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Siikalahti

Finland

[edit] Overview

Part of the area known as the Finnish lake district, close to the Russian border, the habitats around Parikkala include lakeshores, reedbeds and marshes with farmland and pine woodland.

[edit] Birds

[edit] Notable Species

Although there is a good range of wetland birds here the main birding attraction is Blyth's Reed Warbler and this has been a regular site for this species since its expansion into Europe in the middle of the 20th century. Other eastern birds found here include Eurasian River Warbler and Yellow-breasted Bunting.

The marshes also hold various grebes and ducks, Great Bittern, Spotted Crake, Little Crake and recently, Baillon's Crake, Marsh Warbler as well as Marsh Harrier and Little Gull. Corn Crake is a very rare breeder in the area.

In the scrub and woodland there are Thrush Nightingale, Common Rosefinch, Ortolan Bunting and Golden Oriole and White-backed Woodpecker is present but scarce. Lanceolated Warbler has been recorded in this area.

[edit] Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Black-throated Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Great Bittern, Whooper Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Smew, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Western Honey-Buzzard, Northern Goshawk, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Greater Spotted Eagle, Osprey, Northern Hobby, Common Crane, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Little Crake, Baillon's Crake, Corn Crake, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Gull, Black-headed Gull, White-backed Woodpecker, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, White Wagtail, Winter Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Thrush Nightingale, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Eurasian River Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Booted Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Willow Tit, Crested Tit, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Common Rosefinch, Ortolan Bunting, Yellow-breasted Bunting, Reed Bunting

[edit] Other Wildlife

To do

[edit] Site Information

[edit] History and Use

To do

[edit] Areas of Interest

To the north, at Lake Saaperinjarvi, there are also good marshland birds and also Yellow-breasted Bunting.

South of Parikkala, at Lake Vakevanjarvi there is a small hill called Sampolankallio which overlooks the border and from here Greater Spotted Eagle can be seen regularly. Parikkala has holiday cottage accommodation and camping is allowed in the reserve.

[edit] Access and Facilities

Situated just west of Route 6, Parikkala village is signposted from the main road. The best and most popular area is known as Siikhalati Marsh, now a nature reserve, just off the E3 which runs east of Parikkala. This reserve covers a shallow bay on Lake Simpele and has a WWF visitor centre, observation tower and logbook.

[edit] Contact Details

To do

[edit] External Links

• Welcome to Parikkala, English Translation
• Siikalahti Tourist Information
• Parikkala & Siikalahti on Google Maps

Content and images originally posted by Steve

[edit] Reviews

trupie's review

This is one of the best places in Finland. This place is a 4 hour drive right on the eastern border with Russia. Good birding year round.

Pros

• Very easy to find