Northern Finland and Varanger, Norway March 2013
Three of us N Drinkall, W Gillatt and myself visited Varanger in late March 2013 flying into Ivalo and birding at Kaamanen, Northern Finland for feeder birds before driving up to Varanger where we birded the fjord for sea duck and gulls with a day trip to Batsfjord for King Eiders. I used my 300 2.8 Canon lens throughout sometimes with the 1.4x converter ith the Canon 1D4 and the Canon 5D3 and a 24-105 lens for most of the landscapes. There was abundant snow cover and one day / night over 1m of snow fell blocking the road to Vardo for several hours. Temperatures were around -10C to -20C but dropped to -28C on the day we drove to Batsfjord. Highlights were the amazing views of Pine Grosbeaks, Siberian Tits and Siberian Jays plus Arctic and Mealy Redpolls at Kaamanen and of course the Steller’s and King Eiders at Varanger where Glaucous Gulls were also abundant. The weather was very kind to us with a lot of bright sunshine but nights were generally cloudy though we did get a good aurora display on the 27th. The main highlights of the trip are detailed in the daily texts and images below.
March 16th – 17th 2013
Drive to Manchester airport for our Finnair flight to Helsinki where we kip as best we can in the departure lounge waiting for our early morning connection to Ivalo which arrives at 09:05 on the 17th. Pick up hire car and head north through the snow-covered landscape to Jokitorma where we pick up the keys to our overnight cottage before heading to the feeders at the Neljan Tuulen Tupa café at Kaamanen for the arctic finch fest. Spend some time photographing at the feeders in brilliant light but very cold at -15C before heading south and up a side road to a bird tower I had visited in the past with Mark B; climb through the snow up the tower but the trees are decidedly bird free.
Birds seen at the feeders and nearby: Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Siberian Jay 6, Magpie Pica 5, Hooded Crow 2, Common Raven 7, Siberian Tit 2, Blue Tit 1, Great Tit 2, House Sparrow 5, Pine Grosbeak 10, Greenfinch 2, Mealy Redpoll 30, Arctic Redpoll 15.
By the time we drove to our overnight cottage it was snowing heavily and the access track was covered to a depth of about 30cms. Night near Jokitorma.
The famous cafe at Kaamanen Northern Finland - you are well north of the Arctic Circle at this point; weather was chilly at -15C; the importance of proper clothing.
March 18th:
More snow overnight after breakfast drive back to the feeders and have another photo session before starting the drive north to the border crossing at Utsjoki and then onward to Varanger.
Birds at the feeders much the same as the previous day the highlights Siberian Jay 4, Siberian Tit 2, Pine Grosbeak 10 plus Arctic Redpoll 40 Mealy Redpoll 10, Common Raven 25, Great Tit 6, House Sparrow 8 and Greenfinch 2.
En route to Utsjoki we add: Eurasian Magpie 20, Hooded Crow 60 and by the side of the road north of Kaamanen a Black-bellied Dipper in a small area of open water along a frozen river.
Arrive at Nesseby and drive down to the church where we have a look at the fjord and add the following:
Steller's Eider 25 the first of the trip, Mallard 8, Long-tailed Duck 40, Red-breasted Merganser 10, Purple Sandpiper 100, Black-legged Kittiwake 100, Herring Gull Larus 40, Great Black-backed Gull 8 and White-tailed Eagle 4.
Leave Nesseby and move on to our cabin near Ekkeroy with deep snow all around it’s a 200m walk from the road to the cabin but its right on the shore of the fjord and very cosy.
March 19th;
After a night in the cabin with frequent checking for signs of aurora wake to a glorious sunny but very cold day with temperatures rising to around -14C. Set off towards Vardo stopping in at the harbour at Kiberg where there is a true Steller’s Eider fest with 226 seen in a single flock and other birds Glaucous Gull 6, King Eider 1, Common Eider 20 and Long-tailed Duck 6. Moving on to Vardo we bird the harbour and around the town adding the following birds:
Mallard 10, Red-breasted Merganser 6, Rock Pigeon 20, Purple Sandpiper 50, Black Guillemot 5, Atlantic Puffin 20, Black-legged Kittiwake 1000, Herring Gull 50, Glaucous Gull 25, Great Black-backed Gull 20, Great Cormorant 5, European Shag 10, Eurasian Magpie 6, Hooded Crow 10, Common Raven 50, House Sparrow Passer 10.
With the sky clear as the sun set we were hopeful of an aurora display and by 20:00 it kicked off and we were quickly dressed and outside in -20C temperatures for a dazzling display.
March 20th:
Another clear and very cold morning so we set off for the long drive to Batsfjord not knowing it the convoy system would be in operation over the mountains. As we drove west the temperatures started to fall and by the time we reached Tana Bru the car gauge was showing -28C and breath was freezing on the inside of the car windows in spite of the heater being on full! Stopping on the tundra for some serious snowscapes we eventually arrived at Batsfjord as snow set in but after a couple of hours it cleared and although more cloudy we had great views of King Eiders in the harbour; highlights were:
Steller's Eider 50, King Eider 100, Common Eider 50, Long-tailed Duck 25, Purple Sandpiper 100, Black-legged Kittiwake 250, Herring Gull 10, Iceland Gull 1, White-tailed Eagle 2 adult, Gyr Falcon 2 male & female flew over the harbour together, Hooded Crow 100. Driving back we see an Elk / Moose in the birch scrub on the side of the road.
March 21st:
Drive to Vardo where WG and ND take a boat out to Hornoya, unable to land but see Brunnich’s Guillemot from the boat and a Gyr Falcon catching a Razorbill. Another or the same Gyr Falcon seen flying over the town later in the day. GPC stays on land with dodgy back but gets a lot of Glaucous Gull and Steller’s Eider action on the camera. Best birds of the day in addition to the above: Steller's Eider 30+, King Eider 10, Common Eider 5000, Long-tailed Duck 5, Purple Sandpiper 25, Herring Gull 200, Glaucous Gull 40, Hooded Crow 25, Guillemot 10,000+, Black Guillemot 25, Common Raven 40. Heavy snow fell for most of the night with an accumulation of over 1m and the road into Vardo was blocked for most of the morning by a drift 13m deep but cleared by midday.
Nelson’s Gull the hybrid Glaucous x Herring Gull above and in the gallery below
March 22nd:
Drive to Vardo stopping off at Skellelv where a flock of 15 Snow Buntings and two Reindeer on the roadside. Also drive down to the Kittiwake cliffs at Ekkeroy. Best birds of the day: Steller's Eider 20, King Eider 25, Common Eider 500, Long-tailed Duck 30, Black Guillemot 25, Atlantic Puffin 3, Black-legged Kittiwake 5000, Common Gull 6, Waxwing 3.
March 23rd:
Another visit to Kiberg for more Steller’s Eider action with 250 present plus King Eider 50, Common Eider 5000, Common Scoter 6, Long-tailed Duck 15. At Vardo more of the same good birds: Purple Sandpiper 300, Guillemot 10000, Razorbill 50, Black Guillemot 40, Atlantic Puffin 200, Glaucous Gull 15, Hooded Crow 15, Common Raven 30.
March 24th:
Start the drive back to Finland stopping off at Vestre Jacobselv where we have beautiful Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in such cold weather, still -18C plus two Northern Willow Tit and two Northern Bullfinches. At Krampenes Steller's Eider 10, King Eider 600, Common Eider 50 and a White-tailed Eagle. Call in at Kaamanen for some more feeder bird action with highlights Siberian Jay 4, Siberian Tit 3, Pine Grosbeak 10, Arctic Redpoll 4 and Mealy Redpoll 30. Drive back to the airport at Ivalo for 22:45 flight to Helsinki with another overnight in the airport before out connecting flight to Manchester arriving 08:25 local time on the 25th.
