GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
tags: River Vantaa, Helsinki, Finland, nature, image of the day
A river flows through it.
A view of the River Vantaa. I believe I was in Vantaa (will check after my host returns),
in northern Helsinki, Finland, when I photographed this.
Image: GrrlScientist, 6 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
I've been telling you about how gorgeous Helsinki is, but mostly so far, I've shown you photographs of flowers. I hope you realize that I wanted to establish in your mind that it is warm and sunny enough here for flowers to bloom, but today, I just had to share a picture of the River Vantaa (which gives the Helsinki airport gets its name). In this image, you can see that clearly, it is sunny and there is no evidence of snow or glaciers anywhere. I sometimes worry that my host will get sick of hearing me repeat "This is so beautiful" like a mantra, but I think this photograph helps you understand why this amazing place renders me practically speechless.
Environment
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
Pah! We've got better in the Ver Valley outside St. Albans in England :p
Posted by: tideliar | July 9, 2009 3:45 PM
Gorgeous shot, as usual! Shame the river's so polluted, though.
I do have a minor quibble again. The airport got the name Helsinki-Vantaa (afaik) from the fact that it's actually not in Helsinki, but rather in Helsinki's northern (and nowadays pretty well inseparable) neighbour city, Vantaa, which got its name from the river, or maybe gave its to the river. Anyway, the river doesn't have as much to do with the airport's name as local politics of yesteryear. :)
Posted by: InkRose | July 9, 2009 5:13 PM
Actually the name Vantaa is quite old, and it referes originally to the river. The "city" of Vantaa took the name only in 1972. The municipality was previously known as Helsinki Countryside (or something...) and the new name helped to separate it from Helsinki City (which got started in 1550 by splitting away from the municipality).
Anyway, the river doesn't flow at all in Espoo, the western neighbour. I can't recognise that spot, but it must be somewhere in Vantaa. It looks too narrow to be in Helsinki. The water is a bit muddy, but it isn't that polluted anymore. Even salmon breeds in it again.
Posted by: Lassi Hippeläinen | July 10, 2009 2:01 AM
tideliar - i am happy to come out to explore and photograph st. albans and to watch the birds there. just waiting for my invitation ... *whistles softly while looking skyward*
thanks for the information, inkrose and lassi. I've been looking at a map of helsinki, but can't find the river on it (it's a transit map, i think) so i am unclear as to where this is on the map. however, i can tell you that it is near a wetland and larger body of water (which i also walked to and photographed). there also is a swimming area with sand on one bend in this river, which features a lovely high diving platform nestled into the rocks overlooking the river. there are fish in this river -- since they nibbled on my toes when i dipped my feet into the river at the swimming area.
Posted by: "GrrlScientist" | July 10, 2009 2:48 AM