Category: Nature

Day 102: When The World Turns Pink

Posted in 365 Project, Helsinki, Nature, OutdoorsTagged , , , , Leave a comment

A few years ago, Stuart and I took our bikes on the metro to the opposite side of Helsinki. It is a great way to find some new interesting routes, instead of riding the same routes over and over again.

Anyway, on that day we stumbled upon the biggest pocket of cherry trees in Helsinki. It was the peak blossom time, and the park was phenomenal.

This year, when I saw the cherries are blooming, I decided to go back with a proper camera. But, as it so often happens, I got busy and waited a few days too long. I managed to catch the blooms maybe on the last day they were still properly pink. The sunnier batches of the trees had already turned green.

I’ll try again next year.

Day 72: Nesting Coot

Posted in 365 Project, Espoo, Nature, WildlifeTagged , , , Leave a comment

A few kilometres from our house is a small pond that is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Several rare birds nest there and in the surrounding area, and there is a very active community alerting people to rare sightings. I am not part of it. I mostly know about it from my walks, when I occasionally stumble into clusters of people arriving by car or bicycle, or nearly running, binoculars in hand, asking breathlessly if they have “missed it yet.”

As it was a beautiful day, I cycled to the pond to join tens of others trying to catch a photo of a bird. I just wanted a pretty picture, so I would have been quite happy with a duck. Instead, I found this Eurasian coot building a nest. Although common in Europe, the Finnish population is critically endangered.

So, am I a birdwatcher now?

Day 63: Finnish Spring

Posted in 365 Project, Finland, Nature, OutdoorsTagged , , , Leave a comment

Is there anything more over-romatisized than spring? Maybe Paris. Or worse: spring in Paris.

Maybe in warmer climates spring bursts in to flower the moment winter ends, bringing sunshine, birdsong  and love. But not in Finland.

After 6 months under snow, there is not a lot colour in Finnish nature in early spring. The frozen ground needs time to thaw before anything green dares to show up. It’s wet and brown. It is a challenge to find much beauty anywhere.

Those warm, sunny moments can be glorious, though. Finns peel off their winter jackets and run out with the first signs of milder weather – enthusiastic for light and already waiting for summer to begin.

In other words, the best thing about Finnish spring is its proximity to summer.