iluvpuffins: Finland - land of Moomins, Capercaillie, Black Grouse and others.....

My first designated photographic holiday!! And my first visit to Finland - great seeing the Moon Shop at the airport 😀

It started with a day in Helsinki - amazing public transport! Visited the Temppeliaukio Church - the Rock Church, given that it is built into solid rock; Sibelius memorial (avoiding the bus tours) and Helsinki Cathedral before finding a boat trip - ferry to Suomenlinna - with its sea fortress and Russian style architecture (and a library!!)

And then headed 'up north' to Kuusamo and Bird Photography!! It was strange sitting in a photographic hide with limited vision but I soon got used to it and was snapping away - with the expert guidance on hand - look at your histogram Chrys was often the cry. Watching the Black Grouse lek in the snow, Cranes mating and a White-tailed Sea Eagle wander around - all worth getting up at 4am, back for breakfast, a snooze, dinner and then out again for the evening!! Seeing Capercaillie at the side of the road..... on a branch, in the snow.... was worth falling into every snow drift/hole I could find. If it was there I fell in it!!

One of the visits to the swans was enhanced when an Otter decided to steal the Pike left for the Sea Eagle - a fair exchange methinks - especially when it swam right under the hide I was sat in!

The stage was set - the birds were feeding - Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Siskin and Brambling, Black Woodpecker (what!!)....we waited, and waited..... until Wow!! Golden Eagle arrives, perches where expected looking amazing in the evening sun - swoops down and feeds right in front of us - Wow!!

We even managed to do some 'normal' birding - with a few 'lifers' for me - BOOM! - Willow Grouse, Siberian Jay and Three-toed Woodpecker. Migrants were starting to arrive with a nice Ring Ouzel (at the local tip - where else would you go birding?) and a Shore Lark being of note; plus an unexpected sighting of an Arctic hare in the police station car park 😀 Interesting with some bird photographers not being birders.......

The weather was kind - and a morning seeing Dippers collect nesting material was enhanced with a welcome coffee in a nearby cafe-pub (which wasn't strictly open so thanks Olli!!).

The accommodation was good - a luxury lodge - with a fridge well stocked to assuage the appetite although not much needed the with the great food on offer including smoked salmon soup and reindeer stew..... that is not to say I did not partake....

And finally - great to see that they have Crazy Capers in Finland too - catch the video after you have (hopefully) enjoyed the pics - if it works of course!!

Thanks to Olli for dragging me out of snow drifts - and thanks to Finnature for a great week - see you again!!