Arctic Geese Skip Migration as Planet Warms

 

From Discovery News, by Michael Reilly:

"In the Fall of 2007, tens of thousands of small arctic geese called Pacific brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) decided not to go south for the winter.

For these long-haul migratory birds, it was a dramatic choice -- they usually spend the cold months munching their favorite eel grass in the waters off Mexico's Baja peninsula. But changes in Earth's climate have so affected them that the barren windswept lagoons of western Alaska are looking more and more appealing.

The trend is likely to continue, according to a new study, affecting not only brant but a host of migratory birds around the globe."

Read the whole article from Discovery News.

I just hope that the spectacular arctic geese migration, known as "Arktika" here in Finland, will not disappear...

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Tromping around for passerines

This evening I was birding with Petro. We tromped around for passerines in the fields of Sääksmäki and Ritvala in Valkeakoski. Heavy rain showers disturbed us, but still we managed to find something.

This time the best area was definately 

Kalsorinvainio - Uitto - Pirjonnurmi from where we found about 30 Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensis),
3 Skylarks (Alauda arvensis),
5 Reed Buntings (Emberiza schoeniclus),
1 Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus),
1 Great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor) and
1 female Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus), which was coursing around the fields.

So, nothing really special but still I was pleased, it was good to get out after hard day at work.

Skylark (Alauda arvensis)

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

First wave of Common Cranes

 

Yesterday I wrote about the milestones of autumn migration and mentioned that mass migration of Common Cranes (Grus grus) is one of those. Well, today the the first wave flew south, totally about 6500 birds. Here in Pirkanmaa county approximately 5800 cranes were seen.

Personally I missed most of this fun, but anyway, I saw a beautiful flock of 180 cranes at 18:38 right over our house.

So, there is still a lot of cranes to come. Perhaps already during next days. I just hope that I will not miss the main migration day when it's possible to see over 10 000 cranes. But I'm afraid it will happen once again in the middle of working day...

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Fiji Petrel photographed for the first time at sea

 Fiji Petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi), a species that once "went missing" for 154 years, has been photographed for the first time, flying at sea, near the island of Gau in the Pacific Ocean. Read the full story from Gunnar Engblom's Blog.

Photo copyright Hadoram Shirihai

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Sunday evening birds

Busy weekend at home, not much time to get out until late in Sunday evening. Roni came with me and we headed to Valmarinniemi, a nearby cape of Mallasvesi - a big lake close to our home. There we saw some Gulls, Red-breasted Mergansers (Mergus serrator), Great Crested Grebes (Podiceps cristatus), Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and a lonely Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus). Those were the only stationary waterfowls we saw. Not much migration either, just a a flock of 30 Eurasian Wigeons (Anas penelope) heading southwest. Nevertheless, it was a short and refreshing trip after time consuming jobs at home.

Some backyard observations from Sunday morning: In addition to first Bramblings (see my post below) there was also a Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) and 2 House Martins (Delichon urbica), possibly the last ones during this year - or then not, who knows...

Migrating Wigeons in Mallasvesi

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

3rd milestone of autumn migration - Bramblings arrived

 

This morning  there was two Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla) in our backyard. Clear sign of autumn and the 3rd milestone during autumn migration here, at least when followed from our backyard.

Autumn migration starts here already in the last days of May / first days of June, when female Eurasian Curlews (Numernius arquata) leave their husbands and kids to move south. Their lonely calls can easily be heard even inside our home when they fly fast high in the sky over our suburb.

Second milestone is the migration of Black-headed Gulls (Choirocephalus ridibundus) in July, they leave in big flocks and suddenly most of them are gone, although some birds stay here untill late autumn. And now came the Bramblings. It's a rare breeding bird here in South Finland, but very common species further north, so it's easy to notice when they start their migration to south.

Next milestones that I wait, are the Common Redpolls (Carduelis flammea), Bohemian Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus) and especially the massive flocks of Common Cranes (Grus grus). Migration of Geese is definately one milestone in east, but here in west we don't see them much during "normal" years. After that there is still couple of milestones before winter;  first the big flocks of Goosanders (Mergus merganser) and finally just before lakes get frozen, the Whooper Swans (Gygnus cygnus) will leave. After that, it's a winter.

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland

Court confirms that spring hunting in Malta is in breach of EU law

 

Great news from south! The European Court of Justice two days ago delivered its judgment in a case concerning the spring hunting of birds in Malta. The judgment clarifies that spring hunting may only be permitted under certain strict conditions strictly proportionate with the aim of conserving bird species. The Commission had taken Malta to court for failing to provide adequate protection for birds, and had also applied for special interim measures to ensure that spring hunting did not continue while the case was being considered.

Read more from europa.eu. and see also press release of Birdlife Malta !

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Author

Olli Haukkovaara

email: olli.haukkovaara @ proton.me

Valkeakoski, Finland