1. grrlscientist
  2. My Finland Bird List

My Finland Bird List

By grrlscientist on July 24, 2009.

Talitiainen (Great Tit), Parus major.

Photographed in Hietaniemen hautausmaa (Hietaniemi cemetery), Helsinki, Finland.

Image: GrrlScientist, 24 November 2008 [larger view].

Now that I am on the plane, returning to the USA, I will share my revised list of birds seen in the Helsinki area of Finland during my three visits (8 days in November 2008, 3 weeks in February/March 2009, and 3 weeks in July 2009);

Helsinki Finland Bird List (new Life List bird species that I first saw in Finland are denoted with red asterix):

  1. *Pikku-uikku (Little Grebe), Tachybaptus ruficollis -- November 2008
  2. *Silkkiuikku (Great Crested Grebe) with chicks, Podiceps cristatus -- July 2009
  3. Mustakaulauikku (Black-necked Grebe or Eared Grebe), Podiceps nigricollis -- July 2009
  4. *Merimetso (Great Cormorant) breeding adults and immatures, Phalacrocorax carbo -- July 2009
  5. *Harmaahaikara (Grey Heron), Ardea cinerea -- November 2008, July 2009
  6. Kyhmyjoutsen (Mute Swan) with cygnets, Cygnus olor -- February/March & July 2009
  7. Kanadanhanhi (Canada Goose) with chicks, Branta canadensis -- February/March & July 2009
  8. *Valkoposkihanhi (Barnacle Goose) with chicks, Branta leucopsis -- July 2009
  9. Sinisorsa (Mallard), Anas platyrhynchos -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  10. Jouhisorsa (Northern Pintail), Anas acuta -- February/March 2009
  11. Lapasorsa (Northern Shoveler), Anas clypeata -- November 2008 & February/March 2009
  12. Haapana (Eurasian Wigeon), Anas penelope -- July 2009
  13. *Haahka (Common Eider) adult females and chicks, Somateria mollissima -- July 2009
  14. Telkkä (Common Goldeneye) with chicks, Bucephala clangula -- February/March & July 2009
  15. Isokoskelo (Goosander), Mergus merganser -- February/March 2009
  16. Tukkakoskelo (Red-breasted Merganser), Mergus serrator -- February/March 2009
  17. *Merikotka (White-tailed Eagle), Haliaeetus albicilla -- July 2009
  18. *Varpushaukka (Eurasian Sparrowhawk), Accipiter nisus -- February/March 2009
  19. *Meriharakka (Eurasian Oystercatcher) with chicks, Haematopus ostralegus -- July 2009
  20. *Lehtokurppa (Eurasian Woodcock), Scolopax rusticola -- July 2009
  21. Naurulokki (Black-headed Gull) with chicks, Larus ridibundus -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  22. Kalalokki (Common, or Mew, Gull) with chicks, Larus canus -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  23. Harmaalokki (Herring Gull), Larus argentatus -- July 2009
  24. *Selkälokki (Lesser Black-backed Gull), Larus fuscus -- July 2009
  25. Merilokki (Great Black-backed Gull) with chicks, Larus marinus -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  26. *Kalatiira (Common Tern) with chicks, Sterna hirundo -- July 2009
  27. Kesykyyhky/pulu (Rock Dove), Columba livia -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  28. *Uuttukyyhky (Stock Dove), Columba oenas -- July 2009
  29. Sepelkyyhky (Common Wood-Pigeon), Columba palumbus -- November 2008, July 2009
  30. Turturikyyhky (Eurasian Collared-Dove), Streptopelia decaocto -- November 2008
  31. *Lehtopöllö (Tawny Owl), Strix aluco -- July 2009
  32. *Tervapääsky (Common Swift), Apus apus -- July 2009
  33. *Palokärki (Black Woodpecker), Dryocopus martinus -- July 2009
  34. *Harmaapäätikka (Grey-headed Woodpecker), Picus canus -- July 2009
  35. Haarapääsky (Barn Swallow), Hirundo rustica -- July 2009
  36. *Räystäspääsky (Common Martin or House Martin), Delichon urbica -- July 2009
  37. Västäräkki (White Wagtail or Pied Wagtail), with chicks, Motacilla alba -- July 2009
  38. Tilhi (Bohemian Waxwing), Bombycilla garrulus -- November 2008
  39. *Laulurastas (Song Thrush), Turdus philomelos -- July 2009
  40. *Kulorastas (Mistle Thrush) with chicks, Turdus viscivorus -- July 2009
  41. *Räkättirastas (Fieldfare) with chicks, Turdus pilaris -- July 2009
  42. Mustarastas (Common Blackbird or Eurasian Blackbird), Turdus merula -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  43. *Kivitasku (Northern Wheatear), Oenanthe oenanthe with chicks -- July 2009 (Estonia)
  44. *Lehtokerttu (Garden Warbler), Sylvia borin -- July 2009
  45. Hippiäinen (Goldcrest), Regulus regulus -- November 2008
  46. *Kirjosieppo (Pied Flycatcher or European Flycatcher), Ficedula hypoleuca -- July 2009
  47. Talitiainen (Great Tit), Parus major -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  48. Kuusitiainen (Coal Tit), Periparus ater -- November 2008
  49. Sinitiainen (European Blue Tit), Cyanistes caeruleus -- November 2008 & February/March 2009
  50. Pyrstötiainen (Long-tailed Tit), Aegithalos caudatus -- November 2008
  51. Puukiipijä (Eurasian Tree-Creeper), Certhia familiaris -- February/March 2009
  52. Isolepinkäinen (Great Grey Shrike), Lanius excubitor -- November 2008
  53. Harakka (Common Magpie or Black-billed Magpie) with chicks, Pica pica -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  54. Naakka (Western Jackdaw or Eurasian Jackdaw), Corvus monedula -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  55. Mustavaris (Rook), Corvus frugilegus -- November 2008 & February/March 2009
  56. Varis (Hooded Crow), Corvus corone cornix -- November 2008 & February/March 2009
  57. Korppi (Common Raven), Corvus corax -- February/March 2009
  58. Kottarainen (Common Starling or European Starling), Sturnus vulgaris -- November 2008, February/March & July 2009
  59. Varpunen (House Sparrow), Passer domesticus -- November 2008 & February/March 2009
  60. *Pikkuvarpunen (Eurasian Tree Sparrow), Passer montanus -- July 2009
  61. Viherpeippo (European Greenfinch), Carduelis chloris -- February/March & July 2009
  62. Peippo (Chaffinch), Fringilla coelebs -- November 2008 & July 2009
  63. Punatulkku (Eurasian Bullfinch), Pyrrhula pyrrhula -- November 2008 & February/March 2009
  64. Nokkavarpunen (Hawfinch), Coccothraustes coccothraustes -- November 2008 & February/March 2009

Many thanks to my Finnish friends who provided the correct Finnish common names.

Tags
birding
Helsinki, Finland
travel
Tvärminne, Finland
bird species list
Finland
Helsinki
Helsinki Finland
life list
Tallinn Estonia
Tvärminne Finland
birding
travel

More like this

Helsinki Finland Bird List
Talitiainen (Great Tit), Parus major. Photographed in Hietaniemen hautausmaa (Hietaniemi cemetery), Helsinki, Finland. Image: GrrlScientist, 24 November 2008 [larger view]. Here's my list of birds seen in the Helsinki area of Finland during my two visits. Even though I only visited for 8 days…
My Kansas/Nebraska Bird List
My recent visit to Manhattan Kansas and the Platte River, Nebraska, was the first time I've ever set foot into either state, so this is my complete bird list for that region. Life list birds are noted with red font. Eastern Kansas/Nebraska Bird List Snow goose, white and blue phases Canada goose…
Leopards and elephants and rhinos, oh my
I'm back! For anyone wondering why I've been reposting old pieces for the last few weeks, it's because my wife and I were enjoying a much-deserved holiday in South Africa. I'll stick a link to some photos shortly, but for the moment, here's some post-holiday geekery for you. The trip was a…
My Houston Texas Bird and Butterfly Lists
A slightly worn Julia Heliconian butterfly, Dryas julia Fabricius. This image was taken summer 2004 at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park's Pollinarium exhibit. It was donated to Wikipedia under the GFDL by Steven G. Johnson, the photographer. [wallpaper size]. As promised, here are my…

I still find it a little surprising to see birds I think of as fairly commonplace appearing as a first on someone's list. Just my parochial attitude, I guess. :-)

It's nice sometimes to be reminded that birds I think of as a bit ho-hum are actually well worth a second glance, if I can forget their familiarity.

Best of your red-starred-but-familiar are probably the Great Crested Grebe and Grey Heron, (though my mum doesn't like herons, as they keep eatinng hre goldfish).

I struggle to appreciate Lesser Black-backed gulls, though, as Cheltenham is crawling with them. Interesting for their insight into speciation, of course.

A female great tit on top of that. Male great tits aren't that... erm, let's just move on.
The list is quite impressive, with a few species I haven't seen (hawfinch, little grebe...) though I live here!

In case you want to fill in the Finnish names for the birds on your list, here comes (plus a few possible corrections, marked with !!!):

2. Silkkiuikku (P. cristatus), 3. Mustakaulauikku (P. nigricollis), 4. Merimetso (P. carbo), 8. Valkoposkihanhi (B. leucopsis), 12. Haapana (A. penelope), 13. Haahka (S. mollissima !!!), 17. Merikotka (H. albicilla), 19. Meriharakka (H. ostralegus), 20. Lehtokurppa (S. rusticola), 23. Harmaalokki (L. argentatus), 24. Selkälokki (L. fuscus), 26. Kalatiira (S. hirundo), 28. Uuttukyyhky (C. oenas), 31. Lehtopöllö (S. aluco), 32. Tervapääsky (A. apus), 33. Palokärki (D. martinus), 34. Harmaapäätikka (P. canus), 35. Haarapääsky (H. rustica), 36. Räystäspääsky (D. urbica), 37. Västäräkki (M. alba), 39. Laulurastas (T. philomelos), 40. Kulorastas (T. viscivorus), 41. Räkättirastas (T. pilaris), 43. !!! Northern Wheatear = Kivitasku (Oenanthe oenanthe), O. lugens = Mourning Wheatear/surutasku (a species found in N. Africa and Middle-East), 44. same as earlier (nr. 33.), 45. Lehtokerttu (S. borin), 47. Kirjosieppo (F. hypoleuca), 57. Varis (C. corone cornix), 61. Pikkuvarpunen (P. montanus).

Whew! I think that was all...

Cheers!
-NB

Impact Factors are a trivially simple metric about the average citation rate of articles in a journal -- a per-article measure of influence

Nice list...quite a few I haven't seen in Continental Europe. However, I believe you have Black Woodpecker twice?
Welcome home!

By France Davis (not verified) on 25 Jul 2009 #permalink