birding sites in

south Finland

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Sysmajarvi is one of the best bird lakes in the area

All the sites in this section are treated, in detail and with precise maps and directions, in my book ‘Finding Birds in South Finland’

If you have any information which you feel would help to update the book, please email me at dave@easybirder.co.uk and I’ll add your observations to these pages

To view more sites in South Finland click here

North Karelia

Wednesday, 24 August 2011

North Karelia has many of the birds typical of areas further north including owls, woodpeckers and Red- flanked Bluetails and several of its lakes can be excellent for waterbirds, especially on passage. However, perhaps the biggest attraction is that this area is the best in Finland for ‘nightsingers’, and hence the best area in Europe to listen for Lanceolated Warbler and Booted Warbler (see also Vartsila and Tohmajarvi).

The fields at Onkamo support flocks of geese, cranes and swans on passage and have breeding birds such as Black Grouse, Whimbrel and Ortolan Bunting.

The view from the bird tower at the southern end of Paatyenlahti...

...and the view from the tower at the north end of the bay

Looking in the opposite direction from the same tower you see a shallow bay good for ducks, grebes and harriers

The nature trail at Hoytiainen takes you through woodland with resident White-backed Woodpeckers. During the breeding season you must stay on the trail to avoid disturbance

The trail leads to a tower overlooking a delta area where the Hoytiainen Canal meets Lake Phyaselka.

Looking ‘inland’ from the tower, there’s a boardwalk through bushes that have breeding Red-backed Shrike

The view from the southern tower at Sysmajarvi

The more northerly tower at Sysmajarvi is an impressive construction, even by Finnish standards