Bird guides at Oulu and Kuusamo (1 Viewer)

Hi. I'm planning to travel to Finland in late May next year for a Finnature group day tour at each of these locations and was looking to spend an extra morning in each location. Does anyone know any locals who would be interested in providing a morning guiding at both locations ? To see the usual specialities of each of the 2 areas and hopefully mop up any I miss with Finnature ?

Thanks
Tony

My experience of Finnature is that they are very good at finding the harder to see specialties of both areas, although there is obviously no guarantee. Beyond that, both areas are easy enough to explore yourself without the need for a guide - try using Gosney's Finding Birds in South Finland as a site guide.

Thanks Pete. I did the same trip with Finnature back in 2013 and self guided myself with the Gosney book but saw almost nothing when not on the official Finnature trips. The birds are so widely dispersed that I think it really needs the local knowledge of "what has been seen where" in the previous days. I'm not paying €500 a day on top of the two €250 group trips so may just bend the ears of the Finnature guides for a few tips when on the group trips if I can't sort myself out with a cheaper local guide for a 3-4 hours.

Are there any listed on birding pal for the area?

The guys at liminka reserve were really helpful when I went. That said a guide in Finland is invaluable - too many trees and many areas look the same as the other - one is empty and one has the birds....

I didn’t get a single owl in the north although have found them at different times in the south....

I agree Tony, the forest tracks look so similar and are so extensive you really need the up-to-date information for that year, as it varies so much.

You have a good chance of connecting with most things on Finnature tours - especially Great Grey Owl if they are at known nesting sites. Pygmy Owl often depends on whether it responds to call, Ural Owl can be tricky as they may remain in nest box out of view, Tengmalm's are scarcer and again you have to hope they stick head and shoulders out of nest box, and Hawk Owl seems hit and miss too.

Things like Hazel Grouse and Capercaille are very hit and miss. Black Grouse usually easier. Woodpeckers are usually ok as long as the young haven't already fledged.

Great Grey Owl are usually the easiest.

Also here, great succes with Finnature in 2009. The species we missed were very hard to find on ourselves, added a few more on random encounters and luck than knowledge from guidebooks. They really give good opportunities to see the specialties and they start very early with locating nesting sites. Be aware that late May some nesting sites may already be empty for certain species, again luck and weather may vary.