Arctic Magic Finland and Varanger Fjord 15 th 25 th June 2001

Transcription

1 Arctic Magic Finland and Varanger Fjord 15 th 25 th June 2001 Tour Report Celtic Bird Tours 84 Coity Road, Bridgend Cf31 1LT

2 Tour Leaders Jeff Price Neil Donaghy Participants Patrick Brennan Kate Chapman William Gaynor Fiona Grant 15 th June Sunny. Warm. Wind: 1 W The group met at the airport at for our Finnair flight to Helsinki. The flight departed on time and we arrived in Helsinki at local time. Our connection to Oulu on the Gulf of Bothnia was delayed by 20 minutes, but with a tail wind, we arrived just 10 minutes late at We were met by Jeff at the airport and transferred the short distance to our hotel. After unpacking, we made a stop for insect repellent at a local supermarket before doing some pre - dinner birding. Our first stop was at Heiluhanto Harbour. The light was incredible and easily led to size illusion on species like terns and gulls. However, we quickly settled and began birding in earnest. An immature male Common Rosefinch sang from a willow and we enjoyed close views of a good bird to start the tour with. Little Terns fished in the harbour and four Whooper Swans were on the sea. The small wader flock consisted of a few Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Curlew and a single Spotted Redshank flew over calling. Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye and Tufted Ducks provided the wildfowl interest. Moving to Varjakka Marsh, we quickly added Spotted Flycatcher and other woodland species including Fieldfare and Redwing, both singing from high perches. A male Blackcap flitted quickly into cover and a very grey northern Willow Warbler had us a little perplexed until it sang. Several very handsome male Siskins fed on Dandelions at close range and a couple of displaying Snipe gave good views. A female Pintail showed only briefly and a stunning adult Little Gull flew overhead, along with two fuscus race Lesser Black-backed Gulls or Baltic Gulls, as they have recently been named. After dinner, we added a male Pied Flycatcher, White Wagtail, Barn Swallow and House Sparrow in the hotel grounds, en route to Hietasaari Harbour. Unfortunately, the water levels were high and we were unable to find Terek Sandpiper here. The setting on the Gulf of Bothnia was glorious with Arctic and Little Terns displaying, Little Gulls dip feeding, Goosander and a couple of Teal on the water. A male Marsh Harrier spooked all of the birds including large numbers of Herring Gulls of the bigger and darker argentatus race, a few Great Black-backed Gulls for size comparison and a flock of fifteen Eurasian Wigeon flew distantly out across the water. Our final stop today was Teppola Fields, where we enjoyed reasonable views of a Short-eared Owl as it drifted across the road, several singing male Whinchat and two roding Woodcock. Eleven Whooper Swans flew over and a few pairs of Lapwing, Curlew and Redshank announced their presence noisily. We ended back at the hotel at with another Woodcock and Redwing singing with the sun still shining high in the sky! 16 th June Overcast becoming sunny and warm. Wind: 1 NW The day began well after a good nights sleep [little did we know what a blessing that would be!] Three Moose including a calf were at the back of the hotel, a Lesser Whitethroat showed well and Blue and Great Tits fed noisy young. Another singing Rosefinch could not be found, so we moved on to Ouganata Forest. A Raven flew past and a few Bullfinches were present in the pines. A Wryneck flew into an open perch but didn t stay for long and a Common Sandpiper flew along a small angling pool. We then enjoyed fantastic close up views of a pair of Three-toed Woodpeckers feeding chicks at the nest hole. It was even possible to see the tongue of the female passing food to the chicks superb! A Goldcrest and a Greenshank were added along with Mistle Thrush. We drove to the internationally famous Limigahnlahti or Liminka Bay wetland reserve, though today it was a little quiet. We did see Greylag Goose, Shoveler, Yellowhammer, Pintail and Ruff through the unexpected heat haze and more terns and Little Gulls fed in the bay. A couple of Spotted Redshank flew in but they didn t stay in view for long. We took coffee and cake in the excellent visitor centre and just as we were leaving a male Hen Harrier gave a fabulous flying display as it circled right over our heads, its ghostly appearance accentuated in the bright sunlight. We tried again for Terek Sandpiper at Nuottasaari Harbour, but once again high water levels foiled us. A few Wheatears and Ringed Plover were present, along with a single Little Ringed Plover and three

3 Temminck s Stints; one of which gave excellent views as it perched on top of a bolder. A spectacular Arctic Tern colony was noted in the disused car park. We took an early dinner, as we had a long drive for our evening excursion. We were joined by Ari, our Finnature guide, for a trip to Kestila Forest. We walked to the nest hole of a pair of Ural Owls, where we immediately saw the chick but no adults. A pair of Cuckoos chased each other over our heads, but little else was happening until a few Tree Pipits started giving alarm calls and we heard the first bark of the female owl. We struggled initially to see it, but our patience paid off, as the bird flew around a corner before settling into scope filling views on a pine top. It then flew over the track calling to the male, so we decided that we had disturbed the birds enough for one evening and headed back to the bus. A tremendous bird, well worth the journey. Our final stop was Oulu dump. Large numbers of gulls took to the air and began mobbing an invisible raptor. The bird turned out to be a large female Goshawk, which showed briefly before disappearing into the forest. We were about to give up the hunt for our target bird at when Jeff announced that he had it in view. A huge Eagle Owl sat in a tree. The views were not brilliant in the eerie, misty half-light, but everyone saw the bird and could just pick out its salient features. We drove back to the hotel tired but extremely happy! 17 th June Overcast. Wind. 1 SW After last nights late finish, we all had a little lie in except Patrick who found the Rosefinch in the hotel grounds. Disappointingly, it was another young male and not the beautiful scarlet adult bird he had hoped for. A Garden Warbler was also present but elusive. We left Oulu for the 300km drive to Kuusamo at 09.00, making a comfort stop after an hour or so and most of us had to be woken up and informed of this!! Our first birding was done at the roadside near Mananselka. It was raining hard, but this soon passed and this was to be the only shower we saw throughout our stay. A displaying Green Sandpiper, a singing male Brambling and four flyover Common Crossbills were all added, along with our first Reindeer of the tour. A couple of Common Redstarts sang but did not show. We took lunch at Kuusamo dump but couldn t find the hoped for Siberian Gull. A huge Glaucous x Herring Gull hybrid was present though, along with more Little and Black-headed Gulls. A Wood Sandpiper was in the muddy margins of the pool and Goldeneye and Teal had recently hatched chicks. Following lunch, we moved on to Riekki Forest, where we had stunning views of a pair of Hawk Owls. The female was sat on the nest and eventually the male flew in and landed nearby. We scoped the bird as it plucked a small vole in full view- fantastic birds. We also saw Great Spotted Woodpecker here, more Ravens and Tree Pipits and marvelled at the view into Russia only 10km away. Next, we drove to Kuntivaara Forest. As we arrived, another tour group pulled in front of us, so we waited at the roadside until they left. This was petty productive as we saw an Osprey lazily flapping over, another Three-toed Woodpecker and Green Sandpiper and a pair of Spotted Flycatchers in courtship routine. Before long, it was our turn to enter the forest. By now the sun was out and unfortunately, so was the biggest mosquito hatch of the tour! Anticipation was high and despite a longish wait, we finally enjoyed more scope filling views of an owl, as a female Pygmy Owl sat in a birch near the nest hole, calling to the male, which was in the canopy. We arrived at the very plush Hotelli Kuusamo at Following dinner, we took a short drive to a stretch of open country but in spite of a three-hour wait, there was a no show from Great Grey Owl. The bird had been regular at the site earlier in the month, but owing to the irresponsible actions of another bird tour operator, it had become difficult to find. 18 th June Our first stop today was at the roadside edge of Tuitilla Forest, where a singing male Little Bunting performed superbly yet more scope filling views and a fantastic start to the day! At Toranki Lake, at least five breeding plumaged Red Necked Grebes were present, along with a large flock of Little Gulls, Whooper Swans, Greenshank, Ruff, Coypu and Red Squirrel. Juusiniemi Forest produced Siberian Tit feeding young in a nest box and on one occasion an adult bird was seen to remove the foecal sac. A male Pied Flycatcher was busy at the nest box next-door. We then drove for an hour to the stunningly beautiful Oulanka National Park. A pair of Black-bellied Dippers were feeding young and another bird was seen further downstream and a Grey Wagtail was heard but seen only briefly by one member of the group. At the feeding station, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Greenfinch and the local grey subspecies of Willow Tit all showed well. We took time just to enjoy the area and stopped several times for photo opportunities. We moved to another part of the park for lunch. White and Grey-headed Wagtails showed superbly, with the latter subspecies of Yellow Wagtail being particularly showy. At the lake a couple of Greenshank flew over and a displaying Wood Sandpiper was heard but not seen. A Cuckoo perched in the open and a couple of Common Crossbills flew over. A male Brambling and a pair of beautifully marked Mealy Redpolls completed the picture here. Driving through Suorajarvi, we heard a Quail calling, but as always it refused to show. A pair of Northern Grey Shrikes was more amenable, though a little distant as they perched on the roadside vegetation.

4 Our final stop was Liitovaari Forest, where in the bright sunshine, a singing male Arctic Warbler gave excellent views. En route back to the hotel, a Short-eared Owl flew in front of the bus. We took an early dinner and then bed, as we were going out again at June 19 th Sunny. Wind: 0 The day dawned cold but beautifully sunny. The stillness of the air was magical and it was a privilege to be out and about in such a magnificent setting. Unfortunately, we were not so lucky with our birding. A return visit to the Great Grey Owl site left us frustrated, though a pair of calling Black-throated Divers was very evocative. Our grouse safari produced not a single bird until we reached the very end of the road and found a pair of very confiding Siberian Jays. The birds came down to investigate as we stopped the bus for a stretch of the legs and eventually gained enough confidence to take the bread that we threw down for them. It was now and time to visit the almost mythical site of Valtavaara Hill. The climb was a real effort so early in the morning and after reaching the top, we were rewarded with not even a sniff of a Redflanked Bluetail. Some days they sing and some days they don t and it was hard luck for us that today they chose the latter. We did hear another Pygmy Owl, Greenish Warbler and Two-barred Crossbills, but couldn t see those either. Another pair of Siberian Jays and Three-toed Woodpecker at the time seemed scant consolation. At least the views were stunning! We trudged disconsolately back to the bus, feeling as though our luck had changed for the worse. A few Arctic Hares and a family party of Whooper Swans lifted spirits a little, but we were all glad to get back to the hotel. Neil took a sauna, whilst everyone else slept for an hour. Following breakfast, we began another long trek north with little in the way of birding, so some wellneeded sleep was the order of the day. We obtained permission to enter Kemijarvi Paper Mills and set off along the tracks, stopping at various treatment pools and the lake. The smell was appalling, but we had large numbers of Black-headed Gull, Teal and Ruff. A few Little Ringed Plover included one that sat right in front of the bus and one particularly rank pool had Temminck s Stint, Greenshank and a pair of Wood Sandpiper on it. Our target species here was again Terek Sandpiper and once again we struggled, managing to only glimpse a bird in flight on one or two occasions before it disappeared over the other side of the works. Eventually, after over two hours it settled on the edge of the lake and we scoped it just in time, as it then put its head under its wing and fell soundly asleep! Where the other birds from the twelve pairs were is anybody s guess. Another singing Rosefinch eluded us here!! We continued north, taking lunch at a roadside spot with Fieldfares, Whinchat and Spotted Flycatchers for company. We reached Ilmakkiappa Bog in the mid afternoon and this was a very productive area. A male Peregrine flew over the lake, a female Smew flew in and landed and a Wood Sandpiper sat on top of a pine right next to the tower hide. Two distant Cranes were just blobs in the now considerable haze. Jeff picked up a Jack Snipe, but this was distant and was not seen by anyone else. In the same breath, as he called it, Neil picked up a large raptor over the other side of the road. We then enjoyed a flying exhibition from an adult White-tailed Eagle, its plumage details clearly visible as it swooped and glided before eventually dropping out of sight. We moved to a large lake where we thought it might have gone but could not relocate it. We had to make do with four Ospreys and at least five breeding plumaged Blackthroated Divers! Our spirits rose and enthusiasm was renewed. Was this really the same day that had started so badly? We checked in to our log cabins at Peurusuvanto, took dinner with host Olavi Nyssonnen or Olla, as he is known and a more genuine person it would be difficult to find. His look at seeing Neil standing before him [we met at the Birdfair some years ago] was one of genuine delight and surprise. Following dinner, he took us to see a Tengmalm s Owl nest but the birds didn t show. We decided to return to Ilmakkiappa Bog and scored another adult White-tailed Eagle along the way- this bird much closer than previously. It made the Black-headed Gulls mobbing it look like sparrows! Upon arrival, we were met by a displaying Broad-billed Sandpiper. This bird was joined by at least two others and kept us spellbound as they whizzed around the sky like demented bats. A flock of sixteen Wood Sandpipers flew over calling noisily and a small herd of Reindeer got confused as they tried crossing the road at various different points. At 00.30, we found a singing male Red-spotted Bluethroat, which given time, edged out of cover, giving prolonged views and we had to leave the bird rather than vice versa. We decided to return to the Tengmalm s Owl site, as Jeff had a hunch. We waited for a while and heard a bird calling distantly in the forest. Then it flew in and although our views were fairly brief, we did see it make a food drop at the nest before flying silently away and out of sight. A Black Grouse lek was audible in the background and a few Crossbills flew over calling.

5 20 th June Sunny. Hot. Wind: 0 Another glorious day! The morning was spent on Olla s private reserve. We didn t add any new trip birds but did get our best views of the tour of White-tailed Eagle; as yet another adult flew straight at us, calling and being mobbed by a Wood Sandpiper. A few Mealy Redpoll, Brambling and Red Squirrel were also seen. We stopped for coffee and souvenirs before saying our farewells and heading to Sompiojarvi. The dirt track out to the lake produced two female Capercaillie at incredibly close range the exquisite detail of their plumage highlighted by the sun. We stopped only briefly at the lake, where Whinchat, Hooded Crow, Common Gull and Wheatear were noted. Our next stop was at Kiilopaa Hill, where after lunch, all of us except Jeff [who badly needed a rest after all the driving] made the fairly steep climb to the top. It was hot and a bit uncomfortable, but we made it in good time. Our reward was good views of a Ptarmigan resting on a rock. The bird was in transitional plumage and still showed large amounts of white winter feathering. Another beautiful Mealy Redpoll, Meadow Pipits and Wheatears were also present. Onward ever onward and another coffee and souvenir stop at Inari the largest of Finland s 188,000 lakes. We also baited a site with sunflower seeds in the hope of finding Pine Grosbeak on our return south in a few days time. A brief roadside stop produced a calling Jack Snipe but again we could not see the bird. However this time all of us heard the galloping hooves call and wondered if this could be the source of the saying Ghost Riders In the Sky Driving past a roadside lake, we found an adult male Long-tailed Duck in the company of six Common Scoter. We arrived at Utsjoki at The scenery was some of the best we had seen in Finland so far. We cross into Norway tomorrow. No evening excursion today, so following dinner an early night was had by all. 21 st June Sunny. Wind: 0 picking up to 4 N later. We left the hotel at and drove up to Ailigas Hill, where we immediately picked up a male Dotterel. The bird ran around on the rocks and gave good views before we had to move on. We crossed the border and entered Norway at At Gjestergard, we added an all too brief Roughlegged Buzzard from the bus. At Tarna Bru, we stopped at a roadside location with a high cliff. Within minutes we were scoping a presumed male Gyr Falcon keeping a watchful eye from its vantage point near the nest. A superb bird, but not very active, so we watched the chicks for a while; hoping that the female would fly in, but no joy. We took lunch at the Tarna Delta, enjoying the antics of the resident Temminck s Stints as they displayed noisily before landing on the roof of the bus and a nearby boat respectively!! Two Black Guillemots were in the channel and a post breeding flock of at least three hundred and fifty drake Goosander was eye catching. Our first Cormorant of the tour was also noted, along with large numbers of Common Eider, Arctic Terns, Goldeneye and a few Arctic Skuas in various plumage phases. Two Common Seals were in the river. At Karlebotn, at least eight Long-tailed Ducks were present along with Common Scoter and a Blackthroated Diver. Our next stop was Nesserby Reserve; a beautiful place and full of birds. A large flock of Bar-tailed Godwits also held a few Ruff and a couple of Dunlin. A large Eider flock held thirteen Stellers Eider, but these were disappointingly distant and in haze. At least six Red-necked Phalarope were on a small pool and a few Wigeon, Pintail and Arctic Skuas loitered offshore. Kittiwake passage was heavy, something that remained with us the whole time that we were in the Varanger Fjord area. By now a chilly wind straight off the Arctic Ocean had whipped up, and although still sunny, woolly hats, jumpers and fleeces made their first appearances of the tour. A brief stop at Vadso Harbour added Turnstone and Shag to the ever-growing tour list. Erkeroya held little other than a couple of Red-throated Divers and a few Common Scoter, though the crystal clear water and sandy beach were a delight. We drove along the southern shore of the fjord, scanning vast flocks of Eider and Goosander, finally picking out a lone female Stellers Eider on some rocks. A Short-eared Owl was seen down to ten metres as it hunted at the side of the bus, before flying off with a prey item and several Arctic Skuas gave superb views including a mixed phase pair that posed on top of a mound. A few more phalaropes were seen on the sea and a second year Glaucous Gull sat on the roof of a house near our hotel. An after dinner walk produced an astonishing eighty-two Red-necked Phalaropes on the small pool at the back of the hotel and they were just the ones we could see, who knows how many were lurking hidden in the vegetation!

6 22 nd June Overcast. Wind: 3 NW A cold, raw day, at the height of midsummer!! The day began well with a pair of Red-throated Pipit showing well behind the hotel, where we also saw Wheatear, Raven and the by now ubiquitous displaying Temminck s Stints. Following breakfast, we headed east towards Vardo on the Barents Sea, our base for the next two nights. We made a series of stops at bird filled locations. At Golnes, we found a superb drake King Eider with a small Eider flock. The bird woke up just long enough for everyone to scope it before lying back down on the rocks. Krapenes Fields held another pair of Red-throated Pipits, four Taiga Bean Goose and a Barnacle Goose. Thirty-three Stellers Eiders were close offshore, allowing our best views yet of this enigmatic species. We then drove inland to the area of tundra around Skalvelv. Initially, the area looked bleak and devoid of birds, but careful scanning proved otherwise, as we found four Bluethroat, five Shore Larks and a Willow Warbler- it seemed amazing that they make it this far north, but they were not uncommon. Pride of place here must go to the pair of Arctic Redpolls that flew into scrub right under our noses, allowing excellent views. Their plumage tones were much colder than those of Mealy Redpoll and the white rump very noticeable in flight. Several Arctic Skuas included a bird that flushed a Willow Grouse, but despite searching we could not relocate it and not everyone saw it. A short distance later, we enjoyed a purple patch, as firstly an adult Long-tailed Skua flew past the bus; its streamers looking ludicrously long compared with the Arctic Skuas it was with. It also allowed for good flight comparisons between the two species that are rarely seen close to land elsewhere. Nine Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruff and Redshanks provided the wader interest and another party of nine Taiga Bean Goose flew off into the distance. At least eight Rough-legged Buzzards were present, some allowing very close views, as they hunted by the side of the road. While we were serving lunch two pristine male Lapland Buntings appeared and after initially being wary they perched on top of nearby vegetation. A female later joined them and another Arctic Redpoll showed briefly. The road between here and Kramvik produced another six Rough-legged Buzzards, a couple of Swallows and a very distant blob that may or may not have been the previously reported White-billed Diver. A sudden commotion that sent vast numbers of Goosanders skywards revealed a White-tailed Eagle flying across the bay before it settled on a telegraph pole in the distance. At Kibeny Beach, over a hundred Stellers Eiders rested on the small rocky outcrop just offshore and we also added a new tour bird with a single Sanderling. Svartnes Harbour, despite its unappealing visual qualities produced astonishing numbers of birds. At least fifty Arctic Skuas spent long periods harassing the flocks of Kittiwakes, which must have been in excess of twenty thousand birds. A real feeding frenzy was taking place with large numbers of Herring, Great Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls and Arctic Terns joining in the chaos. Sadly there was no sign of the Ross s Gull present two days earlier. A few Black Guillemots and Razorbills watched the spectacle. We took coffee and cake in the only café before arriving at the hotel. 23 rd June Overcast. Cold. Wind: 0 At least the wind had died down but it was still a cold day, as we set out for the short boat trip to Hornoya Island. Before we got out of the harbour, we added our target bird when a single Brunnichs Guillemot watched us sail past. As we approached the island, huge rafts of auks were all around the boat. Upon landing, the smell hit us straight away and the noise from the colony was incredible as the birds welcomed us ashore. The ledges held thousands of pairs of breeding Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots and Puffins and tucked away amongst them were smaller numbers of Brunnichs Guillemot. Looking like a hybrid between Guillemot and Razorbill, the birds were quite distinctive. A short sea watch produced four Gannets and a few Fulmars as well as the by now expected Arctic Skuas and terns. A pair of Rock Pipits was new for the trip and on the neighbouring island there were Shag and the largest Herring and Great Black-backed Gull colonies in Europe. All too soon it was time to leave this magical place and return to Vardo for coffee and cake. At Batsfjord, we encountered three male and a female Velvet Scoter amongst the hordes of Eider, Goosander and Long-tailed Ducks. We took the road to Hamningberg, an isolated settlement on the shores of the Bering Sea. A singing male Snow Bunting and a recently fledged family of Ravens made their presence known. We stopped for lunch while sea watching. Numerous Blue Fulmar and Gannets, a couple of Black and Red-throated Divers flew by and a large, distant diver was almost certainly White-billed but nobody was happy enough with the views to confirm it. On the other side of the bay a small group of Stellers Eiders loafed offshore and there were good numbers of common waders. An adult Glaucous Gull and another Snow Bunting were also present. A call from Fiona stopped us at a roadside stream, where we watched a Long-tailed Skua busily feeding on grubs and a Snipe displaying. Our final stop on the way back to Vardo produced the largest flock of Eider so far and we managed to find three drakes and four female King Eider amongst them all in now glorious sunshine.

7 24 th June Overcast. Wind: 0 Another chilly day. We left the hotel at and headed straight back to Kramvik. A pair of Redthroated Pipits showed well and a Snow Bunting and several Rough-legged Buzzards flew over. A Redthroated Diver flew over calling and yet another distant flying diver eluded positive identification. On rescanning the water, we finally found an immaculate breeding plumaged adult White-billed Diver. The relief was tangible and we enjoyed prolonged views of the bird at close range. At Nesserby, a White-tailed Eagle flew distantly over a hilltop and twenty nine Velvet Scoters, nearly all breeding plumaged males, was an excellent count. We re-entered Finland at and headed to a hotel at Utsjoki for lunch. By now the sun was out again and layers began to be removed! An hour or so later, we stopped at Kevo Forest and immediately found a Siberian Tit. A little further along the path a Waxwing flew over calling. It seems amazing, but with so many other species to concentrate on, we had literally forgotten to look for this handsome forest dweller. And then it happened- we heard a singing male Red-flanked Bluetail. We had a tip from Hannu Jannes that there was a bird in the area, but nobody realistically expected us to find it in such an expanse of forest. Neil managed to find the bird, its salient features just visible, before it flew into cover. A couple of the group had brief views but alas for most, the song had to suffice, as for the next two hours it stubbornly refused to show, despite singing almost constantly. While watching for the bird, two Pine Grosbeaks flew overhead but were missed by almost all, as concentration was focused on the other bird. We continued south to Inari but there were no signs of Grosbeaks at our feeding station. We arrived late in Ivalo, where a superb a la carte dinner was our reward at the end of a very eventful day. 25 th June Overcast. Cold. Wind: 2 N A final visit to our feeding station produced a few Brambling and flyover Redpolls, but once again no Grosbeaks. No one allowed this to detract from what had been a superb ten days birding. We bought souvenirs and headed to the airport. Our flight from Ivalo to Helsinki was on time, as was the return flight to London. We said our farewells and thanks to Jeff at Helsinki, as he was flying home to Denmark. Three hours later at Heathrow, it was time for the group to go their separate ways. Hopefully the memories of Arctic Magic will linger for a very long time. Systematic List of Birds 1 Red-throated Diver 2 Black-throated Diver 3 White-billed Diver 4 Red-necked Grebe 5 Fulmar 6 Gannet 7 Cormorant 8 Shag 9 Bittern [H] 10 Whooper Swan 11 Taiga Bean Goose 12 Greylag Goose 13 Barnacle Goose 14 Shelduck 15 Wigeon 16 Teal 17 Mallard 18 Pintail 19 Shoveler 20 Tufted Duck 21 Common Eider 22 King Eider 23 Stellers Eider 24 Long-tailed Duck 25 Common Scoter 26 Velvet Scoter 27 Goldeneye 28 Red-breasted Merganser 29 Goosander 30 Smew

8 31 Osprey 32 White-tailed Eagle 33 Marsh Harrier 34 Hen Harrier 35 Goshawk 36 Common Buzzard 37 Rough-legged Buzzard 38 Kestrel 39 Peregrine 40 Gyr Falcon 41 Willow Grouse 42 Ptarmigan 43 Capercaillie 44 Black Grouse [H] 45 Quail [H] 46 Common Crane 47 Moorhen 48 Coot 49 Oystercatcher 50 Lapwing 51 European Golden Plover 52 Ringed Plover 53 Little Ringed Plover 54 Dotterel 55 Eurasian Woodcock 56 Jack Snipe [H] 57 Common Snipe 58 Black-tailed Godwit 59 Bar-tailed Godwit 60 Whimbrel 61 Curlew 62 Spotted Redshank 63 Common Redshank 64 Greenshank 65 Green Sandpiper 66 Wood Sandpiper 67 Common Sandpiper 68 Terek Sandpiper 69 Turnstone 70 Sanderling 71 Temminck s Stint 72 Dunlin 73 Broad-billed Sandpiper 74 Ruff 75 Red-necked Phalarope 76 Arctic Skua 77 Long-tailed Skua 78 Common Gull 79 Great Black-backed Gull 80 Herring Gull 81 Lesser Black-backed Gull 82 Glaucous Gull 83 Black-headed Gull 84 Little Gull 85 Common Tern 86 Arctic Tern 87 Little Tern 88 Guillemot 89 Brunnichs Guillemot 90 Razorbill 91 Black Guillemot 92 Puffin 93 Feral Pigeon 94 Wood Pigeon 95 Cuckoo 96 Eagle Owl 97 Ural Owl 98 Hawk Owl

9 99 Pygmy Owl 100 Short-eared Owl 101 Tengmalm s Owl 102 Swift 103 Wryneck 104 Great Spotted Woodpecker 105 Three-toed Woodpecker 106 Sky Lark 107 Shore Lark 108 Sand Martin 109 Barn Swallow 110 House Martin 111 White Wagtail 112 Yellow Wagtail [Grey-headed Wagtail] 113 Grey Wagtail 114 Tree Pipit 115 Meadow Pipit 116 Red-throated Pipit 117 Rock Pipit 118 Goldcrest 119 Waxwing 120 Black-bellied Dipper 121 Wren [H] 122 Dunnock [H] 123 Blackbird 124 Fieldfare 125 Redwing 126 Song Thrush [H] 127 Mistle Thrush 128 Sedge Warbler 129 Willow Warbler 130 Arctic Warbler 131 Chiffchaff [H] 132 Greenish Warbler [H] 133 Blackcap 134 Garden Warbler 135 Lesser Whitethroat 136 Spotted Flycatcher 137 Pied Flycatcher 138 Robin [H] 139 Red-spotted Bluethroat 140 Red-flanked Bluetail 141 Redstart [H] 142 Whinchat 143 Wheatear 144 Willow Tit 145 Siberian Tit 146 Blue Tit 147 Great Tit 148 Northern Grey Shrike 149 Siberian Jay 150 Magpie 151 Jackdaw 152 Rook 153 Hooded Crow 154 Raven 155 Starlings 156 House Sparrow 157 Chaffinch 158 Brambling 159 Pine Grosbeak 160 Common Rosefinch 161 Common Crossbill 162 Two-barred Crossbill [H] 163 Greenfinch 164 Mealy Redpoll 165 Arctic Redpoll 166 Siskin

10 167 Bullfinch 168 Yellowhammer 169 Little Bunting 170 Reed Bunting 171 Lapland Bunting Systematic List of Mammals 1 Reindeer 2 Coypu 3 Brown Rat 4 Arctic Hare 5 Red Squirrel 6 Moose Systematic List of Butterflies 1 Orange Tip 2 Swallowtail 3 Arctic Ringlet Summary This was an intensive but fantastic birding experience. The views of the owls at the nest were outstanding and the sheer numbers of Arctic Skuas and terns and sea ducks surpassed all expectations. The weather was spectacular, especially so in Finland where the 24-hour sunshine added beautiful landscapes to the birding experience. The hotels were generally good; though the food was functional rather than spectacular, save for the last evening at Hotelli Ivalo. Jeff is to be congratulated on his superb organisation and marathon driving skills over some very large distances.