10,000 Birds

JANUARY 11, 2014

Here’s his third stop: In June of 2013, we arrived in Helsinki, the capital and largest city in Finland, and our third destination on our European getaway. The spectacle, hosted by The Association of Samba Schools in Finland, includes over 1,000 dancers and musicians and draws a crowd of 20-30,000 with the goal of promoting Samba in Finland.

Finland 171

Finland Estonia Birds Europe 171

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2024

A bird ringed near Helsinki, Finland, in October 1970 was found dead, 18 days later, in the Scottish west-coast town of Stranraer, a distance of 1,800km and a minimum speed of 100km per day. I’ve managed to see them, too, on their breeding grounds in Finland in summer. It’s when the rowan crop fails that they irrupt south.

Finland 222

Finland Estonia Bears Ireland 222

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2024

A rutting Fallow buck, photographed in Norfolk, England Elk (or what the Americans call Moose) I’ve encountered several times in Scandinavia, Estonia and Poland. I always enjoy watching them when I see them in Europe: the individual above was in Estonia last March. I’ve only seen European Bison in Poland, in the Bialoweiza Forest.

Fur 219

Fur Deer Boars Estonia 219

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 12, 2024

Some years ago I was surprised to see one while birding in Matsalu National Park in Estonia. It must have been one of the first to reach Estonia, but I gather that they are now well established there. My only wolf sightings have been in Spain, in December, and at great range.

Fur 196

Fur Bulgaria Otters Estonia 196

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2023

Dave Gosney’s Finding Birds Series covers mostly the Western Palearctic and describes birding in various regions of Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, etc., with some additions, namely South Texas, The Gambia, and Goa (India).

Greece 206

Greece Bulgaria Macedonia Gambia 206

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2019

Barnacle geese breed mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic, while the nearest wintering areas also lie along the northern coasts of Europe: the Netherlands and the Baltic Sea (Estonia, Finland, Denmark and Sweden). Here in Serbia, in the south of the continent, this species is a proper rarity.

Geese 153

Geese Serbia Birds Estonia 153

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

It’s been interesting to note that a solitary Sandhill Crane first seen in Finland in recent days migrating with Common Cranes has now provided Estonia with its first record of Sandhill. Like many birders I wonder what happens to some of these off-track migrants and whether they recover their orientation.

France 232

France Ireland Estonia Finland 232