Ile de Re - 27th Sep '21 to 3rd Sept '21

 After all the on/off COVID restrictions in both the UK and Europe Pam and I finally got away to France at the end of August. Following our usual overnight stay at Camping St Louis in Autingues we headed for the Atlantic coast arriving at Eden Villages Camping L'Ocean on the Ile de Re on the 27th.

The Isle de Re is located about mid-way down the French Atlantic coast and is connected to La Rochelle by a spectacular road bridge which cost €16 for a car but there is no toll on leaving the island. Once on the island a bike is the perfect way to get around as there are cycle tracks all over the island.

Black-winged Stilt

The L'Ocean camp site was an ideal base and we spent most of our time exploring the salt pans and marshes west of the camp site but did make a couple of trips to the main town Saint Martin de Re.

Ile de Re: 1 Camp site, 2 Lilleau des Niges Reserve, 3 Phare des Baleines, 4 Tidal mudflats

We recorded 110 species during our week on the island with a good mix of resident and migrant species. All our records are on eBird under Isle de Re. For some reason the subsidiary sites on eBird for Isle de Re don't link to an island total so I entered everything as Ile de Re. 

There are some regular French birders who also put records on eBird so it's fairly easy to get an idea of what occurs where and when.

Salt pans close to Ars en Re

The campsite itself held a variable number of passerines with Firecrests, Pied Flycatchers and up to 3 Melodious Warblers.

Firecrest - male looking rather worn

Melodious Warbler

A couple of Black Redstart frequented a restaurant on the Chemin du Jardin du Boutillon. A small wooded area close to the coastal mud flats at 46.2073 -1.4915 held more migrants with Common Redstarts and several Common Nightingale giving their distinctive, autumnal croaks and whistles. As usual they were a lot easier to hear than see!

Common Nightingale

There was a small passage of birds of prey with Honey Buzzards on 29th (2), 1st (6), and 2nd (2). I also saw a Short-toed Eagle on 1st September which is close to the northern edge of its range in France and must be scarce on the Ile de Re and an Osprey flying south over the sea on the same day. Single Hobby were seen most days with three on the 1st.

Honey Buzzard - adult male top and juv 

Osprey -juv

Eurasian Hobby - adult

Marsh Harrier - male with Belgian wing tags

Living inland I was interested to see what gulls were present on the island. Around the salt pans there were individual Yellow-legged Gulls with a maximum of 10 counted. I also encountered several groups of Lesser Black-backed Gulls of the western race graellsii and up to 40 Herring Gull. Great Black-backed Gulls were seen in single figures and appear to be resident birds from the reports on colour ringed birds I saw. I counted 94 Mediterranean Gulls which favoured a small pool by the harbour at Ars en Re. Several birds were colour ringed and whilst some had been ringed in France two were from Hungary.

Yellow-legged Gull with darvic ring

Mediterranean Gull with French colour ring

The various salt pans held a few waders, particularly at high tide but there were many hundreds more out on the mud flats which must be an important feeding area for migrant shorebirds. 

I counted over 800 Black-tailed Godwits from a photo when they were disturbed over the mud flats but I only saw two Bar-tailed Godwits.

Black-tailed Godwits

There were many hundreds of Ringed Plover but I was unable to find any Kentish Plover which are here in small numbers. Amongst the Dunlin I found a couple of Little Stint and Greenshank were seen or heard every day.

I was pleased to see migrating Turtle Doves most days but three was my best day count. News this year that France has now banned the hunting of Turtle Doves is very welcome and gives some hope for the species future.

Turtle Dove

On 31st August I noted 47 Spoonbill on the mud flats in area 4 which increased to 58 the following day. As I was watching a group of 30 the following day they all took flight and flew directly over my head which was quite a spectacle. From photos it looked like at least one bird had a metal ring and several birds had coloured Darvic rings (see photo below).

Eurasian Spoonbill

Eurasian Spoonbill - lower bird with coloured leg ring

I only made one trip to the Phare des Baleines lighthouse area which is the best place for sea watching. I managed Gannet and several Sandwich and Common Terns with Sanderling and Turnstone on the beach. There were more Pied Flycatchers in the wooded areas and I had several Serin and calling Cetti's Warblers nearby.

Phare des Baleines

Since returning from the Ile de Re I have found a detailed write up by the Pajot family on the Cloud Birders web site of a year spent on the Ile de Re where they saw as many species as possible travelling on foot or by bike. They managed 250 species with a good selection of rarities so its well worth a look if you are thinking of visiting the island.

SE Finland 30th May - 1st June

The ferry was very efficient and I boarded at 10:00 for the 10:30 crossing which cost 102€. The crossing took 2 hours and although there was a cold wind the sky was clear and it was flat calm so I stuck it out on the open deck. Mid-way across I had a party of about thirty Goldeneye then eight Goosander but it was quiet otherwise. About 1km from Helsinki I saw an adult Kittiwake sat on the sea which is a scarce bird in the Baltic.
I'd spoken to Jan about the best place to see Slavonian Grebe close near Helsinki and he recommended Suomenoja which was just a few km west of the city so that was my first port of call. The sky by now had clouded over and was almost white making it difficult for photography but the Slavonian Grebes were there, I saw at least 3, pairs and put on a fine show.

Slavonian Grebe - what superb birds these are

I did a circuit of the lakes which was probably only a couple of kilometres, there were a few runners and some other photographers and as I came to a viewing area I realised why. 

Suomenoja - I should mention that it's next to a Power Station

There were 3 Red-necked Phalaropes some distant out but feeding energetically on the open water, occasionally being chased by Black-headed Gulls if they came too close to their nest sites. 

Red-necked Phalarope

A nice surprise and although I hope to see them up close in Norway its still a treat to see them. There were Thrush Nightingales in the bushes and Common Rosefinch singing in the trees but no sight or sound of Blyth's Reed Warbler which also occurs here. 
From Suomenoja I drove north to Parikkala a drive of a couple of hundred kilometres. The most obvious thing on the drive was the absence of White Stork, I have left those behind in Estonia.
It was overcast and raining when I arrived on the outskirts of Parikkala. I parked up in a parking area with two large timber lorries and to the sound of Redwing singing, which were the first I had heard, I went to sleep.
The following morning it was raining hard and cold, about 4C, as I drove in to Parikkla at about 05:00. I found a pair of nesting Red-necked Grebes close in by the marina which fortunately I could watch from the car and took a few photos more out of something to do than of hopes for good results.

Red-necked Grebe - on the nest, in the rain

The rain eased slightly and I had a walk around the lake, plenty of Fieldfares, Pied Flycatchers and Lesser Whitethroats but nothing else so I headed for the reserve of Siikalahti which was just a short drive away. 
It is a beautiful area and reserve with a one way walk from the car park through some wooded areas which may have White-backed Woodpecker occasionally but I didn't see or hear any woodpeckers, across a boardwalk, through another small wood to a hide. Both Little and Black-headed Gulls were feeding over the water, chasing flies. More Red-necked Grebes and a very obliging Common Snipe which sat on the boardwalk handrail whilst I took photos.

Common Snipe

A little way down the road there is another parking area and the Little Gulls were passing overhead here and as the clouds started to break up and a little sunshine peaked through they were joined by first one Hobby and then at least another 5 all feeding on insects over the lakes. 

Hobby

Certainly my best ever views of Hobby and it was fantastic to watch them hunting. Whilst watching them an Osprey must have taken a fish behind me as I saw it labouring away over the marsh carrying a huge fish. It got dusky around 23:00 and I drove around some of the small tracks which are close to the Russian border. 

Not sure what happens if you do go beyond the sign 

A Finnish border guard stopped me and asked if I was aware that I was close to the border and not to pass any of the stop signs, which I was, he was then quite happy to leave me bird watching. Other than Thrush Nightingales there were no other birds singing, I was hoping for River Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler but there was no sign. The prolonged cold spell had delayed the arrival of many birds. Everywhere I went both birdwatchers and people in the towns said that summer was three weeks late.
I slept overnight in the reserve car park and at some time in the early morning another couple of vehicles arrived, one contained a couple of gentlemen from France who were sound recording. There was a lot to record with the nightingales and Bittern booming in the marsh and no sounds of cars or planes flying overhead.
From Parikkale I drove north to Tohmajarvi and stopped just on the outskirts of town. A singing Corncrake immediately caught my attention. This was only about the 7th or 8th I had heard, another bird delayed by the cold weather. This one was in short vegetation and with perserverence I finally managed to get some photos.

Corncrake - delivering its distinctive rasping call

Whilst following the Corncrake around this scrubby area I heard the repetitive song phrases of Blyth's Reed Warbler, at last! It was singing from low vegetation and was spending quite a bit of time feeding on the ground. It took some time but I eventually got the photos I was hoping for. As I walked down the road I had another 4 birds singing in a stretch of less than 500m. 

Blyth's Reed Warbler - bird I had really wanted to see, so pleased with these

I drove on to Vartsila where there was still a flock of 200 Barnacle Geese with 3 Brent Geese on the fields. A female Goshawk flew over carrying prey and appeared to land in the only trees in the area and where there is a bird tower but I never saw it again. Another Blyth's Reed but no River Warbler. By now there were quite heavy and frequent snow showers and even when the sun did poke through it never got above 6C. 
From here I was moving further north, still by the Russian border and looking for Brown Bear and the elusive Wolverine.

Estonia Part I - SW Coast to Tartu 20th May to 24th May

Driving north out of Latvia on the E67 just as I thought my Latvian birding was over I noticed a large raptor hovering over the far carriageway that looked interesting. I managed to get off the road and was delighted to see that it was a Rough-legged Buzzard. I had had distant views of a bird at Kolka but it was great to see another. It was distant by the time I stopped and the light was against me but this is definitely a bird I would like to see more of as I head north.
Crossing in to Estonia was another none event with no border controls. During last years trip I was stopped at most Eastern European countries, but that may have been to do with the refugee problems. I drove a few miles up the coast and found a small camp site just south of Kabli, the immediate area had the usual birds Thrush Nightingale, Common Rosefinch, Icterine Warbler plus Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and the Whitethroat. It's still a thrill to hear those first three birds singing, any one of which would make for a great day out in the UK.
There was some rain overnight and it was cooler but it soon cleared as I headed for the Nigula Reserve area. On the way I came across a Black Woodpecker feeding in the tree tops. At the top edge of the Nigula Reserve driving on rough stoned tracks I made it in to the forested area and soon heard the repetitive song of the Red-breasted Flycatcher, soon followed by that of its cousin the Pied Flycatcher which is a familiar bird to me in the Derbyshire Dales. After a long walk I finally disturbed a Hazel Hen from the woodland edge but it was soon gone in to the impenetrable forest. A few metres further on another Pied Flycatcher caught my eye then something dark on the tree below, a woodpecker, Three-toed at last. Having missed them in Poland I was delighted and somewhat relieved to see this striking bird here. I managed a few photos but it was never really in the open and moved away from me in to the forest. I've taken the liberty of removing some of the branches which obscured the bird using Photoshop, I'm sure the woodpecker won't mind.

Three-toed Woodpecker - female

I moved on the main entrance to Nigula bog and immediately heard Wryneck calling, then the tapping of another woodpecker. It was beautiful habitat, wet deciduous woodland with lots of dead trees.

Nigula Bog

I stood for a while, expecting Great Spotted but no it was White-backed feeding near the base of a tree. It's so much easier trying to photograph them low down rather than in the tops of the trees like me first in Poland.

White-backed Woodpecker

There were lots of dragonflies emerging along the board-walk involving several species but haven't put a name to them yet.

Dragonfly awaiting id

At the tower hide an adult White-tailed Eagle was circling in the distance and it was a beautiful view across the bog which stretched for miles. I decided not to walk the full circuit of the bog and headed off to the Haardemeesste area (having had no vowels in Poland they certainly make use of them here!).
Two Corncrake calling close to the road sounded like they were only a few metres away but after sitting for 30 minutes I had seen no sign of them. They were calling next to a small occupied cottage and I could imagine that their incessant rasping call could get a bit irritating, but not for me and I'll be listening for more over the next weeks.
I searched a few locations where Citrine Wagtails occur but was unable to find one. This is a bird I want to see so it's a little frustrating that I've had no sign at three or four sites I've checked, perhaps they are not back yet?
Time to move on and I headed inland to the Tartu area. The roads here are excellent with few vehicles on them. The general speed limit is 90km/hr reducing to 70 in some areas and 50 in the villages and there are a lot of speed cameras. I'm happy to cruise along at around 80km/hr and the distances are not huge in Estonia so it's a pleasant drive. I stopped off first at Karevere, a well known lekking site for Great Snipe. The exact location of the lek depends on how wet the meadows are so I would have to return this evening to see if I could locate them. From Karevere it was a short drive to another well known birding site Ilmatsalu Fish Ponds. Thrush Nightingales, Common Rosefinch, Icterine Warbler and Wryneck, the usual suspects but still great to see or hear them. Plus, there is a colony of Little Gulls, at least a dozen Black Terns and three pairs of Red-necked Grebes. 
It had started to rain and was looking very grey as I drove back to Karevere and by 7pm was raining hard. I'd met a group of three English birdwatchers at Ilmatsalu and they turned up at Karevere about 9pm. I've seen very few bird watchers so far which is slightly surprising as I am visiting popular birding locations. I was busy sorting photos and wasn't paying too much attention to scanning for the Great Snipe given that it was still raining but a short while later one of them came back to say that they had found the lekking site and there were 5 or 6 birds displaying. The birds jump up and down in the grass in quite a comical fashion so are visible, at least when they jump from a distance. I had a quick go with the camera but the light by then was terrible but enjoyed watching the lek which was not a bad view through a telescope.

Just about proof that I saw the Great Snipe!

I stayed in the area overnight and checked the local wood first thing in the morning; 3 Red-breasted and 1 Pied Flycatcher singing but nothing else of note. Following the rain it was a misty start to the day but wasn't going far to a series of ponds at Aardla SE of Tartu. It was cool, only about 7 Centigrade when I was walking another area for Citrine Wagtail but this time successfully. A male was calling from a low bush, he did a short flight and chased another male. I saw at least three males and eventually came across a female which as luck would have it was building a nest close to the road. The light was still poor but I had finally found the Citrine Wagtails and was happy to sit and watch them from the warmth of the van.

Citrine Wagtail - male top female below

The usual suspects were in the area plus a nice male Marsh Harrier and a distant Lesser Spotted Eagle. There were supposed to be pools for waders but all these areas looked to have dried up some time ago and the only wader I saw was a fly over Curlew. 
I drove around the lake area and had nice views of a Red-necked Grebe,

Red-necked Grebe

whilst watching it I heard a repeated call that turned out to be a Hobby, two birds were chasing each other at high speed and appeared to be very agitated, I think it was anger rather than ardour which was the cause of the fracas.

Hobby - adult and 1st summer I think

Penduline Tits were quite common and could be heard calling from the reedbeds and neighbouring bushes.

Penduline Tit - male

I'd planned to try for the Great Snipe again and returned to Karevere but there were several cars of fishermen driving around so after a lucky view of one flying that was disturbed by a Marsh Harrier I decided to head back to the coast to explore the Haapsalu/ Matsalu area.
This is the route taken so far.

Route completed so far and approximate schedule for the rest of the journey