Last weekend I visited the cottage island. I hadn't been there for a while and what I realised was that autumn is really here.
( played with the new camera... )

We returned to the civilized world walking the same path we arrived to the landscapes of Halti. Nothing special happened during our return except that we decided to take one extra day for walking. That was more than needed. Every kilometre seemed and felt longer and longer...


( the end... )

This is the old painting I promised to show you when I posted a story of the angry owls. It's the biggest painting I've ever painted, 1x2 metres. They supposed to be Ural Owls but you most probably you noticed that my owls have wrong coloured eyes! Well, I think I had the artistic freedom to change the colour...

 

( Mallards... )

Black Swan had a miserable end. This beautiful bird arrived a few weeks ago to Finland. It was found spending time with Whooper Swans in Central Finland, in fact quite close to my cottage island! I didn't have time to visit the site although I knew the bird was there. Usually Black Swans live in the southern parts of Australia and most obviously this bird had escaped from a zoo or a park from abroad.

Yesterday, the swan died in a bird hospital in Heinola. The swan was delivered there after it was found in a bad condition. Most probably a fox had attacked and wounded the bird badly. Doctors made an operation in order to save its life but nothing could be done. The swan passed away. Anyway, this beauty had a short moment in its life when it was free and could swim and fly with other wild swans.

On Wednesday I drove 900 kilometres to Finnish Lapland. I spent two days there with two friends doing different kind of outdoor (and indoor) activities and then back to the south. We had a small holiday flat in the middle of the Levi centre. To the closest slope 300 metres, restaurants 150 metres... The stuffed reindeer's head was on the wall of the flat :)

 

( Levi... )

3 am. I just returned from dark forests. I was lucky and heard four owls, all of them were Tawny Owls (3 males and 1 female). Tawny Owl was a good addition to the list of owls I've heard this winter. I had heard Pygmy Owl, Eagle Owl and Long-eared Owl earlier.

*Is sleepy now*....ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

It's 9.30 pm. I'll fill my thermos with black coffee and prepare some sandwiches. I'm heading out. This is the night of the owls.

Here are some of my bird pics from the previous Morocco tour. Probably the most spectacular species was White Stork. In Marrakech storks were quite common. They had invaded many places for nesting, buildings, walls, towers etc. This colony was built on the walls of old Palace Badii. It was possible to climb up to the walls and see storks quite close! 

 

( birds... )

I have a small feeder for birds in the backyard. I've been really happy because there are three(!) Blackbirds in the neighbourhood, one male and two females. They should be somewhere far away from this cold and snowy country but they didn't migrate like most other birds did. This winter has been quite mild so far. Now Blackbirds have difficulties in finding food but they can find feeders here and there.

 

( 3 Blackbirds... )

 

The hibernating cottage island has awakened and turned to a kingdom of Pygmy Owls. I heard at least two owls whistling close to the cabin. Zillions of mice have invaded the whole country and my island wasn't an exception. This means a big feast for owls. The rodents' invasion is a normal incident and it occurs time to time but the nature has its cure. The number of foxes, owls and other predators increase and the balance recovers.  
( 4 pics... ) 

Bohemian Waxwing behind the window

 

( the scanner... )

Oh no, it can't be over yet! Where did the summer disappear, it hardly just arrived and now it's gone! The first flock of cranes headed to south today, waved with their big wings and they were gone.

 

Today I kicked my scooter engine running (in fact there's an electric start engine) and drove about 50 kilometres to see Ostriches. I knew this place but never visited there before. Yesterday I read a story and decided to go and see the place myself.

Some birdwatching notes and photos from Switzerland.  Didn't see many species but some interesting thought.

 

On Sunday I did something for the first time in my life. I planted potatoes. I hope they will multiply!