Tuesday, May 29, 2012
21.5.2012 - Glossy Ibis
Went to twitch a Glossy Ibis. Alone. Bird was ugly. No company. Still, krys!
17.5. Collared Flycatcher, Steppe Eagle
Yes, so I skipped work today - weather forecast promised heavy rains to Inkoo. So I went twitching.
My first target was a Viikki tick - a male Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) that had been present since the 13th. Bird was easy to see and hear, it kept singing all the time. On my way back I also heard a Red-Breasted Flycatcher (F. parva), giving me full flycatchers for the day.
From Kotka I picked up Antto. We headed for Virolahti to twitch the Steppe Eagle. Near Virojoki we got a message: A Lesser Spotted Eagle, coming towards us from Lakakallio. Waited for about 20 minutes, didn't see. Who cares!
Nipa just... sat in a tree. Watched it for a while, then got bored and drove to Linnunlahti (across the bay). Nipa made a short aerial show for us. A male Garganey was nice.
We drove to Teboil to fill the tank. Antto bought a roiskeläppä. Thought about trying to twitch a Montagu's Harrier, but skipped. Drove to Hamina, tried to see if the previously seen Blue-Winged Teal was present. Wasn't. At Lupinlahti we heard a Bittern and three Great Reed Warblers. Drove home.
Krys!
My first target was a Viikki tick - a male Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) that had been present since the 13th. Bird was easy to see and hear, it kept singing all the time. On my way back I also heard a Red-Breasted Flycatcher (F. parva), giving me full flycatchers for the day.
From Kotka I picked up Antto. We headed for Virolahti to twitch the Steppe Eagle. Near Virojoki we got a message: A Lesser Spotted Eagle, coming towards us from Lakakallio. Waited for about 20 minutes, didn't see. Who cares!
Nipa just... sat in a tree. Watched it for a while, then got bored and drove to Linnunlahti (across the bay). Nipa made a short aerial show for us. A male Garganey was nice.
We drove to Teboil to fill the tank. Antto bought a roiskeläppä. Thought about trying to twitch a Montagu's Harrier, but skipped. Drove to Hamina, tried to see if the previously seen Blue-Winged Teal was present. Wasn't. At Lupinlahti we heard a Bittern and three Great Reed Warblers. Drove home.
Krys!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
16.5.2012 bird counting
Counting birds for job is both fun and challenging. A relatively wide field of expertise is required, preparing work must be done in advance, and still relatively lot is - unfortunately - left for chance: how early have the Blackcaps arrived? Is there a motorcycle meeting nearby? Will it rain? How late do we get the necessary information, including maps? What should the focus be?
Today I counted birds at Espoo, Mankkaa. Weather was excellent: +8 degrees C, still and not a cloud in sight. Thrush Nightingales were really going at it when I arrived. The place: a nice, urban deciduous forest. Some relatively old trees, e.g. White Willows (Salix alba) and alders. Nice findings: two Little Spotted Woodpeckers - a really good species in this kind of work! - and a Hawfinch nest! Hawfinch nest was the first I had every found, although I have lived practically in the middle of a sparse Hawfinch colony. Nice! Left work pretty early. Happy with the day. Didn't take a single picture!
Today I counted birds at Espoo, Mankkaa. Weather was excellent: +8 degrees C, still and not a cloud in sight. Thrush Nightingales were really going at it when I arrived. The place: a nice, urban deciduous forest. Some relatively old trees, e.g. White Willows (Salix alba) and alders. Nice findings: two Little Spotted Woodpeckers - a really good species in this kind of work! - and a Hawfinch nest! Hawfinch nest was the first I had every found, although I have lived practically in the middle of a sparse Hawfinch colony. Nice! Left work pretty early. Happy with the day. Didn't take a single picture!
15.5.20212 Black-Necked Grebe and Terek Sandpiper
Finland's 31st Black-Necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) had been present since 10th May at Kouvola. So seeing as I had finally returned my bachelor's thesis, it was time for to twitch!
Leaving Joensuu only at 1pm, I drove through Kitee towards Parikkala. An American Wigeon had been seen at Parikkala's Pohjaranta, last seen 13th May. It wasn't present when I got there, although I had already seen Honey Buzzards and a Cuckoo, yearticks for me. At Pohjanranta there were about 5000 Barnacle Geese as well, stopping on their way to Siberia.
At Parikkala I received a call from Antto, who told me that a Steppe Eagle was present at Virolahti, Vilkkiläntura. At this point I made a mistake - perhaps - and prioritized Kouvola's BNG over the eagle. So, I drove to Kouvola.
It was late spring in Kouvola. An Hortolan Bunting, a Wryneck, Sedge Warbler and Common Rosefinch. Walking towards the levee road, I suddenly heard a voice that was familiar, yet unknown. One second of frantic thinking while the call seemed to approach and then I got it: Terek Sandpiper, my first spontaneous and second ever! Woohoo! The bird fell to a flooded field and disappeared. Happy, I called Antto who told me that the bird had already been seen a few days earlier. Scheisse! Well, nevermind, it was still nice and I count it as semi-spontaneous! After that, the real star of the place, Black-Necked Grebe, seemed kinda dull.
Black-necked Grebe is a rare vagrant to Finland: before spring 2012, only 27 had been recorded, previous two in 2011 and 2008. However, there was a small influx this year: birds at Mäntsälä, Jalasjärvi, Siikajoki, Kouvola and Ylivieska.
After this I decided that I had not driven enough, so I headed for Virolahti's Vilkkiläntura. Didn't see the Steppe Eagle, which was ominously "not present at the same tree it had been sitting for the entire day." Left at 9pm, started talking to phone, and at 9:42pm noticed a SMS sent at 9:24: "The bird is not visible from Tura, but can be seen from [nearby] Linnunlahti". Fuck this! Didn't turn around, and the entire debacle left a bit sour taste in my mouth. Vouched for revenge.
Leaving Joensuu only at 1pm, I drove through Kitee towards Parikkala. An American Wigeon had been seen at Parikkala's Pohjaranta, last seen 13th May. It wasn't present when I got there, although I had already seen Honey Buzzards and a Cuckoo, yearticks for me. At Pohjanranta there were about 5000 Barnacle Geese as well, stopping on their way to Siberia.
At Parikkala I received a call from Antto, who told me that a Steppe Eagle was present at Virolahti, Vilkkiläntura. At this point I made a mistake - perhaps - and prioritized Kouvola's BNG over the eagle. So, I drove to Kouvola.
It was late spring in Kouvola. An Hortolan Bunting, a Wryneck, Sedge Warbler and Common Rosefinch. Walking towards the levee road, I suddenly heard a voice that was familiar, yet unknown. One second of frantic thinking while the call seemed to approach and then I got it: Terek Sandpiper, my first spontaneous and second ever! Woohoo! The bird fell to a flooded field and disappeared. Happy, I called Antto who told me that the bird had already been seen a few days earlier. Scheisse! Well, nevermind, it was still nice and I count it as semi-spontaneous! After that, the real star of the place, Black-Necked Grebe, seemed kinda dull.
Black-necked Grebe is a rare vagrant to Finland: before spring 2012, only 27 had been recorded, previous two in 2011 and 2008. However, there was a small influx this year: birds at Mäntsälä, Jalasjärvi, Siikajoki, Kouvola and Ylivieska.
After this I decided that I had not driven enough, so I headed for Virolahti's Vilkkiläntura. Didn't see the Steppe Eagle, which was ominously "not present at the same tree it had been sitting for the entire day." Left at 9pm, started talking to phone, and at 9:42pm noticed a SMS sent at 9:24: "The bird is not visible from Tura, but can be seen from [nearby] Linnunlahti". Fuck this! Didn't turn around, and the entire debacle left a bit sour taste in my mouth. Vouched for revenge.
Monday, May 14, 2012
8.5. - Penduline Tit
Penduline Tit is a nice bird and, along with Citrine Wagtail, bring me many pleasant memories. The species has had a fluctuating presence in Finland: since 1980s to early 1990s it seemed that the species will finally establish itself on the Southern Coast. However, the invasion failed, and for a couple of years "remiz" was a relatively rare visitor to Viikki. In 2000s, however, the yearly April-May records started to rise, and remiz has been a frequent visitor to Pornaistenniemi, Keinumäki and near the old sewage treatment plant. I saw my first remiz back in 2004, at Pornaistenniemi. At 2010 I found a nest from there as well.
Remiz has interesting mating habits, where both species are practically polygamic. Males hold a large territory around wetlands, especially in areas rich with birch, willows and sometimes alder. The key factor seems to be the presence of mosaic habitat and Typha -plants, which the tit uses for nestbuilding material. The male constructs several elaborate, hanging nests. The females - usually quite a few of them - then inspect the nests, and accept what they will. Then a male and female will finish the nest together. Surprisingly, the female can lay eggs into several nests and one or both parents can abandon the nest, seemingly at will. Therefore an abandoned nesting attempt at one location isn't really that dramatic.
This spring there was an influx of Pendulines, and at least three individuals were recorded together. Therefore, my trip at 8th May was not spontaneous at all, but gave results: the first thing I saw was a Penduline Tit. It flew over me, towards Pornaistenniemi, and vanished. Classic!
Remiz has interesting mating habits, where both species are practically polygamic. Males hold a large territory around wetlands, especially in areas rich with birch, willows and sometimes alder. The key factor seems to be the presence of mosaic habitat and Typha -plants, which the tit uses for nestbuilding material. The male constructs several elaborate, hanging nests. The females - usually quite a few of them - then inspect the nests, and accept what they will. Then a male and female will finish the nest together. Surprisingly, the female can lay eggs into several nests and one or both parents can abandon the nest, seemingly at will. Therefore an abandoned nesting attempt at one location isn't really that dramatic.
This spring there was an influx of Pendulines, and at least three individuals were recorded together. Therefore, my trip at 8th May was not spontaneous at all, but gave results: the first thing I saw was a Penduline Tit. It flew over me, towards Pornaistenniemi, and vanished. Classic!
7.5. Citrine Wagtails and Marsh Sandpiper (HE, Viikki)
After horrible Sunday, the Monday was more than good. Called Aki in the afternoon, and we decided to take a short trip for old time's sake. It was a good idea.
At the Pornaistenniemi-Lammassaari duckboards we first heard and saw one male Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola), "sittis", that was suddenly replaced by another one. Nice!
Back in the day - in early 2000s - the age identification of Citrines was relatively straightforward: if the male had greyish colouration on the top of the head, it was 2cy. +2cy birds were and are supposed to have completely lemon-yellow top of the head. However, the "bush wisdom" right now is that said cue is perhaps not good enough. From what I saw I can certainly say that both males had a greyish wing, with no old remiges.
Citrine Wagtail was a rarity back in late 1990s, but numbers have skyrocketed since then. Tarsiger.com doesn't even bother to calculate the numbers, and neither can I; the pretty Siberian wagtail is now a yearly visitor and regular breeder in Southern Finland. Seeing one at Viikki is even less surprising. Me and Aki calculcated that the sum of Citrines in Viikki that day was at least 5 individuals.
In Lammassaari we twitched 2/2 Garganeys (Anas querquedula), a couple of Sand Martins (Riparia riparia) and most importantly, a Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis), a relatively uncommon, but almost yearly visitor to Finland.
On our trip back the two males Citrines were accompanied by a female, which is at a high probability the same female Jarkko photographed two days later (Tarsiger.com). We also calculated about 140 Wood Sandpipers (Tringa glareola) going north.
At the Pornaistenniemi-Lammassaari duckboards we first heard and saw one male Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola), "sittis", that was suddenly replaced by another one. Nice!
Back in the day - in early 2000s - the age identification of Citrines was relatively straightforward: if the male had greyish colouration on the top of the head, it was 2cy. +2cy birds were and are supposed to have completely lemon-yellow top of the head. However, the "bush wisdom" right now is that said cue is perhaps not good enough. From what I saw I can certainly say that both males had a greyish wing, with no old remiges.
Citrine Wagtail was a rarity back in late 1990s, but numbers have skyrocketed since then. Tarsiger.com doesn't even bother to calculate the numbers, and neither can I; the pretty Siberian wagtail is now a yearly visitor and regular breeder in Southern Finland. Seeing one at Viikki is even less surprising. Me and Aki calculcated that the sum of Citrines in Viikki that day was at least 5 individuals.
In Lammassaari we twitched 2/2 Garganeys (Anas querquedula), a couple of Sand Martins (Riparia riparia) and most importantly, a Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis), a relatively uncommon, but almost yearly visitor to Finland.
On our trip back the two males Citrines were accompanied by a female, which is at a high probability the same female Jarkko photographed two days later (Tarsiger.com). We also calculated about 140 Wood Sandpipers (Tringa glareola) going north.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
5.5. Lesser Short-Toed Lark
Woke up early in the morning to go to participate in annual birdwatching tower competition. Absolutely horrible weather (cold spell turned to rain and sleet, eugh), combined with only two participants and me still having a cold resulted in us quitting after a miserly 5 hours. Managed to get 68 species, though, which indicated a good birding day. If only we had had more guts (and waterproof clothing, and something warm to drink, and more visitors)... 174 Little Gulls Hydrocoloeus minutus, Lesser Spotted (Dendrocopus minor) and White-Backed (D. leucotos) Woodpeckers, spring's first Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) and late Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) were probably the best.
Took a train to Helsinki and went twitching (me, Vilppu, Johannes and Jenni). Our target was Finland's 4th Lesser Short-Toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens), present at Loviisa, only less than 100 kilometers east from Helsinki. The bird was first found on Friday evening, and the identification was suitably long and convoluted. Previous records were from 1962, 1975 (present for a bit over two weeks) and 2004 (present for two days), so this was a chance not to miss. Suffice to say, we saw the bird magnificently. Bird itself wasn't anything to behold, but we got to see the long primary projection, streaked breast, smallish bill and overall very diminutive size (for a lark). Johannes sagely said that it was "one of those birds that don't evoke any feeling when you see them, but not twitching them might make you regret the decision later, so you better twitch". I agree with him. It was, by the way, 327th species for me.
On our way to Loviisa we had seen a nice flooded field, and on our return trip we decided to check it out. It was a good idea. 73 Little Gulls, 56 Greenshanks Tringa nebularia, 79 Ruffs Philomachus pugnax, 61 Spotted Redshanks Tringa erythropus (should really be Black Redshank to make it justice!) and 142 Wood Sandpipers Tringa glareola. We also found a nice female Capercailie (Tetrao urogallus), so overall: one krys! and several yearticks.
No pictures in this update!
Took a train to Helsinki and went twitching (me, Vilppu, Johannes and Jenni). Our target was Finland's 4th Lesser Short-Toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens), present at Loviisa, only less than 100 kilometers east from Helsinki. The bird was first found on Friday evening, and the identification was suitably long and convoluted. Previous records were from 1962, 1975 (present for a bit over two weeks) and 2004 (present for two days), so this was a chance not to miss. Suffice to say, we saw the bird magnificently. Bird itself wasn't anything to behold, but we got to see the long primary projection, streaked breast, smallish bill and overall very diminutive size (for a lark). Johannes sagely said that it was "one of those birds that don't evoke any feeling when you see them, but not twitching them might make you regret the decision later, so you better twitch". I agree with him. It was, by the way, 327th species for me.
On our way to Loviisa we had seen a nice flooded field, and on our return trip we decided to check it out. It was a good idea. 73 Little Gulls, 56 Greenshanks Tringa nebularia, 79 Ruffs Philomachus pugnax, 61 Spotted Redshanks Tringa erythropus (should really be Black Redshank to make it justice!) and 142 Wood Sandpipers Tringa glareola. We also found a nice female Capercailie (Tetrao urogallus), so overall: one krys! and several yearticks.
No pictures in this update!
27.4. - 2.5. - May Day in archipelago
People simply do not understand how difficult it is to live in the archipelago.
Spent five nights at Rönnskär, off the coast of Kirkkonummi. Didn't see much anything special. Notable:
1 Black Redstart (female), 1 Peregrine Flacon (prob. 2cy), at 2.5. a nice day of grand total of 77 Pied Flycatchers - probably a record day! Spent time watching lichens, falling from bunk beds and other assorted stuff. Will upload pics later.
Spent five nights at Rönnskär, off the coast of Kirkkonummi. Didn't see much anything special. Notable:
1 Black Redstart (female), 1 Peregrine Flacon (prob. 2cy), at 2.5. a nice day of grand total of 77 Pied Flycatchers - probably a record day! Spent time watching lichens, falling from bunk beds and other assorted stuff. Will upload pics later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)