Go to sea shore, if you wanna see lot's of birds now

 

Oldsquaws aka Long-tailed ducks were the most abundant waterfowl

In February, it's midwinter in Finland, most of the birds are somewhere far in south. Especially in inland, there's now a very limited number of species to see and during this winter, we don't have much Thrushes, nor Bohemian waxwings, nor Crossbills or Pine grosbeaks. Also Eurasian siskins and Redpolls are very scarce this winter. So, if you wanna see lot's of birds, you should go to sea shore, to outermost peninsulas where is no ice yet.

Last Sunday me and my younger son Roni, drove south to Porkkala peninsula, which is located in Kirkkonummi, about 40 km southwest from our capitol Helsinki. The sea in front of Helsinki is already covered by ice, but in Porkkala there is still mostly open water.

Our trip was long, but it was worth it. When we drove south from Valkeakoski, there was first a thick fog from Hämeenlinna to Hyvinkää, after that a blizzard in Vantaa and Espoo, but soon after we arrived to Porkkala, the clouds moved away and sun started to shine! Woohoo! 

During drive, we saw four Black Grouse in Hyvinkää, the first new species during this trip to my 2021 yearlist. Nice! All the rest of new species were in Porkkala. Below is the list of our observations in Porkkala:

• Oldsquaw aka Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) 1400
• Common scoter (Melanitta nigra) 12
• Velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca) 130
• Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 50
• Smew (Mergus albellus) 2
• Goosander (Mergus merganser) 30
• Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator) 2
• Mallard  (Anas platyrhynchos) 30
• Tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)  3
• Mute swan (Gygnus olor) 7
• Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) 1
• White-tailed Eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) 1
• Common Gull (Larus canus) 3
• European herring gull  (Larus argentatus) 5
• Great black-backed gull  (Larus marinus) 1
• Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)  2
• Raven (Corvus corax) 1
• Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) 3
• Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)  1

Of the above 19 species, Oldsquaw, Common scoter, Smew, Red-breasted merganser and Snow bunting were new to me this year. 

Flock of Common goldeneyes

Half a day in Porkkala was perfect, lot's of birds compared to inland. Sun was shining and we felt the warmth of sun on our faces, even though the temperature was about -10 degrees Celcius. It really felt like an early spring, especially when the Snow bunting flew over!

Grey Seal was also a nice surprise!

View to west

Roni watching birds with my scope

Got to make an other birding trip to sea shore within a month, when spring migration starts. It's nice to see Skylarks, Northern lapwings, Stock doves and other early arrivers weeks before they come to inland.

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Writer

Olli Haukkovaara
Valkeakoski
Finland

Slaty-backed Gull, a MEGA rarity, great surprise in January 2021, thank you Sendari!

 

Four Herring Gulls on the left and Slaty-backed Gull on the right. Photo: Olli Haukkovaara

On January 23rd, Saturday afternoon, Elissa Soikkeli found a promising looking gull from River Kymijoki, in the downtown of Kuusankoski. Soon it was confirmed to be a 2nd ever Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) in Finland, and the 9th observation in whole Western Palearctic area. A real MEGA rarity! While writing this, I'm not sure how many different birds have been seen in Westers Palearctic, perhaps 8 as the gulls in Lithuania and Latvia 2008 / 2009 were the same. This gull disappeared soon to south with Herring Gulls and was not found again before sunset.

I had agreed with my friends Risto Vilpas and Ville Työppönen, that we will still try to see the gull on Sunday morning, 24th of January, so we pushed the pedal at 6:00 a.m. and arrived at Kuusankoski at about 8:00 a.m., roughly an hour before sunrise.

We were the first birders there and we immediately spotted the Slaty-backed Gull on the opposite side of the river! Wooohoooo! Lifer for each of us! Thank you Sendari and Elissa! Next the message to Lintutiedotus i.e. the Finnish Rare Bird Alert system; The Slaty-backed Gull is still on the same place as yesterday!

Soon after that lot's of birders, men and women, of all ages, arrived to river bank, approximately about 50 of them. Cheerful yells and Corona-type "handshaking", many of the birders got the lifer even though many had seen the 1st Slaty-backed Gull 8 years ago, in Espoo, Finland.

Slaty-backed Gull on flight. Photo: Olli Haukkovaara

The Slaty-backed Gull was relatively easy to identify, it had broad white trailing edges in the wings, conspicious white "string of pearls" in outerwings, raspberry-pink legs, fine brown head-markings and slaty-colored back, not black.

I wonder what will be the next lifer, this Slaty-backed Gull was really a surpise! Last year I got two lifers, Collared Pratincole and Cackling Goose. This year, well, only Sendari knows....

Thank you Sendari, we will sacrifice to You! Photo: Ville Työppönen