Finding Birds in South Finland

Dave Gosney

December 2010.

Compared to other publications covering the same area, this one:

• Provides the most detailed maps - so you can easily find your way to the best tracks, footpaths, feeding stations, hides and bird towers.
• Includes GPS co-ordinates to help you find the right turnings, parking spaces or viewing points.
• Highlights the best areas only - and summarises the key attraction in the first paragraph so you can easily decide whether to read on or bother to visit the site.
• Has a map on the inside cover which serves as an index so you can easily find any site in the book.
• Is light and portable (and cheap).
• Is complemented by a DVD showing you exactly what it's like to go birding in many of these sites.

Sites covered:

Vanhankaupunginlahti (Viikki) including where to look for Citrine Wagtail.

Nuuksio including the best areas for woodpeckers and Red-breasted Flycatcher.

Suomenoja - how to find this superb site for photographing waterfowl.

Virolahti - possibly the best bird towers in Finland for watching the Arctic migration.

Parikkala - where to look for staging geese, nightsingers such as Blyth's Reed Warbler, Siberian Jays and even Great Snipe.

Siikalahti - the best bird lake in Finland, including where you might find Little Crake and White-backed Woodpecker.

Punkaharju - one of the few sites in Finland for Nutcracker and I've found several other good birds there too.

North Karelia including the migration hotspots at Sysmajarvi, Kitee, Onkamo and the Hoytiainen canal.

Tohmajarvi and Vartsila - where to look for breeding or at least displaying eastern specialities such as Booted Warbler, Lanceolated Warbler, Marsh Sandpiper and Great Snipe.

Viiksimo and Martinselkonen - great places for watching bears and possibly wolves and wolverines plus good birding too.

Liminganlahti and Oulu - where to see the geese, cranes and breeding ducks and waders including possibly Terek Sandpiper.

Kuusamo including specific sites for birds like Red-flanked Bluetail, Little Bunting, Arctic Warbler and Smew.

Vaaltavaara and Konttainen showing exactly where I've seen species like bluetails, grosbeaks, Arctic Warbler, Hazel Grouse and Hawk Owl. 40 pages.

Softback £9.50 £8.50