Baltic Birding
Åbo Hotspots
White-tailed Golden eagle eagle Åland Helsinki Mariehamn
16 Skatudden 1 Kökar Black woodpecker Migration Migration in the central Ural owl Baltic area is intense and Capercaillie especially impressive during 15 Fysingen spring when millions of birds rush to the nesting grounds in the north. Tallin Stockholm Spring migration starts in Bar-tailed 14 Vårbergstoppen February–March and in April godwit the migration gets intense with common eiders, Lapwing scooters, long-tailed ducks, loons and other sea- birds passing in thousands every day. Migrating 13 Utö ducks with up to 50.000 individuals of long-tailed duck and surf scooter can be observed in a single morning. Three-toed 2 Hiumaa 3 Oystercatcher woodpecker In April–May the raptors arrive with good obser Matsulu 12 Landsort vation opportunities at Cape Kolka. Lesser and greater spotted eagles, buzzards, falcons, hawks, Hoopoe kites and harriers can be frequently spotted. Kolka is also an excellent site for woodland species such as black storks, woodpeckers as well as capercaillie. 4 Saaremaa Pärnu In late May and the beginning of June the Kuressaare spectacular migration of waders heading for the Siberian coastline can be observed in the area, but Purple sandpiper already in June–July some of the waders migrate The birding in the Baltic Sea Dunlin south again and forage along the coasts. Little gull area is good in all seasons with In October the migration of barnacle geese – an impressive migration in spring and with tens of thousands arriving in huge flocks autumn. In April to late June geese, waders Redshank to the seaside meadows and fields in Estonia and passerines migrate through the area. In Garganey Little tern and on Gotland – is a magnificent sight. Also in autumn the southbound migration follows 5 Cape Kolka late autumn, rare eastern migrants from Russia mostly the same routes, with many birds Visby stray into the Baltic area. Small songbirds of the resting and feeding along the coasts. Phylloscopus genus can be found in groves and on Gotland the beaches, especially after strong winds from In this map you will find the birding hot the east. spots of the central Baltic area. Welcome to Goosander Ventspils the peace and quiet, with excellent birding 8 6 Lausviken During winter the northern ducks and eagles Pintail away from the crowds. Lilla Karlsö, 7 Närsholmen highlight the birdwatching. Golden eagles have Stora Karlsö a very strong population in Gotland and long- tailed ducks, scaups, smew and Steller’s eiders 9 Faludden winter in the central Baltic Sea. 10 The Baltic Wings project aims at developing the central Baltic Red-flanked Stockviken Riga Black redstart bluetail area as a nature and birdwatching destination through infra 11 Hoburgen structure investments, capacity building in co-operation with local entrepreneurs as well as other stakeholders, marketing and information. Read more at www. balticwings.org.
Collared www.stof.nu www.kokar.ax flycatcher www.narsholmen.nu www.daba.gov.lv Lesser whitethroat Woodpeckers and owls are most easily found in early spring when they are hooting Red-backed shrike and drumming. Ural owl can be found in Estonia, Latvia and northern parts of the Stockholm area. Tengmalm’s owl at Gotland, Estonia and Latvia. Pygmy owl can be found in the whole Central Baltic area as well as black woodpecker. White-backed woodpecker is found in Estonia, Latvia and southern Finland and the three-toed woodpecker in Eastern Baltic areas while scarce in Sweden.
Pygmy owl Peter Nilsson (birds), Helena Duveborg Cover: (map). Shelducks.
KÖKAR Steller’s eider Illustrations: of the birds in the area around the cape. interesting species found here, especially Barnacle Birding in the central Baltic area Cape Kolka is the best place in Latvia to after strong winds from the east that will goose watch the sea birds, especially in autumn, push eastern warblers to Gotland. The central Baltic area has many different biotopes, suitable for a rich and interesting when the flow of terrestrial birds across fauna with many species that are rare in the rest of Europe. During migration the Arctic the cape is not as intense as in spring. 10. Stockviken, Gotland species pass, rest and feed along extensive undeveloped coastal areas – grasslands or Here, you can come across the waders in Nature reserve Stockviken bare, small islands in the archipelago. the middle of summer as well as capercille, has two parts: Inre Stock many species of woodpeckers and owls During winter, Arctic waterfowl including large numbers of long- tailed ducks and rare ducks viken which is a lake with Common in the Slitere National Park, where Cape such as the Stellers eider spend their time feeding in the central Baltic. Owls, wood-peckers Widgeon excellent views of ducks in buzzard Kolka is situated. and eagles can be seen all seasons and brighten birding during winter and early spring. the spring, and Yttre Stockviken, the coastline, with its waders, terns and ducks. In summertime, the grazed meadows along our coasts, the rugged islands of the Eagles and other raptors are often seen in archipelago and boreal forests offer peaceful wildlife experiences, away from the crowds. SWEDEN the area. Many rare species have been seen rough-legged buzzard. In September there here over the years. Eider 6. Lausvik, Gotland Broad-billed is a good chance to find red-throated pipit, FINLAND, ÅLAND the sea during spring migration. Vilsandi Lausvik bay is especially sandpiper bluethroat, yellow wag-tail and national park is breeding grounds for good for waders, ducks and geese during 11. Hoburgen, Gotland occasionally rustic bunting. 1. Kökar, Åland avocets and tawny pipit. Passerines rest migration, with tens of thousands of Hoburgen in the south- Kökar is a group of islands in the archipe in coastal forests during migration and in barnacle geese feeding in the fields nearby west is the best birding spot 14. Vårbergstoppen lago between Finland and Sweden – way winter about 2.000 Steller’s eiders can be or resting in the bay. In early spring bar- on Gotland where many Rosefinch This artificial hill is located out in the open Baltic Sea. Kökar has a seen in the area. In early spring they come tailed godwits rest in big numbers and the migrating birds arrive or leave the island. in the suburbs of Stockholm. Black-throated loon long tradition of bird watching. In spring closer to shore and are easier to see. In late area is excellent for white-tailed and golden The landscape is spectacular with the lime The top rises 90 m high time, over 250 different bird species can winter and early spring the woodpeckers – eagles all seasons. The bay can be a very stone cliffs and open landscape with views above the sea level and is used by many be seen – sometimes up to 140 on one trip. white-backed, three-toed, grey-headed and good spot for waders, especially the smaller over the sea. The migration is magnificent migrating birds as a beacon on their way The highlights are the early migrators black – and owls are active and call in the Calidris species during July and August. with geese, ducks and auks passing on north or south. The waterways nearby the like eiders in early spring and loons in the forest and capercaillie, black grouse and There are two birding towers with good route north or south at a good spotting lake Mälaren also attract migrating water second half of May. In summer breeding hazel grouse are lekking. The autumn views of the area. distance. The small ringing station during fowl, so birdwatching at this spot can be birds like barred warblers attract birders. migration in September and October to migration is well worth a visit. rewarding nearly year around. The site In autumn, from late August to October, Latvia from the southern peninsula at 7. Närsholmen, Gotland offers a 360-degree visibility for at least the autumn migration of passerines, birds Sörve can be spectacular with tens of Närsholmen is called the Swedish 12. Landsort, Öja 20 km in fair weather conditions. of prey and seafowl takes place. In winter, thousands of birds in the sky. savannah because of the open, This rugged island in the seafowl and local birds overwinter around grazed landscape with the typical southern part of the Stockholm 15. Fysingen Kökar. In Kökar you can find six shelters under-grazed junipers resembling archipelago is known as a top This lake is situated just and platforms specially built for bird acacias. Närsholmen is good for bird migrating place that also Red-breasted south of Arlanda international flycatcher watching within an area of a few kilometers. 4. Matsalu National Park birding in all seasons. In spring has its own ringing station. It airport, and it is favoured by Avocet The park includes the Matsalu migrating loons, ducks and waders is the first land that the birds see when many waterfowl. There are also Bay and its coastline, the Kasari will pass, in the summer avocets, coming from the south over the Baltic sea, cattle-grazed wetlands along Great bittern ESTONIA River delta, and nearly 50 islands. curlews and terns may be found along the and the lighthouse helps to guide birds to the north shore of the lake. This This is one of Europe’s most Spotted crake shores. The autumn migration of tens of the island at night. Because of Landsort’s combination attracts a lot of migrants 2. Hiiumaa important waterfowl resting areas between thousand of barnacle geese is almost over strategic location, sometimes thousands both in spring and autumn. There is a Hiiumaa island has excellent the Arctic and Western Europe. In Matsalu whelming during peak days. of passerines can be seen foraging on the birdwatching tower in the NW shore and Pintail spots for studying the you will find the 4.000 hectares of Kasari island. a trail adopted for wheel chairs along the migrating birds passing close by the shore meadow, Europe’s largest preserved flat 8. Karlsöarna, Gotland reed beds on the west side. The diversity at Ristna peninsula. Thousands of water meadow, which is an important nesting Lilla Karlsö and Stora Karlsö 13. Utö of birds also attracts raptors, for example fowls can be spotted during April–May site for corn crake, spotted crake and great are the only islands in the Baltic The strategic location makes white-tailed eagle nesting in the nearby and in autumn. In the first week of May, snipe. More than 2 million waterfowl Sea with colonies of breeding the island Utö one of the woods. Rare birds are often Barred the sky can be filled with migrating fly through the national park each year, warbler guillemots and razorbills during best spots in the Stockholm found during migration.
waterfowl and 50.000 common scooters of which more than 230.000 remain for spring and summer. The steep cliffs along Lapland bunting area for studies of migrants is not an unusual sight in early mornings. shorter or longer stays. the islands’ shorelines are a spectacular that are using the African- 16. Skatudden, Väddö The autumn migration can be even more sight and the open grassland in the center Siberian fly-way. The shallow beaches Skatudden together intense with tens of thousands of water of Stora Karlsö has a beautiful flora with are perfect for roosting and are also used with the nearby fowl and geese, cranes and many easterly LATVIA many different orchids. as breeding grounds for several coastal Rönnskärsudde on the Great crested grebe vagrants entertaining eager birdwatchers birds like showeler, eider, scooters, ringed island Väddö are excellent places for standing along the coastline. The inland 5. Cape Kolka, 9. Faludden, Gotland plovers, arctic skuas and arctic tern. The studying migrating birds. In springtime lake Käina in the southeast part of the Slitere National Park A cape where the migrating newly built bird tower located at Södra thousands of different geese, ducks, island is a favoured place to roost for geese The location of Cape Kolka birds can pass very close with fladen, partly financed by EU-funds, gives passerines and raptors can be spotted at and ducks. Smew and other waterfowl can Curlew sandpiper creates good conditions ducks, loons and geese migrating a good overview of the birds in the shallow close distances. The most spectacular event Red-breasted be numerous in spring and in autumn. for watching the migratory birds during north or south. The large grazed flycatcher areas. There are other areas along the is the autumn migration when in Septem the spring migration season, when the meadows are excellent for migrating geese southern coastline where you can observe ber and October birds travel from the east 3. Vilsandi National Park, cape creates a «bottleneck» effect where in spring and autumn, the dominating nearly all coastal birds in the Stockholm passing over Åland to the Swedish coast. Saaremaa the birds flying above land gather before species being the barnacle goose with area. However, most of it belongs to a Since the birds from Siberia, Russia and The western coastline of the island setting off across the Gulf of Riga towards the occasional red-breasted goose in the military training facility so there are Finland also choose this pathway, a lot of Saaremaa has excellent sites for Estonia. Not all birds dare to cross the sea flocks of thousands of geese. In bushes and restrictions for civilians to enter the area. different species in thousands and thou watching the large number of sea at once, and such hesitation before the small groves migrating passerines rest and This area is also a real hotspot for resting sands can be observed swooping over the White-backed woodpecker ducks and geese passing over long journey increases the concentration forage, in the autumn there are often very and migrating raptors like hen harrier and Baltic sea.