Siberian Tit and Arctic Warbler 18th - 20th June

I had some time to spare and decided to revisit Kiilipaa to look for Willow Grouse again, I stopped overnight on Kaunispaa and heard the Dotterel calling as I dozed around midnight. At 03:30 I climbed out of my sleeping bag, got dressed and pulled down the roof of the camper and headed for Kiilipaa. I was there by 03:50 and set off up the hill, for the third time! It was overcast but still light as I headed up the boardwalk. Before I got to the top I could see the male Ptarmigan by the side of the track. No sign of any Willow Grouse but I took some more photos of the Ptarmigan. At one point it jumped on to the boardwalk and sat there quite happily as I took photos with the 300mm lens it was just after 04:30 so I walked further up the path but still no Willow Grouse.

Ptarmigan - male, now with a few more dark head feathers

Having spent quite a bit of the morning on Kiilipaa I was still close to the Kuttura Road and decided to try again for Siberian Tit. I found a pair that were now feeding young and there was much more activity with both birds bringing food in at regular intervals. It was still very overcast but the photos came out ok and were much better than my last attempt.

Siberian Tit

On the 19th I was collecting Pam from Ivalo airport, it rained almost all day. I had time in the morning to look for divers and mergansers on Lake Inari. The birds were there but too distant to make any sort of interesting photo in the rain.
Having collected Pam and spent a night at the Kultahippu Hotel in Ivalo we drove up to Inari on the morning of the 20th to visit the Sami Museum. Having just been round the museum and received a text for Jan (Jan Nordblad); Arctic Warbler Inari 68.6503 27.5401. I put the coordinates in the GPS, it was for the Ivalo Hotel in Ivalo just a few hundred metres from our hotel! We set off back, as we drove towards Ivalo we came across a group of deer by the roadside which looked much larger than the Reindeer I had been seeing. I took some quick photos but wanted to get back to Ivalo. 
At the hotel I had a quick look round but there was no immediate sign. We decided to get a bite to eat then I would return for a more thorough search. 
After eating I started in a group of trees close to the river just north of the hotel. No immediate sign so I decided to try a tape of the song. Almost immediately a small bird flew in to the bushes and started singing. Arctic Warbler, it continued to sing and came in the closest trees to me. The song delivery was much like Wood Warbler with the head raised, sometimes almost vertical. I had amazing views as it sat out in the open both calling and delivering its rather monotonous song.

Arctic Warbler

Looking at the deer photos when I got back to the hotel they were clearly the forest race of the Reindeer which is considerably larger. I wasn't happy with the photos so we went out again and fairly quickly found a small group of 12 or 13 individuals in the forest N of Ivalo which allowed me to get some reasonable photos. The photos are still on the camera, this is one of the earlier photos and I'll add some more when I get chance.

Forest Reindeer

 

Five days at Spurn - day 5 Sunday 27th September

With expectations high with the wind in the SE there was a thick mist extending inland from Easington as far as Doncaster but Spurn was again in sunshine. I walked Beacon Lane after another unsuccessful search for Jack Snipe at the Canal Scrape. There was no indications of any fresh migrants until a Firecrest popped out in front of me towards the end of the lane. I circulated the news and headed back to Westmere for breakfast. On the way I met Roger who had had Grasshopper Warbler by the Humber and a Hen Harrier which flew down the peninsula. 
Another Yellow-browed was reported from the canal then 2 at the Warren followed by Barred Warbler at Sammy's Point along with 2 more Yellow-browed. Then Red-breasted Flycatcher at Canal Scrape, by early afternoon around a dozen Yellow-browed had been reported with at least two together opposite Driftwood Caravan site. I had record views of the Red-breasted Flycatcher and headed for the Yellow-browed at Driftwood, I'd been watching these which had increased to three for about 20 minutes when Johnny ran round from the back of the caravan site shouting Arctic Warbler. I went to the back of the house to see it fly over my head looking to land in the bushes I had just been watching. I quickly moved back and it wasn't long before it reappeared giving excellent views.

Arctic Warbler ISO 800 1/1250 f9

A Hawfinch flew north and the three Yellow-browed remained in the area, there was a steady increase in the number of observers as birdwatchers who had been dispersed over the area congregated at Driftwood.

Yellow-browed Warbler ISO 800 1/1250 f9

 It was certainly an eventful few days. A total of 19 Yellow-browed Warblers went in to the Spurn log.
Thanks to Vaughan, Richard, Paul, Roger and Johnny for their company and birding skills.
Sue and Andrew Wells at Westmere Farm Guest House for the accommodation and delicious breakfast.
Paul Collins for the excellent Kew Caravan Site and for all the observatory work, and for quickly processing my Friends of Spurn application.