Summer Visitors in Pori
Pori is a city of birds. More bird species have been recorded here than anywhere else in Finland. This comes as no surprise when you consider the city’s varied environments: the river delta, the archipelago, and the Yyteri area. Birds can be found here throughout the year, but spring and summer truly begin when the migratory birds arrive. Likewise, summer draws to a close when gardens fall silent and cranes form their V-shaped flocks in the autumn sky.
Alongside birdwatching, photographing birds is an interesting and sometimes challenging part of the hobby. The photographs in this exhibition show both the wide range of opportunities the Pori area offers and the skill and dedication of many local bird enthusiasts. As the number and quality of birding sites in Pori suggest, there were enough photographs to fill several exhibitions.
This exhibition presents a selection of some of the most visible and recognizable bird species that thrive in Pori, all photographed here in the city. The exhibition has been created in cooperation between Porin Lintutieteellinen Yhdistys PLY ry. and the Ark Nature Centre.
-
The Rook is a very characteristic bird of Pori, arriving here in early March. The first individuals appear along roadsides where the snow has melted, and soon their familiar calls can be heard from the colonies. The return migration begins in September–October, although a few birds also spend the winter in the city centre.
-
The Common Blackbird is a common city bird. Some individuals migrate south, while others stay for the winter and happily visit garden feeders. The male is, as its name suggests, black, while the female is dark brown. In spring, the first birdsong you hear is likely that of the Blackbird.
-
The White-tailed Sea Eagle’s broad wings are a familiar sight in the skies over Pori. A few decades ago, things were very different: the species suffered from environmental toxins and was at risk of disappearing from the area altogether. Today, several pairs breed within the city limits of Pori. Some individuals stay for the winter and can often be seen on the ice near ice fishers. Migrating birds return in March, when the breeding season begins—sometimes even while winter still lingers.
-
The Northern Lapwing is a sure sign of spring on fields and coastal meadows. This wader’s aerial displays are unmatched, and its calls carry their own joyful message of the coming summer. The Northern Lapwing is a true migratory bird: the first flocks often arrive very early and may have to retreat southward when wintry weather returns. They come back again as soon as warm conditions return. By late summer, the birds gradually depart, usually before the first frosts.
-
The White Wagtail’s constantly wagging tail appears in meadows and gardens by April at the latest. Near the coast, the saying “a little closer to summer when you see the first wagtail” does not always hold true, as the first birds are often spotted on snow-free coastal patches well before summer. By late summer, the White Wagtails leave gardens and begin their migration before the first frosts arrive.
-
The Common Chaffinch is the most common bird in Finland. Even if many people have never noticed it, its familiar song is a clear sign of spring. A few individuals may overwinter at feeding sites, but most migrate. Common Chaffinches can be seen in loose flocks both in spring and autumn, when they leave to escape the first frosts.
-
The Common Crane spends the winter far to the south, and the first individuals return to their breeding grounds in March. Their calls can be heard over coastal bays and marshes, and in summer they appear on fields to feed. During autumn migration, Common Cranes gather in flocks of up to thousands, heading south when the winds turn favourably from the north.
-
The Eurasian Oystercatcher was once a bird of the outer archipelago. Since the early 2000s, it has also become a familiar sight on park lawns. The species is easy to recognize by its bright red bill. The birds return here in April. Autumn migration takes place gradually over the season, and some individuals stay along the shores until the first frosts.
-
The Great Cormorant is a relatively new arrival in this area, with the first nests recorded only about twenty years ago. Migration begins as spring advances in late March and early April, when thousands of birds gather at Lake Enäjärvi and in the Kokemäki River delta to prepare for the coming summer and breeding season. Cormorants flying out to feed can be seen as long as the chicks are growing, becoming ready for flight—and for the autumn migration.
-
The Western Jackdaw is now the most visible bird in urban areas. Flocks of these active birds are a familiar sight in the morning and evening sky. Nowadays, thousands overwinter in Pori. They mainly nest in buildings, and occasionally in tree cavities when suitable ones can be found in parks. The birds are fearless and readily visit yards to investigate whether any food has been left within reach.
-
The Common Shelduck, together with Yyteri and the islands of the Preiviiki Bay area, forms a combination found nowhere else in Finland. This striking, large duck is a characteristic part of Yyteri from May until late summer. However, many visitors never see it if their trips reach only the main beach area. The Common Shelduck seeks peace and quiet and finds it along the shores of the Lietteet area and the islands of Preiviiki Bay.
-
The Whooper Swan is Finland’s national bird. The species was once close to disappearing from the country, but in recent decades it has returned and become a familiar part of the Pori landscape as well. In April, fields may hold flocks of hundreds of swans, and during the breeding season the birds can be found in sheltered coastal bays and ponds. In recent years, the Whooper Swan has also spread to the outer archipelago.