
Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Sat 23 Apr, 2011 2:27 PM |
Hmm, decided to change my owl and other birds related stuff here, as it might bore some people in the news thread and so it can be more easily avoided.
mili wrote: mili wrote: I cycled to the centre of Helsinki for the first time this spring to meet some friends. When I was parking my bike I noticed a family pointing up towards the roof of a shopping centre. I had a glance up, and saw two huge eagle owl chicks. Of course I had left my camera home, and the phone camera piccies didn't come out too well, but it was amazing to see them. They're the first eagle owl chicks born in the centre of Helsinki. There's plenty of food: city rabbits, rats, pigeons, seagulls…
Update, here's one of my "friends", who failed a bit today with his flying practice and landed straight on tram tracks…
He was captured and returned to his nest after a check-up.
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Sat 23 Apr, 2011 2:38 PM |
This happened on Wednesday
bird rescue
The young ones are on the move, they can't fly properly yet, so they end up in strange places. The "little" one was moved back to the roof top, because it being bang in the centre of the capital, it might cause trouble should it decide to make a move, or if a parent should think it's in danger.
On Friday one of the grown up owls attacked a dog (no one was harmed), it most likely thought it was a fox or something.
I went see the owls on Friday afternoon, one chick was visible on the edge of the roof, the other two sheltering. Then I saw one of the bird spotters (plenty about at the moment) pointing his massive camera towards the roof of a nearby department store. I looked through it, and one of the huge grown-ups was there. They can be up to 1 m tall!
Other birds spotted this week end: oyster catcher, wagtail, swans, all sorts of ducks, field fare. It's spring!! |
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Turtleneck Posted Sat 23 Apr, 2011 3:03 PM |
Owls are cool. |
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Posts: 10115 |
ricv64 Posted Sat 23 Apr, 2011 3:21 PM |
I concurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr |
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Sun 24 Apr, 2011 10:24 PM |
Another rescue operation today, soon the chicks will leave for good.
Today a guard lady picked up an owl that had landed in the middle of THE main street of Helsinki. Apparently they're nearly ready to leave.
Look at the first two galleries here (Eurasian Eagle-Owl):
http://www.tarsiger.com/gallery/ |
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Posts: 8299 |
Scottish Dubliner Posted Mon 25 Apr, 2011 2:58 AM |
Can't figure out how to "hot-link" pics from FB anymore but I was working in the gardens of the hotel on Friday and had a wee robin following me around, he was so close at times I could have easily grabbed him, bold wee guy.
Dubz |
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Edel Posted Mon 25 Apr, 2011 9:53 AM |
These owls are fascinating but think my chicken shit syndrome would keep me away if I lived in Helsinki |
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ricv64 Posted Mon 25 Apr, 2011 2:45 PM |
Didn't realize how urban owls can be |
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Mon 25 Apr, 2011 6:27 PM |
ricv64 wrote: Didn't realize how urban owls can be
They're not usually, this is the first Eagle Owl nest in Helsinki centre
Today one of the small ones flew a little bit further, across the main street and an art museum, and decided to rest outside a newspaper building. It was given a lift back home. They must be getting used to the good service by now!
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Tue 26 Apr, 2011 12:25 PM |
…and again!
video of yet another rescue
http://www.hs.fi/videot/1135265657636
And a view of today's situation

Apparently the two others were watching from the roof top… |
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Posts: 7598 |
weirdmom Posted Tue 26 Apr, 2011 1:28 PM |
That owl is a pimp! |
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Posts: 10115 |
ricv64 Posted Sat 30 Apr, 2011 6:00 PM |
Falcon cam San Jose
http://sanjose.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=91 |
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Tue 03 May, 2011 11:18 AM |
Cool!
Our local celebrity (or one of them) decided to vistit the terrace of a sushi restaurant today.

Last sunday I had a good view of a sandpiper, a beautifully singing robin and a greenfinch, and of course mallards… |
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Tue 03 May, 2011 5:23 PM |
A squirrel for a change!

This specimen was spotted inside a design shop in a trendy hipster area near Helsinki centre last sunday (shop was closed). Apparently it had broken one 1000 € plate… Amazing pose! |
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Posts: 3258 |
mili Posted Wed 04 May, 2011 8:45 AM |
Damned crow is trying to destroy a seagull's nest on the next door building's rooftop. I just saw it dragging the seagull down by its wing. Clever but horrible. I think it got at least one egg already. |
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