Bluethroats...

This last week started off fairly wet with Monday and Tuesday mostly raining. From Wednesday onwards the weather really picked up with plenty of sunny spells. I was busy at the University most of the week taking part in the induction week so I didn't get the chance to go out which was quite hard when there was reports of Bluethroats, Rustic Buntings and Red-throated Pipits.

Friday (08/09) was pretty much free and the weather was sunny and clear from when I woke up so there wasn't much time wasted thinking about what to do for the day. It was time to get back to Jängislahti to see if I could find some more birds on my wish list.

I cycled down and reached the site at 12:00. There were a ringers on site but they were just loading the last of their equipment into their cars before leaving, maybe next time! I decided to walk the boundary of the wasteland and check us much of the scrub as I could. Quite a few Reed Buntings about and plenty of pipits in the field but hard to identify when flushed out and fly into the sunlight but there were definately a few Meadow Pipits.

At one point I decided to walk down to the river's edge when all of a sudden out of nowhere a male Hen Harrier glided right past me up and over the trees and I didn't see it again. First time I have seen one properly and wasn't expecting it! Was too slow for a picture of the bird but I took some of the view anyway.

I carried on and came to the furthest away point from the main entrance to the site. I heard something calling in the scrub nearby which just sounded different. I decided to wait and see if I could get a view of whatever it was. After 5 mins I saw a flash of movement. I tried to follow it through the thick vegetation when all over a sudden it hopped out on to the ground, it was a Bluethroat, superb and it was quickly followed by another. The two of them flew off and I walked in the same general direction. A larger area of scrub and there were Bluethroats all over it, chasing each other and darting in and out. I counted 11 in total getting some great views of another top bird on my list and of course a lifer. Managed some heavily cropped record shots only. There was also 18 Whooper Swans out on the estuary and a Sedge Warbler in the scrub also, a bird I didn't manage to see in the UK this year.

Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica

Sedge Warbler

I came to the end of the scrub and decided to retrace my steps back around. Plenty more unidentified pipits and Reed Buntings. I then went past the entrance to check out the area beyond it where most of the ringing takes place. A couple Willow Warblers were calling and spotted another Bluethroat darting around. There much to see and I started walking back when a small flock of Willow Tits landed in the birch trees nearby again another bird I have never seen back in the UK. I counted 10 in all.

I walked back to my bike where I spotted a lone Northern Wheatear was sat out in the open which was a nice finish to the day. By now it was really sunny and warm for the ride home!

Next week I am heading further North with the University for a tour of  the Northern forests around Inari, maybe I will get lucky with Siberian Jay or one or two owls, we'll have to wait and see.