FINLAND OWLS 15–18 May 2009 Leader: Finnature Guide

These tours are specifically designed to find the northern owls. Numbers fluctuate from year to year depending on the rodent populations, so there is no guarantee that we will see any particular species. However, with the assistance of a local guide, the chances are very good.

Day 1 Scheduled flights from London to Helsinki and then on to Oulu arriving at 15:50 when we will be transferred to our hotel for the next two nights. The search for owls will start this afternoon/evening and, hopefully, before retiring for the night, we will have at least one species 'in the bag'.

Day 2 After breakfast the search for owls will continue with the assistance of a local guide. Great Grey, Short-eared, Tengmalm's and Ural Owls, Eurasian Eagle-owl and Eurasian Pygmy-owl all breed close to Oulu and are normally relatively easy to locate with expert assistance, but Northern Hawk Owl takes a lot more hard work! During the course of the day we may also see Whooper Swan, Common Crane, Hen Harrier, Western Marsh-harrier, Terek Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, Ruff and Eurasian Woodcock, Black and Three-toed Woodpeckers and Mealy Redpoll.

Day 3 Today we will transfer to Kuusamo, near the Russian border, to search for Capercaillie, Black, Hazel and Willow Grouse, Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Red-flanked Bluetail, three crossbill species, Little Bunting and, possibly, Pine Grosbeak. Many waterfowl are on migration at this season and we may also see 'Baltic' and 'Siberian' Gulls and Red-throated Pipit.

Day 4 After some early morning birding, we will transfer to Oulu airport for the flight to London via Helsinki at the end of the tour.

General Information The pace of this holiday is mainly moderate but with long hours spent in the field, with some early mornings and late evenings. Clothing and footwear suitable for walking and adverse weather should be brought. Finland has a high cost of living and everything is expensive compared with the UK, especially alcohol.

Group Size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 7; maximum group size: 14 with two leaders.

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