Northern Hawk Owl influx in Finland

 

Counting backwards from today, 1376 Northern Hawk Owls have been seen in Finland during last 30 days. Here in Valkeakoski, where I live, at least 5 birds are present. So, if you haven't seen or photographed this species yet, now you have a chance!

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Milkyway, Moon and owls

 

Last saturday evening I went birding at 23:00. I tried to get my sons with me, but this time they prefered 007's "The spy who loved me" movie. So I went alone and headed to forests east of Valkeakoski.

What a night it was, almost perfect indeed. Sky was clear and I could see the Milkyway above my head and the Moonshine was reflecting from the snow in silent taiga forest. Well, not totally silent - as this is the best time of year to listen for owls.

The first owl I heard was a very distant one, so I wasn't 100% sure of the species - it was either a Ural Owl or Eagle Owl. A bit later I heard a Red Fox calling and then two Tengmalm's Owls (aka Boreal Owl) and one Tawny Owl. Very nice !

I drove ahead, saw one European Hare, heard a possible distant Long-Eared Owl and finally a very active and loud Tawny Owl right next to the road. Shame that my boys didn't come with me. When I told them about my trip in Sunday morning, they required me to take them to owl trip next weekend. Let's hope that the weather is still fine then!

P.S. Four days later I tried with my son Roni to hear Eagle Owls and Eurasian Pygmy Owls right after sunset, when they are supposed to hoot. But not this evening, just dogs barking here and there... Perhaps too cold, who knows... Gotta try again when the weather gets warmer.

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Second owl trip

 

Eagle Owl, photo by Kimmo Mäkiselkä

Yesterday evening I did the second owl trip this winter. Weather was fine, bit cloudy and almost calm - and not too cold, temperature was something around -3 degrees Celcius. This trip was much shorter than the previous one, about 1,5 hours. Already at the second stop I heard the first owl; Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) was calling somewhere quite close. After this it took about an hour before next owl; Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) again, calling somewhere very far. Well, I had expected to hear some more owls, but this is the way it works; you'll never know how active the owls are. Sometimes you'll hear a lot of owls, sometimes you'll hear nothing. So, 2 owls is not a bad result, in my opinion.

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Big owls night

 

I had promised to take my sons Roni (8) and Petro (11) to owl trip during this early spring. Now, when the Easter vacation had started, the time was right. And the weather was almost perfect, no wind at all, totally calm, no overcast and full moon. Only a bit too cold, -6.1 degrees Celcius (21,02 deg. Fahrenheit), so I was a bit afraid whether the owls would be calling or not...

Our first stop was a success; male Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) was calling and my boys heard it well - they were both very happy at it. Well, and me too, of course.

After this first owl it took quite a long time before we heard the next one. We stopped in many places where should have been owls, but tonight they were all mute.

But finally we found what we were looking for; the Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa). For me this was an exiting moment - I had never before heard the call of Great Grey Owl, though I have seen this splendid owl several times.

So we managed to hear two of the three biggest owls of this continent - not a bad owl trip, although it would have been fun to hear more species. I was also waiting to see Aurora Borealis, but no luck with them tonight, maybe next time then.

My sons want to hear more owl species, so perhaps we have to make another owl trip during Easter still.

P.S. the night was not as dark it may look at the photo above; the moonlight reflected from snow so it was relatively easy to see around even without torch.

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Fool owls...

 

...made me frustrated once again. I did the second fruitless owl trip this year, I had planned to listen hooting of Eurasian Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) and Tawny Owls (Strix aluco). Locations were supposed to be 100% sure, as just one evening before other birdwatchers had heard there 3 Eurasian Eagle Owls and 1 Tawny Owl. But today they were all mute, although the weather was exactly the same. Well, luckily the starry sky was beautiful and I managed to see couple of shooting stars.

But the logic of owls is totally incomprehensible, at least what comes to hooting times...

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland