Red-Necked Grebe at times. Love these stunners.
A brief trip to Laajalahti afforded me some close views of a pair of Great White Egret. No matter how common these become I'll always have a soft spot for them.
Great White Egret - eternally exotic.
Most of the past month has been spent at the cabin in Hämeenkyrö meaning listening to birds like Curlew and Corncrake on a regular basis.
This Blyth's Reed Warbler was one of many individuals in the area, but was particularly showy.
Blyth's Reed Warbler - full wing formula on display. It's awful when they're this skulky 😉.
Stabilization caused a bit of a glitch in the matrix on this one
A rare twitch saw me nip over to Seitseminen national park for a singing 2CY male Red-Flanked Bluetail. Bluetail is a bird I just really hadn't bothered to make the effort for in Finland, but a bird so close was something I couldn't pass up. I actually hadn't been to this national park since my very first visit to Finland 8 years ago, when I ticked both Capercaillie and Three-Toed Woodpecker here. I got brief but satisfying views of the Bluetail, with both of the aforementioned species for back up and Parrot Crossbill too.
I've also paid a visit to Tarastenjärvi dump. As we approach juvenile Caspian Gull season I'll be visiting here on a regular basis.
In early July, it means looking through an array of mystifyingly variable first summer Nordic Herring gulls, which is the stuff of nightmares.
This bird was interesting, showing what looked like plain first gen tertials (with remnant white tips), grey in the mantle and an interesting structure. Unfortunately it didn't play ball for me.
As usual, the Baltic Gulls were abundant and obliging.
Baltic Gull - Adult
Baltic Gull - 2CY
Baltic Gull - 2CY and adult
Baltic Gull - 2CY
Baltic Gull - 2CY
Baltic Gull - 2CY wing pattern
Baltic Gull - adult
Baltic Gull - adult
A family of Little Ringed Plover were doing their best to brave the horde of gulls without being devoured.
Arguably the best bird (if you're so inclined) was this Heuglin's type gull.
A little chunkier and tougher looking than your average Baltic too, with a stronger chest.
Heuglin's type wing pattern. Likely a sub-adult.
Bring on the juv Caspian's!
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