Holidays > Worldwide Holidays > Finland

Finland is an absolute must for all Western Palearctic birders; it holds a spectacular selection of owls and has a number of species that find their only European outposts in the forests of the north. It is a land of lakes and forests with rich coastal bays and marshes so can boast many breeding species not found in SW Europe. It is a very well organised country with wonderful facilities. This holiday is designed to make the most of all of these fantastic birds at an affordable cost. See the trip reports or archives section on www.anserbirding.com for details of sightings.

In 2010 the trip coincides with the Kuusamo bird race so we should benefit from all the teams locating birds in that area for us. Nearly everything is included in the price: you only have to purchase lunch, drinks and items of a personal nature. We will be in Finland for seven days and six nights.

Expected Birds

Below is a list of the birds that we can reasonably expect to see at this time of year in this location.
This is intended only as a guide and we cannot guarantee that we will see every species listed, however we may also see birds which are not listed

Owls

• Great Grey
• Ural
• Hawk
• Tengmalm’s
• Pygmy
• Eagle
• We have seen Long and Short-eared also
• Black-throated Diver
• Three-toed Woodpecker
• Pine Grosbeak
• Hazelhen
• Red-flanked Bluetail
• Siberian Tit
• Siberian Jay
• Black Grouse
• Willow Grouse
• Parrot Crossbill
• Crane
• Hazelhen
• Rustic Bunting
• Little Bunting
• Siberian Tit
• Terek Sandpiper
• Caspian Tern
• White-tailed Eagle
• Rough-legged Buzzard
• Common and Velvet Scoter
• Common Rosefinch
• Little Gull
• Whooper Swan
• Slavonian Grebe
• Spotted Redshank
• Wood Sandpiper
• Ruff
• Dunlin
• Jack Snipe


Possibly
• Broad-billed Sandpiper
• Blyth's Reed Warbler
• Corncrake
• Greenish Warbler
• Arctic Warbler

Possibly # Broad-billed Sandpiper # Blyth's Reed Warbler # Corncrake # Greenish Warbler # Arctic Warbler

Itinerary

Below is our planned itinerary for the trip, although we try our best to stick to our itineraries, occasionally it does become necessary to change things around a little bit due to the weather or the presence/lack of birds at particular sites during the time of our visit.

It is vital to get in early for this trip to ensure we get the cheapest flights and ensure it goes ahead.
A flight from London Stansted to Tampere which could be the evening before or morning flight (flight schedule released at the end of each year) will take us to the start of our six hour journey (this may be overnight, meaning we arrive in the early hours of the morning); we shall head north winding our way through the dramatic scenery passing lakes and forest and we may see Black-throated Diver en-route. We stop every couple of hours to take on refreshments and make comfort stops. On arrival at our accommodation we shall unpack and rest for a bit. The rest of the day can be spent birding locally but we will stop for our evening meal either at Liminka, at a nearby hotel or service area. In this area will visit some local lakes for Common Scoter, Red-throated Diver and possibly Caspian Tern. Short-eared Owls come out in the twilight to hunt and we may meet our first roadside Elk.

We shall explore the local area where we stay, the boardwalks and trails offer great start to the day with Fieldfare, Common Rosefinch, Ortolan Bunting, Whinchat and other passerines. The towers and hides that command views over the shallow bay at Liminka are very useful. Many waders in breeding plumage may be seen such as Ruff and Spotted Redshank with other wetland birds including Garganey, Caspian Tern and Common Crane all on show. White-tailed Eagle can also be seen here. Other quality areas will be explored to search out Waxwing, Black and Three-toed Woodpecker, Terek Sandpiper and many commoner garden species like Pied Flycatcher. Some of the larger lakes around Oulu hold huge numbers of birds; we have seen flocks of up to 1700 Little Gull in the company of hundreds of Arctic Terns as well as Red-necked Phalarope. We meet our Finnish guide who will lead the way for the next four days and could mean looking for owls immediately.

This will mean an early start to begin birding with our Finnish guide for the next three days; we have a lot to do as we begin searching out many of the target Finnish birds around Oulu and then staying two days at Kuusamo (2.5 hour drive) where we shall visit the legendary Valtavarra and Ivaara ridges. The following species are all included in our search during this period; Great Grey, Ural, Pygmy, Tengmalm's, Eagle and Hawk Owls, Siberian Tit, Siberian Jay, Parrot Crossbill, Red-flanked Bluetail, Rustic and Little Buntings and Greenish and Arctic Warblers (if they have arrived), Hazelhen, Black and Willow Grouse, Capercaillie, Black and Three-toed Woodpeckers and Pine Grosbeak (scarce). A fine supporting cast of Black-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Velvet Scoter, Smew, Whooper Swan and other breeding wildfowl and waders, Rough-legged Buzzard, Hobby, Honey Buzzard, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Redwing and Brambling and more. We have seen Pallid and Montagu's Harrier, Black Kite, Long-eared Owl, Glaucous Gull, Temminck's Stint and Little Tern on previous visits. We then return to Liminka for night six.

We shall travel back to Tampere with time to check the local bogs, coastal peninsula or waterworks near to our accommodation. By stopping off en-route we will check a few sites for more birds and if we have not already will have a birding session around Tampere which should add Blyth's Reed and River Warbler as well as Thrush Nightingale and Corncrake before flying back to the UK. This all depends on the flight schedule.

Please note this itinerary may be altered due to the weather or the presence/lack of birds at particular sites during the time of our visit.

Holiday date:

6-12 June 2010

Holiday Cost:

£1199.00

Cost to WWT Members

£1139.00

Learn more about the WWT and become a member

Deposit:

£250.00

Please read our Terms & Conditions for more information about Deposit payments

Single Room Supplement:

£60.00 - £70.00

If you are travelling alone but willing to share we maybe able to find a roommate for you to reduce the cost.
Please see the booking form for more information

Flights

Flights usually available from £80.00

What is included in the cost of your holiday?

All transport in Finland, accommodation, breakfast and evening meals, entrance fees to reserves and the services of guides. Drinks, lunches and items of a personal nature are not included. The typical breakfasts are simple continental; we may use cafes or service areas to save time as we are often on the road en-route to or between birding sites. Evening meals tend to be three courses. Menu details can be forwarded on request when at least six clients have booked to check food requirements.

What is included in the cost of your holiday?

All transport in Finland, accommodation, breakfast and evening meals, entrance fees to reserves and the services of guides. Drinks, lunches and items of a personal nature are not included. The typical breakfasts are simple continental; we may use cafes or service areas to save time as we are often on the road en-route to or between birding sites. Evening meals tend to be three courses. Menu details can be forwarded on request when at least six clients have booked to check food requirements.

Other Information

Flights and insurance are not included, insurance is essential. Anser can help with flights/insurance on your behalf if you prefer not to book your own, early booking leads to cheaper airfares with £80-150.00 being the norm for Ryanair flights. It is your responsibility to get to the airport but a transfer may possibly be arranged if enough people travel from Gloucestershire. A charge will be made for this service to cover the costs. Please note; Anser cannot be held responsible for changes in flight times or delays etc.

We stay in the Liminka area either at a visitor centre or nearby log cabins/guest rooms where you can go birding at any hour of the day should you be inclined. Three nights will be spent at a hotel in the Kuusamo area where it is also possible to go birding anytime.
Lunch and fresh coffee stops will be made each day to collect provisions at a supermarket or suitable café/resthouse. Due to the fact that it never gets dark, it is possible to go birding at any time, day or night although is important to rest and sleep, Anser guides although offering full commitment and attention will need to rest for your safety and to be alert to find the birds. By staying in the locations offered you have the option to go birding when you wish, it is very tempting to keep going but always bear in mind that being overtired can spoil your birding experience. Please note that due to flight times we may be travelling through the night at the beginning of the trip and either early or late on the last day, if it is a late flight then it would mean arriving at Stansted around midnight.

The buses normally have reclining seats and are fairly comfortable for cat-naps. Some desirable insects like the Black Darter, Camberwell Beauty butterfly and interesting flora including orchids are also appreciated on this tour. In most situations on this trip it is vital to be very quiet or even silent to locate the birds and avoid disturbing them, your guides will be able to indicate when it is a ‘quiet time’. Note; Changes inevitably happen from year to year so these details may vary.

Clothing & Equipment

Warm clothing such as a fleece with a waterproof should the evenings be cooler or we encounter a shower. If sunny then sun-cream, a hat, sunglasses and lighter clothes are advisable. Waterproof boots with adequate ankle support should be worn. Wellies can and have been taken but only used on a very small number of occasions it is up to you if you wish to take them. A telescope and digital camera are desirable as the views and digi-pix opportunities are excellent. Anser guides carry Leica/Swarovski telescopes which will be set on any species showing for clients use. An inflatable travel neck pillow is worth taking for comfort when napping in the bus or plane. Mosquito repellent is essential; we tend to use products containing 50% deet. Great care must be taken to avoid contact with optics as it can damage them.

Environment

Some steep slopes are found in the Kuusamo area and in a few other places. A reasonable level of fitness is needed for this trip. Uneven tracks are also encountered but most areas are flat and provide easy walking. We are never too far from the bus. Boardwalks are regularly encountered on this holiday. They can sometimes be slippery so great care must be taken. Some wet and boggy areas can be found underfoot in some places.

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