Early Friday morning (Dec 16), I started my 26 hour journey home -- across Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, and back to Newfoundland. Having missed an exciting year in my province, and many rare species, during my Finnish adventure, I was looking forward to birding back on "the rock".

After a long and frustrating day of travel (several weather delays and the loss of my luggage), I arrived home at 4:30am Saturday -- to interesting news. A Ross's Goose had been found in a city lake just 2 km from my apartment -- a first provincial record and an extreme rarity for Atlantic Canada. After squeezing in a few winks of sleep, I nervously set out a few hours later. Fortunately, I found the goose still at the lake, hanging out with the local ducks and allowing amazingly close looks. I also picked up the last remaining Laughing Gull (one of an influx that had been blown in by Hurricane Wilma a month or so ago) and three female Redheads at another pond across town. Three "lifers" within hours of making landfall -- a good start to my return!!

Sunday was the first Christmas Bird Count of the season, and after another early rise, I met up with some friends, grabbed some Tim Horton's coffee (Surprisingly, I missed that in Finland) and headed down the shore towards Cape St. Mary's. While it was a rather mild day for mid-December, the winds were extremely strong, and the hike across the barrens and headlands to Point Lance was a struggle -- gale force winds nearly picking me off my feet and pushing me towards the cliff edge. A true day of coastal Newfoundland birding -- the cliffs rising high above the wild ocean, waves crashing violently against the rocks, blistering winds sweeping across the barrens, and the salt spray coating my binoculars. God, I missed it!!

It was a routine day of birding, with no major rarities. The highlights were a late Orange-crowned Warbler, a lone Rough-legged Hawk playing in the wind, a beautiful group of Harlequin Ducks hiding amongst the flock of Common Eiders, and handful of Snow Buntings and Savannah Sparrows sneaking around on the grassy beach.

And so ends my excursion to Finland. Not sure where my future adventures will take me, but I know I will find my way back there sooner than later. For now, I'm happy to be enjoying the nature of Newfoundland.

It's not Finland -- but it's home, and it's great to be back!!

While the main purpose of my trip was academic, I made the best of the opportunity to see this fantastic part of northern Europe and enjoy it spectacular nature and birdlife, as well as its interesting history and culture.

And I have to admit I've fallen in love with Finland -- its people, its traditions, and its language. And, for the most part, I've really felt at home here. Wherever and whenever I've travelled, I have met interesting and friendly people -- and am especially grateful to the many birders who have been generous with their time, energy and advice during my many adventures, from the local people here Kuopio, to those I've met in places like Kuusamo, Liminginlahti and Lapland.

And there will always be the little things, which I know I will miss when I leave … the nightless nights of summer, ruisleipä (dark rye bread), evenings of sauna, the salty sweet taste of salmiakki, and roasting makkara (and, of course, the beautiful Finnish girls – but that goes without saying!!). Salmiakki I can bring with me, but the rest I know I will eventually come back for.

But my heart lies in nature and that, above all else, is what I have fallen in love with and what will draw me back. The amazing solitude of the Finnish forests, the gleaming lakes under a midnight sun, the beautiful voices of night-singers, the crisp air and brilliant snow of winter …

I will miss it. But I’ll be back.

It’s not the first such story I’ve heard, but this one has been playing on my mind for several days now. I have to wonder how concern and caring for a “loved one” can overcome the powerful drive to migrate south to safety. We all too often think of self-preservation as the most basic of all instincts, and the “kill or be killed” and “survival at all costs” as credos throughout the natural world – but maybe compassion is much more basic and instinctual than we realize.

In a world where we are inundated daily with news of war, greed and hatred, I like to think that these are not really the stuff of basic human nature. There might be hope for our species yet … even if I have to look to a family of cranes to find it.

Despite an extremely late night on Friday, I painfully rolled out of bed Saturday morning, fixed myself some coffee, and bundled up for a day of birding. After an unusually warm autumn, winter had finally started to show its face with snow falling gently outside.

The trip was a preliminary "scouting" expedition to find some birds in advance of next weekend's "rally" (A "big day" competition, for most of us North American birders).

Our first stop in Haminalahti produced the only highlight of the day -- a nice Northern Hawk Owl (Hiiripöllö) perched atop a tree, turning its head 'round in a dozen directions and scanning the surrounding fields patiently for breakfast. With the exception of Great Tits (Talitiainen) and Greenfinches (Viherpeippo) attending a nearby feeder, the action was starting out pretty slowly.

And it stayed that way. The rest of our stops during the morning and early afternoon produced little of anything ... hardly any of the regular species, and certainly nothing of note. Even though it has been a warm fall and the lakes remain unfrozen, the only duck on the day was a Mallard (Sinisorsa) and no other water birds. Except for the wind rustling the trees, the forests were equally as quiet.

At least the fresh air and snow was refreshing ...

And here's the most recent -- I haven't been birding lately because I've either been poked away in my office or jet-setting around the world. Not bad, eh??

Truth be told, I just got back from a trip to Washington DC for a conference. Despite my having made a mess of my travel plans, it was a very worthwhile venture. The conference itself was great, and I walked away having learned lots and picked up some new ideas. Even better, I had the chance to see and spend some time with my friends and colleagues from back home in Newfoundland.

In the bit of spare time I had, I did manage to take in some Washington sights -- including a number of beautiful memorials, the Smithsonian Museums, and the National Art Gallery. And while I didn't get birding (unless Starlings, Pigeons, House Sparrows and one Mockingbird count?!?!), I did get to see something just as spectacular ...

Fortunately, my visit to the National Art Gallery coincided with an exhibition of some of Audubon's original "Birds of North America" prints ... a selection from one of only two full collections known to exist!! It was nothing short of awe-inspiring to see these oversized paintings -- the detail and time that Audubon put into his work, the methods he used to combine art with field identification, and how his skill and quality improved over time. An absolute treat for me ...

I'm going to get out birding soon. Honestly. I mean it this time ...

I recently spent a week in England, visiting a friend and her family. It was a great time - one full day in London, and the rest in Nottingham. Did lots of fun and interesting things ... visited castles and beautiful churches, walked in Sherwood Forest and learned lots about the legends of Robin Hood, took in a great ghost walk in historic Nottingham, hung out in pubs and drank whiskey in fine company, and even hiked the seaside cliffs of Flamborough. But no birding.

Things have been busy at the university since I got back -- my project is winding down and there's lots to do. Throw in the fact that I have to prepare for a conference in Washington DC next week, and my days are full.

So ... I've been birding vicariously on the internet, and feeling the pain of many excellent species being seen back home in Newfoundland - especially after the "fallout" in Atlantic Canada which followed the tail-end of Hurricane Wilma last week.

Enough already ...

But rain or shine, I was joining in on the "fun". With the winds turning northerly for the first time in weeks, a good blast of arctic migration should have been on the way. So, a quick cup of coffee later, I bundled up, grabbed my gear and headed south of the city to Puutossalmi. Many birds follow the large Lake Kallavesi south, passing by the little point of land where the lake narrows ... making it a prime spot for viewing fall migration of waterfowl, divers and raptors.

By the time I arrived at 9:00am, about a dozen birders were already there. I'm not sure if it was the rainy weather, but things just didn't materialize that morning. After 4.5 hours of scanning the sky and water, most people were giving up hope of seeing too much ... In fact, the only goose was a single Brant (Sepelhanhi) that flew overhead, and other than a decent showing of Black-throated Divers (Kuikka) and a single Snow Bunting (Pulmunen), the morning was a bust.

Pinning my hopes on the promises from local birders that "tommorrow will be better", I joined some friends and headed out early Sunday morning. The winds were now coming straight from the north -- better for migration, but notably colder. At least it wasn't raining!! About 15 birders gathered at the point, staring face-first into the blistering wind ... (Except for the lack of salt-water spray and a few jagged rocks to hide behind, it was a lot like a winter sea-watch back in Newfoundland!! Nice to feel at home!!)

Things started a bit slowly -- a few Long-tailed Ducks (Alli) and Black-throated Divers (Kuikka) shot by. But soon the geese starting coming - and when they did, they just kept popping up. A flock here, another flock there -- some way out on the horizon, almost invisible to the naked eye, others flying directly over our heads. In fact, the keeners with pen and paper estimate we saw close to 7000 geese throughout the morning and early afternoon. Not bad by any standards ... While many of the geese were too far away for definite ID's, most of them were Bean Geese (Metsähanhi) and Barnacle Geese (Valkoposkihanhi).

One of the more entertaining birds, though, was a House Sparrow (Varpunen). It arrived on the small ferry which carries cars back and forth across the small span of water (~250m) which seperates the points of land in Puutossalmi, and hopped around our feet for an hour or so, picking up scraps and enjoying little handouts from the birders on coffee break. It's belly full, it decided to go home ... But despite the short flight back to the other side, it waited for the ferry to return, got back on and hitched a ride. Talk about lazy!!!

Well, it's vacation time for me --- today I start a weeklong trip to England to shake off the cobwebs and spend some time with a friend.

Kippis!!

A group of birders enjoying the arctic migration at Puutossalmi ... (Click to enlarge)

The world's laziest House Sparrow (Varpunen) enjoying lunch ... (Click to enlarge)

As much as I love and enjoy birding here in Finland, I have been a bit frustrated with my "luck" since autumn has set in. I don't get out as much as I would like, and when I do I just can't seem to run into the birds. Maybe its a lack of birds, or just hitting the wrong places at the wrong time. Whatever it is, it's "crap".

My forays into the local forests looking for Siberian warblers which have been passing through Finland (and even showing up in western Europe in record numbers!!) have been for naught. Trudges through fields and meadows in search of unusual pipits and such have been useless. Visits to local wetlands and migration routes to look for geese have produced empty lakes and skies.

It's not all bad, mind you. The fresh air, fall colours and peaceful strolls have been amazing. And, despite my "down-in-the-mouth" attitude, there have been some fun birds, as well.

Taking advantage of a more flexible schedule the last few days, I've been chasing my tail a little more often. Friday morning I visited Musti and Raasio, two places where shorebirds gather earlier in the year, and geese sometimes frequent in fall. It was a ghost-town, with not a goose to be seen and no late waders. The only highlight was finally seeing a Merlin (Ampuhaukka) - a common raptor back home, but my first for this part of the world.

Before heading in to work on Sunday, I made my regular visit to Siilimasuo and the local dump. Except for a few Chaffinch (Peippo) and Great Tits (Talitiainen), both places were a bust. There was some fleeting excitement when I flushed up a pipit, but it turned out to be just a Meadow Pipit (Niittykirvinen).

Monday morning included my first visit to Puutossalmi -- a location on Lake Kallavesi, just south of the city, that is known in the area for its arctic migration. But with southerly winds prevailing for days, not much has been happening. One Great Black-backed Gull (Merilokki) and Black-throated Diver (Kuikka) were marginally notable, and a single flock of Barnacle Geese (Valkoposkihanhi) overhead was the only sign of migration.

Tuesday morning I visited the "bird lake" of Riistavesi. Again, no geese. Six species of duck were hanging out, including 6 migrating Common Scoters (Mustalintu), and four Whooper Swans (Laulujoutsen) honked their way across the sky.

This morning, a blanket of fog motivated me to abandon my plans to watch for migration and take a walk in the farm fields of Jälä instead. It was more birdy than I had predicted, although nothing too out of the ordinary. The highlight was a lone Horned Lark (Tunturikiuru) -- another common bird back home, but a Finnish first for me. One Reed Bunting (Pajusirkku), numerous Meadow Pipits (Niittykirvinen) and two Skylarks (Kiuru) flushed up from the grass, and a continual stream of Fieldfares (Räkättirastas) migrated overhead.

Fingers crossed ... something better HAS to cross my path soon. Right?!?!

While I haven't had time to squeeze in much birding the last few weeks, my odd walks in the forests around the city have proved pretty futile. Hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the Siberian phylloscopus warblers which frequent Finland in early October, I have had to settle for sparse sightings of anything. With the exception of Fieldfares (Räkättirastas) and Redwings (Punakylkirastas), that is ... those little monsters have flocked together and taken over!!

Still, a few notbale birds have managed to brighten my short strolls ... a Black Woodpecker (Palokärki) doing its rounds, and a few small flocks of Goldcrests (Hippiäinen) twittering high up in the canopy. Always fun to see are the Treecreepers (Puukiipijä), which work away furiously amongst the trees - oblivious to anyone or anything.

Next week is a little less busy -- so here's hoping a few mornings of birding will produce something a little more exciting!!

No, it's not the start of a really corny joke. It's the beginning of my adventure this past weekend, taking a whirlwind tour of the Laplands.

My travelling companions were non-birders, so this was far from a birding trip. In fact, I drove straight through many habitats where I would normally have made a short detour to search for Capercaille, and I had to restrain myself from asking them to "watch out for Hawk Owls" as we sped through cut-overs!! Nevertheless, it was a great trip with lots of amazing scenery.

"Ruska" is the Finnish word used to describe the magical colours of autumn, especially in Lapland ... when the leaves turn shades of red, gold and brown. While the trees north of the arctic circle had dropped many of their leaves in the last few days, it still made for an unforgettable experience.

Our journey began on Saturday morning, as we headed to Rovaniemi -- the gateway to Lapland, sitting on the very edge of the Arctic Circle ("Napapiiri"). We spent the afternoon visiting the official Napapiiri crossing - which, with scores of souvenier shops and restaurants, just oozes shamelessly of "tourist trap". (Not that it wasn't worth the visit -- some of the best Lappish handicrafts can be found in those shops, and the "real" Santa Claus even has an official village there!!).

On Sunday, we continued north to the small town of Inari -- the unofficial centre of life and culture for the "Sami" people, who have lived in Lapland for thousands of years. At a latitude of 68.54 N, it is a great example of true northern Europe (and, in the Canadian scheme of things, is further north than Inuvik, Nunavut). The Siida Museum was an informative and very attractive place to visit, and our hike to the Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church (9 km return) was a great taste of the local landscape.

While not doing any "real" birding, I did encounter a few of my favourite northern boreal species during the hike --- two Parrot Crossbills (Isokäpylintu) twittered from the treetops, a couple small flocks of Siberian Tits (Lapintiainen) flitted about, a Willow Ptarmigan (Riekko) skulked in the underbrush, and four Siberian Jays (Kuukkeli) dropped in to check us out. One Golden Eagle (Maakotka) on the drive up was my only new species for the trip, and unfortunately I dipped on a few of the other species I had hoped to encounter.

Monday was a dark, dreary and sometimes drizzly day --- making the scenery on the long drive home a little less spectacular. A few strategic stops, including one at the Urho Kekkonen National Park, only made me wish I had more time to explore the amazing wilderness areas of Lapland. With the exception of many roadside Ravens (Korppi), Magpies (Harakka), Eurasian Jays (Närhi) and one Black Grouse (Teeri), birds were pretty scarce. Although other wildlife was also scant, the girls did get to see their first Reindeer (Poro) and Moose (Hirvi) during the journey.

We had clocked 1750 km by the time I got home ... a long but worthwhile trip. Lots left to see up there -- next time, I guess!!

A Willow Ptarmigan (Riekko), trying its best to be invisible. (Click to enlarge)

The colours of "Ruska" reflecting off the waters in Inari ... (Click to enlarge)

Lots of interesting landscapes in the Laplands, such as the old forests which have grown up around the erratic boulders left by glaciers. (Click to enlarge)

Saturday was a fine day ... with the exception of a few isolated showers and one spell of "freezing rain", it was generally sunny with light winds. The unpredicatability of the weather here is very reminiscent of back home!!

I spent a few hours walking the Jälä fields - a farming area just north of the city which attracts a variety of passerines this time of year. I spent most of my time trying to turn some of the many Meadow Pipits (Nittykirvinen) into something a bit more interesting, but without any luck. One Skylark (Kiuru) and a handful of Northern Wheatears (Kivitasku) was as close as I got ...

The most exciting bird was a Rustic Bunting (Pohjansirkku), which made a brief appearance near a small patch of forest at the far end of the fields. It was a bit of a "coup" for me, as it was one of the few species I had missed in my trips up north earlier this summer!! Also of interest was my first Jack Snipe (Jänkäkurppa) which flushed up from a wet field, along with a few Common Snipe (Taivaanvuohi).

I tried to round out my Snipe list on Sunday, trudging through the wet fields of Haminalahti in search of Great Snipe. Alas, not a stir.

Sunday was a much cooler, windy day ... and my trip to Siilimasuo was pretty much a bust. With the birds keeping to the thick vegetation, scaring up the Chaffinch (Peippo) was the best I could do. I decided to try some Newfoundland-style alder-bashing (well, "willow"-bashing in this case!), but my "pishing" only attracted a few Willow Warblers (Pajulintu), European Robins (Punarinta) and Dunnocks (Rautiainen).

I'll have to try and sneak off again some early morning later in the week ...

Sunday morning I joined some other birders at Siilamasuo -- an old abandoned garbage dump, which is now covered in grass and tall vegetation, producing great habitat for many birds. As has been usual for me lately, things were a little slow. The thick grass was alive, however, with common species -- such as Chaffinch (Peippo), Willow Warblers (Pajulintu), and Dunnocks (Rautiainen). The first fall Bohemian Waxwing (Tilhi) for the region was a nice sight, as was a Two-barred Crossbill (Käpylintu) - the most uncommon of the three crossbill species in Finland. A Black Woodpecker (Palokärki) was a fine addition to the morning. A Honey Buzzard (Mehiläishaukka) perched in a distant tree was interesting, and it later soared above my car as I headed out.

Next, I headed off on my own to the current dump, hoping to spend an hour with the gulls. Oddly, there were NO gulls when I arrived -- maybe because the garbage had recently been spread and buried, with nearby farm fields now providing better menus?? Opting instead to check the grassy hill above the dump, I was pleased to flush up my first Lapland Longspur (Lapinsirkku) for Finland, and listen to its unique voice. Lots of White (Västäräkki) and a few Yellow Wagtails (Keltavästäräkki) ran around the path in front of me, and two Willow Tits (Kuusitiainen) played on a nearby fence. Best of all, a migrating Bluethroat (Sinirinta) sat on an exposed perch, allowing nice looks at an uncommon and often elusive bird.

Later in the day, I joined two friends who were leading a group trip to the Maaninka farmlands. It was mostly a replay of my last few trips to the area, seeing many of the same birds as before. Of some interest was a very late Curlew (Kuovi) that appeared to be injured, and a straggling Golden Plover (Kapustarinta). The number of Common Cranes (Kurki) had decreased dramatically due to the widespread harvesting on the fields -- down from about 400 last week to less than 50. A few of the regular raptors were seen, including Eurasian Kestrel (Tuulihaukka), Eurasian Hobby (Nuolihaukka), and a female Northern Harrier (Sinisuohaukka). A Grey Heron (Harmaahaikara) flying over the road on the drive back was one of the better birds of the day.

This Lapland Longspur (Lapinsirkku) was quite nervous, but eventually allowed me to snap a few pics. (Click to enlarge)

Vesajöki, one of the farming areas of Maaninka which can provide great birding. (Click to enlarge)

Today, I joined two friends for a full day of birding in nearby Rautalampi -- a great area of wetlands and farmfields, where some interesting birds have been reported lately. It was a windy but relatively nice day -- the temperature slipping over 20C at midday. Unfortunately, it was also a slow day for birds.

If the Finns take their birding seriously, they take their coffee breaks even moreso. Back home in Newfoundland, a "break" means chugging some warm coffee and devouring a sub from the PCS corner store while driving between birding spots. But NOT here. No siree ...

Here, a coffee break is something sacred. The first mid-morning break involves finding a civilized place to sit down, drink coffee from a mug instead of directly from the thermos spout, and a healthy lunch of fruit and homemade sandwiches. A little later, closer to noon, a coffee break can be something much more complex. Today, it involved packing our things into a picnic shelter next to the birding tower (Yes -- coffee breaks are so important here that the birding society has even built a shelter just for that purpose). This time we pulled out all the stops ... started a fire, kicked back, enjoyed coffee, homemade juice, salad and more sandwiches. Most important was the makkara (Finnish sausage) -- roasting sausage over the fire is a staple of any Finnish summer outing. Boy am I going to miss makkara when I have to go home ...

As for birds, it was indeed a bit slow. The tail end of shorebird migration consisted of a handful of Ruffs (Suokukko), 2 Dunlins (Suosirri), a Common Ringed Plover (Tylli), and a Greenshank (Valkoviklo). The mediocre highlight was my first Black-bellied Plover (Tundrakurmitsa) for Finland. We did manage to note a few songbirds moving about -- notably Crested (Töyhtötiainen) and Willow Tits (Kuusitiainen) flocking together, increasing numbers of Eurasian Jays (Närhi), and a Brambling (Järripeippo).

A few raptors were on the move -- the most noteworthy of which were a Rough-legged Hawk (Piekana) migrating southward and a Northern Goshawk (Kanahaukka) seeming to enjoy the wind.

I also had my first experience with a "Moose Fly" (Haematobosca alcis) -- which has been expanding westward into Finland the last few years and is now a regular part of late-summer birding. They are ugly little buggers and, while they generally don't bite humans, they do like to get in your hair. Almost makes me want to shave my head and stop peeing in the woods ...

A typical makkara roast. Mmmmmmmmmmmm ... (Click to enlarge)

A Moose Fly ... Cute, eh? (Click to enlarge)

This year has seen an unusually large invasion of Red-footed Falcons (Punajalkahaukka) to Finland, with 250-300 reported in the month of August -- most in the last week or so. On Saturday, I got a message about one being watched in Riistavesi (~30km NE of the city), but by the time I made it out there it had disappeared. While waiting around in hopes of it returning, I did get to see five Common Buzzards (Hiirihaukka), and a great family of Whooper Swans (Laulujoutsen) nearby.

I've been busy this week, and this morning was the first chance I had to check out the raptor migration for myself -- so I headed out to the agricultural area of Maaninka, where a good variety can be seen on a good day. Unfortunately, weatherwise, this was TOO good a day ... sunny and very light winds. Such days are not conducive to raptor-watching, and the best we could muster up were a handful of Eurasian Kestrels (Tuulihaukka) and Sparrowhawks (Varpushaukka). In fact, at most good vantage-points the closest thing to raptor we could find was a dragonfly or two!! Just goes to show how important the weather can be to birding --- I'll have to keep my eyes on the forecast and head back for the next breezy, cloudy day.

Besides raptors, we did manage to see a few other interesting birds -- including three late Curlews (Kuovi), five Golden Plovers (Kapustarinta), and my first Grey Heron (Harmaahaikara) for Finland. Grey Herons are not common breeders in Finland, and are observed here mostly in late summer.

The last few weeks have been split between working on my research at the university and enjoying a short holiday (albeit birdless). Late last week, I left to visit Stockholm for a few days. To make the trip even more interesting, I travelled by cruise ship across the Baltic Sea -- leaving from Turku and returning via Helsinki. It was a great trip, and I was both inspired and humbled by the beauty and history of the Swedish capital. (For more details and pictures of the trip, feel free to visit my website at http://jaredclarke.20m.com)

The only birds of any interest on the trip were noted from the ferry -- a few Great Black-backed Gulls (Merilokki) amongst the other more numerous larid species, two flocks of Long-tailed Ducks (Alli), and a White-tailed Eagle (Merikotka).

Earlier in the week, I did make an evening trip to Hamminalahti - where I was entertained by a pair of Eurasian Kestrels (Tuulihaukka) at very close range. A Northern Harrier (Sinisuohaukka) also made a pass or two over the nearby meadows, and another large raptor escaped unidentified. Lots of Greenfinches (Viherpeippo) and Barn Swallows (Haarapääsky) were on the move, and one Whinchat (Pensastasku) posed briefly on a wire.