Bad Finnish Birdwatcher

Saturday, March 31, 2007 - Good old Hanko

Viikki - Porkkala - Hanko. Kind of a holy trinity for me when it comes to birding-sites. They're not the best ones in Finland. The best ones are spread all around Finland. But when it comes to Uusimaa, my local birding-area, these are the best ones for me. And yes, that is very much a subjective view. But the fact, that when one wants to see the first spring arrivals in Finland, Hanko, the southernmost peninsula in the mainland is the place to be, is undeniable.

So, there we were - in Hanko. Birdwatching on the seashores. Me with my promise of breaking 100 year-ticks in Uusimaa in March (it was the last day of the month). And Antto, without promises, just birding. Sun was shining, it was pretty warm, not much wind, great visibility.

And when it came to the birds, we got plenty. Although - there wasn't much visible migration. There were the Eider -flocks far away at sea heading east, Chaffinches were heading north, we saw a few flocks of Cranes. But apart from that, not much action. Not too many raptors for example. White-tailed Eagles of course. You'd have to be blind not to see them in Hanko - any time of the year.

The goodies included a male Gadwall, two Tundra Swans, Shelducks and Common Ringed Plovers. A male Parrot Crossbill, with its bright red plumage shining in the sun, singing in a pine-top, was memorable. Black Redstart, which was a twitch, was perhaps the best observation of the trip. Also the two singing Wood Larks which we heard while twitching the Redstart, were great, not least because of that beautiful song they have, like a spring brook.

And yes - I did break one hundred. We saw 75 bird species that day.

Mute Swans, unable to decide whether to bathe in the sun or the sea, compromise