Finland 5 day itinerary May/June 2013 (1 Viewer)

[Tony Knight]

As a "special birthday" treat I'm considering a week in Finland in late spring / early summer and want to combine a day owl watching at Oulu, a day at Kuusamo (presumably both with Finnature) plus ideally some other wildlife experiences, maybe bears, wolves, wolverines etc, plus scenery etc. I'm assuming I would enter via Helsinki or Stockholm, fly to Oulu and then hire a car for a week/5days at Oulu.

Any tips, suggestions ?

I appreciate optimum timings vary with the spring weather but for the owls/kuusamo species would I be best going w/c 8th June or w/c 25th May (w/c 1st June isn't an option) ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

regards
Tony

 

[wolfbirder]

Regards dates it is difficult to guess, the later you leave it the more likely to are to see owls actually flying, the earlier you are you are slightly more likely to connect at all, because the female is usually sat on eggs. But you may only see them sat, and nothing else. Though your two dates are not that far apart to make much difference. Probably the later date is better because its still not too late by any means, and even if eggs have hatched, one parent should be at nest site with hatchlings.

But either way, I would leave it till as late as possible to book it up, that is if owls are your top priority. Years fluctuate according to vole supply. Finnature are very good, but Hawk owls & Ural Owls especially can fluctuate and be difficult. You can end up with one or five owls! First time I went with Finnature I got great views of Great Grey Owl on nest, Tengmalm's Owl popping its head out of nest box, and Pygmy Owl. Ural Owl was in nest box and would not come out! Second time I went we had to travel 200kms up to Kemi to enjoy both Great Grey Owl & Hawk Owl within 200 metres of each other. Parents were actively feeding fledged young as I had timed it better. Also jammed in on Ural Owl near Oulu.

Great Grey Owl is most people's top priority because they are simply stunning - Finnature realise this and usually make it top priority. Actually they are usually the easiest of the owls to see, as long as they are present.

So in summary, if you can, wait until Finnature confirm it is a good vole year & then book. To be fair, there is usually some owl around as Finnature will stake out for weeks before, otherwise their owl trips will be a financial disaster.

 

[Tony Knight]

Regards dates it is difficult to guess, the later you leave it the more likely to are to see owls actually flying, the earlier you are you are slightly more likely to connect at all, because the female is usually sat on eggs. But you may only see them sat, and nothing else. Though your two dates are not that far apart to make much difference. Probably the later date is better because its still not too late by any means, and even if eggs have hatched, one parent should be at nest site with hatchlings.

But either way, I would leave it till as late as possible to book it up, that is if owls are your top priority. Years fluctuate according to vole supply. Finnature are very good, but Hawk owls & Ural Owls especially can fluctuate and be difficult. You can end up with one or five owls! First time I went with Finnature I got great views of Great Grey Owl on nest, Tengmalm's Owl popping its head out of nest box, and Pygmy Owl. Ural Owl was in nest box and would not come out! Second time I went we had to travel 200kms up to Kemi to enjoy both Great Grey Owl & Hawk Owl within 200 metres of each other. Parents were actively feeding fledged young as I had timed it better. Also jammed in on Ural Owl near Oulu.

Great Grey Owl is most people's top priority because they are simply stunning - Finnature realise this and usually make it top priority. Actually they are usually the easiest of the owls to see, as long as they are present.

So in summary, if you can, wait until Finnature confirm it is a good vole year & then book. To be fair, there is usually some owl around as Finnature will stake out for weeks before, otherwise their owl trips will be a financial disaster.

Thanks Nick.
Sounds great.

How late do you need to leave it before Finnature can confirm good/bad vole year ? Is there any chance that by then the trips are fully booked up ?

presume the mossies and midges are a frustration ?!

Did you try to combine with seeing any mammals eg bears, wolves, wolverines ??? I'm trying to combine the birds with other wildlife/scenery but it seems the only formal bear/wolverine viewing is some 200-300 kms from Kuusamo/Oulu.

Tony

 

[wolfbirder]

Thanks Nick.
Sounds great.

How late do you need to leave it before Finnature can confirm good/bad vole year ? Is there any chance that by then the trips are fully booked up ?

presume the mossies and midges are a frustration ?!

Did you try to combine with seeing any mammals eg bears, wolves, wolverines ??? I'm trying to combine the birds with other wildlife/scenery but it seems the only formal bear/wolverine viewing is some 200-300 kms from Kuusamo/Oulu.

Tony

Hi Tony,

I did'nt try for mammals so sorry really cannot help. Try Vacational Trip Reports section of this forum, there is probably a few reports there if you use the search facility.

I think mossies can be bad, so yes take stuff with you. I do not recall it being awful though, but I know it can be very bad in some areas.

Regards the owls, they will probably advise even now if it "looks" good, but the vole population can take a crash. They can usually accommodate you if there is a few of you - I think they take up to 8 in a van. I found them very good. Second time I went I was only on a 24 hour flying visit. I pre-booked but the others i was to go with on the booked date (a group of Italian birders apparently) cancelled very late on, leaving just me. As I could'nt change my date they still honoured the booking. I know you might say so they should, but it does show good customer care, especially as it was a bad owl year and they had to drive 200kms north to get me to see GG Owl and Hawk Owl.

You can keep checking their website and you can see if any dates are sold out, but I would leave it a while, though I would hate you to miss out so do what you wish to do. I would actually email them and explain you are very keen but want to wait to see if it is a good owl year, and see what they advise. They should keep you in the picture. Just keep in contact with them.

Enjoy the owls, I thought they were magical.

 

[Tony Knight]

Hi Tony,

I did'nt try for mammals so sorry really cannot help. Try Vacational Trip Reports section of this forum, there is probably a few reports there if you use the search facility.

I think mossies can be bad, so yes take stuff with you. I do not recall it being awful though, but I know it can be very bad in some areas.

Regards the owls, they will probably advise even now if it "looks" good, but the vole population can take a crash. They can usually accommodate you if there is a few of you - I think they take up to 8 in a van. I found them very good. Second time I went I was only on a 24 hour flying visit. I pre-booked but the others i was to go with on the booked date (a group of Italian birders apparently) cancelled very late on, leaving just me. As I could'nt change my date they still honoured the booking. I know you might say so they should, but it does show good customer care, especially as it was a bad owl year and they had to drive 200kms north to get me to see GG Owl and Hawk Owl.

You can keep checking their website and you can see if any dates are sold out, but I would leave it a while, though I would hate you to miss out so do what you wish to do. I would actually email them and explain you are very keen but want to wait to see if it is a good owl year, and see what they advise. They should keep you in the picture. Just keep in contact with them.

Enjoy the owls, I thought they were magical.

Thanks Nick. Much appreciated.

Tony

 

[Ian Hay]

Was there June last year

Boreal wildlife centre is not the most attractive but great if you want a chance of wolf and wolverine, both seen when I visited. But no bear surprisingly for me.

The other unpronounceable place (name starting with M) is better for bear. And I had great views.

Hope this helps

Ian

 

[wolfbirder]

Also, to answer your other question Tony, I think you have to fly via Helsinki. I went from Manchester to Oulu via Helsinki. All booked on-line. Flights booked in advance cost about £350-£400 return, from memory.

Driving is stress free and easy, quiet open roads, even near the airport (certainly in comparison to other european airports). I recall car hire not being particularly cheap though. If you check Finnature's site, they have accommodation actually at the Liminganlahti Visitor centre, which is ideal for you when you get to Oulu as its 15 mins away and is at the best wetland reserve in the region. Go to www.finnature.fi and check "Birdwatching" then "Oulu".

If you go on a tour with them although it says they do special longer photography trips designed for photographers, do take you camera!

 

[Warixenjalka]

For a May, the Northern Finland shouldn´t have much of mossies and midgets. Maybe not even early June.

Last year was bad for voles. So at this moment there is more owls than usually here in South.

 

[orniodesigns]

Nowadays there is several hides for bear and couple of volwerine and occasionally wolf.

Owl numbers are difficould to predict, since wet spring can drown survived voles! So book as late as you can.

 

[Tony Knight]

For a May, the Northern Finland shouldn´t have much of mossies and midgets. Maybe not even early June.

Last year was bad for voles. So at this moment there is more owls than usually here in South.

Thanks - so you mean not many owls up near Oulu ?

Tony

 

[Tony Knight]

Nowadays there is several hides for bear and couple of volwerine and occasionally wolf.

Owl numbers are difficould to predict, since wet spring can drown survived voles! So book as late as you can.

How late ? Presumably if you leave it too late there are no places on the guided tours ?

Tony

 

[Warixenjalka]

Thanks - so you mean not many owls up near Oulu ?

Tony

I´m not sure for Oulus owl situation, but my opinion is that this spring/summer many owls don´t nest at all. But you should ask somebody who knows the situation in northern Finland.

 

[Birdman7]

Owls

Would be amazing tog to be part of a group photographing these Owls, amazing photographic subjects.

 

[orniodesigns]

Here in eastern part situation looks promising. Mouse and vole prints have been seen, there is lots of soft snow for voles to live under and there has not been daytime visible owls, that would usually be sign of starving owls. Other choise is that all owls are dead and thats why we dont see them.

 

[Warixenjalka]

I have seen Ural Owl and Great Grey Owl both in here South-East Finland in the current year. Both lifers to me :king:

 

[McMadd]

I'd be heading to HEL if I needed GGO...

http://www.tarsiger.com/gallery/index.php?sp=find&lang=eng&order=nro,paiva DESC&species=26870

Been there since 18 Feb...

McM

 

[orniodesigns]

It looks like that North Karelia will have good owl year. There has been tens of owls calling including several Great Greys and Hawk Owls.

 

[Tony Knight]

Hi everyone. Just about to confirm booking. Any news on the current vole situation before I book ? I have the choice of Oulu 21st/kuusamo 23rd or Oulu 27th/Kuusamo 30th. From comments above it seems there is not much difference for the owls would either week be better for kuusamo? Decided to drop the bear and wolverine watching elements due to the time and cost !

many thanks
Tony