FINLAND

owls, owls & more owls, plus some of Europe's rarest birds

By flying to Oulu, our first base, we will be in the heart of Finland's best wetlands on day one. After three nights we will drive to Kuusamo, near the Russian border, just south of the Arctic Circle. Here we will spend the rest of the week looking for eastern specialities before eventually flying back from Rovaniemi.

ITINERARY

LIMINGANLAHTI

Having flown to Oulu, our base for the first three nights, we will find ourselves on the doorstep of Liminganlahti, Finland's most important wetland. Depending on flight times we may have the opportunity to do a little birdwatching in the afternoon. Typical birds we can expect here include Common Crane, Slavonian Grebe, Short-eared Owl and Finland's national bird, the Whooper Swan.

Our next two days will be spent exploring this area. Located on the north-east corner of the Gulf of Bothnia, this is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Being just 200km south of the Arctic Circle, the area has spent much of its history buried under thick ice. The weight of this ice forced the bedrock down into the earth's crust. Since the end of the last ice age the land has been 'springing' back, at a rate of about 1cm per year. As a result the landscape is constantly changing, with marshes being continually created in areas which were once the sea bed. This results in an abundance of wildlife habitat which is impossible to cultivate.

A good view of a smart male Common Roasefinch brightens any northern day. Phil Palmer

On the lakes we can expect to find Black-throated Diver, Velvet Scoter, Bean Goose, Caspian Tern, Little Tern and the splendid Smew. The Red-necked Grebe is a recent colonist. In the damp meadows and marshes, waders breed in abundance. These include Temminck's Stint, Whimbrel, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper and the delightful Red-necked Phalarope.

The rare Terek Sandpiper chooses the lake shores of Liminganlahti as its only Western European breeding ground. Ruff may be seen at a lek where males in their elaborate summer dress dance and squabble for the attentions of the duller Reeve. Small birds breeding around the marshes include Wryneck and Grey-headed Wagtail, and we may be lucky and find a Blyth's Reed Warbler.

In the drier areas there are Greenish Warblers, Red-backed and Northern Grey Shrikes, Common Rosefinch and Ortolan. Woodlands in the area hold Black, Three-toed and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

No visit to this area is complete without sightings of the northern owls. We can expect to see Eagle Owl, Ural Owl, Short-eared Owl, Great Grey Owl, Pygmy Owl and Tengmalm's Owl. Even the enigmatic Hawk Owl appears here in good vole years. This task would be impossible without the help of our Finnish guides, who diligently locate nests during the early spring when the birds are calling. We have not failed to see Great Grey Owl in our last six trips!

KUUSAMO On day four we will drive to Ruka, near Kuusamo, our base for the remaining four nights. Situated on the Russian border, we will birdwatch around Kuusamo as well as visit the Oulanka National Park and the forests at Valtavaara. We shall birdwatch at marshes and water meadows in search of species such as Broad-billed Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank and Bluethroat. There will be an optional 'grouse drive' one evening for a couple of hours after dinner. Last year, this produced sightings of Willow Grouse, Black Grouse lekking, a pair of Hazel Grouse, plus cranes and a moose! The northern race Nuthatch (left) is whiter below than UK birds. Phil Palmer.

A day will be spent in the nearby Oulanka National Park where highlights may include Brambling, Parrot Crossbill, Capercaillie, Black Woodpecker and the delightful Waxwing. Two particularly special birds, the Siberian Tit and Siberian Jay, also occur in the area. During the afternoon we will drive a little further north to cross the Arctic Circle, birdwatching in Southern Lapland.

Valtavaara National Reserve is close to our hotel. This impressive taiga forest holds such exciting eastern specialities as Pine Grosbeak, Arctic Warbler, Three-toed Woodpecker, Rustic Bunting, Little Bunting and Two-barred Crossbill. Inquisitive parties of Siberian Jays become more and more bold, sometimes taking crumbs from the hand! However, the highlight here is the rare Red-flanked Bluetail.

With the help of our Finnature guides we have had good views on each of our trips.

PACE Breakfast will normally be taken at 7.00am. On mornings when an optional pre-breakfast excursion is planned breakfast will be at 8am. Beware of tour groups which take you birding through the night in search of 'night singers'. Our experience has shown that this is largely unnecessary. There are 24 hours of daylight at this time of year and we are careful not to overstretch ourselves because of this. Basic fitness is all that is required. Full days will be spent in the field and short/medium length walks will be undertaken regularly. There will be some uphill walking at Valtavaara in search of Red-flanked Bluetail, but this will be done at a leisurely pace.

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD Full-board accommodation is provided, with three nights at the Hotel Vihiluoto near Oulu and four nights in the Hotel Rantasipi in Ruka. All rooms have en suite bathrooms. Packed lunches will be taken most days.

PRICE INCLUDES ….. All birdwatching excursions with expert leader and local guides, full-board accommodation, soft drinks at meal times, local transport by mini-bus, flight to Oulu and returning from Rovaniemi, reserve entrance fees, and flight and airport taxes.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED Cost of travel insurance, payable at the time of booking. Items of a personal nature, alcoholic drinks, laundry, etc.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS Flight from London Heathrow to Oulu, returning from Rovaniemi (both via Helsinki) using the scheduled services of Finnair. Outbound flight departs mid-morning, return flight arrives back late afternoon. Shuttle flights are available on this tour for £60 return (due at time of booking), from Manchester and other regional airports.

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