Spring in the taiga forest

The last days of May and the first week of June 2005 (28 May - 6 June) was to be spent in northernmost Norway. The aim was to do some pre-breeding studies of the Red-Throated Pipit at the tundra on the Varangerhalvøya near Vadsø in Finnmark county. We (Professor Göran Högsted and myself) were however able to fit in a few days of birding in the Pasvik valley taiga forest before entering the tundra.

The Pasvik valley is placed at the crosspoint of Norway, Russia and Finland. The valley holds rather unique breeding birds in Norway, such as Great Grey Owl, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Little Gull, Arctic Warbler and Little Bunting. All these species are rarities in all other Norwegian counties. We were to early for most of them, but did at least witness the fligh-courtship of Spotted Redshanks, as well as seeing great numbers of birds that usually are not annual on my species lists.

We did also meet some taiga specialities, such as Bohemian Waxwing, Pine Grosbeak, Siberian Jay and Siberian Tit. A few hunting Short-eared Owl were seen in the evening, but no sign of the most wanted Great Grey. A big surprise was a drake Red-crested Pochard that was feeding in the Pasvik river near Svanhovd.

Mammals were fewer, but a few Moose, Red Squirrels and Hares were seen, as well as a handful Muskrats Ondatra zibethicus. Half beaver and half rat. Cool.

Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus, Pasvik 30 May 2005.

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus, Pasvik 30 May 2005

On the last day, we ran across a subadult Lesser White-fronted Goose that was resting on some ploved fields. This critically endangered species is usually only seen at a few stopover sites in northern Norway in spring - and it is not in Pasvik. The goose was probably a two year old immature based on the restricted belly spotting.

Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus, Pasvik 31 May 2005

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus, Pasvik 29 May 2005

Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, Pasvik 30 May 2005