Flying North on the infobahn

Click on the small picture to see a larger, more detailed version. I toured Northern Finland and Norway in June, 2010. The weather was overcast much of the time, but many of the photos turned out well. Most of the photos were taken with a Canon camera with 100-400mm zoom lens, but I also use a Nikon point-and-shoot for scenery.. The trip was very enjoyable and was led by Jan Hansen (dba Otus Asio Tours otusasiotours@bellsouth.net). He leads a variety of trips, all of which I would recommend. The excellent local guide was Toni Eskelin.

Google maps to help orient you: Northern Finland, North-eastern Norway,
and North-western Russia (left 2 maps, mark at Ivalo),
Northern Finland detail showing Oulu, Kuusamo,
Varanger Peninsula Norway with mark at Vardo.

Fieldfare near hotel; Willow Warbler and Chaffinch at
Vanhankaupunginlahti Nature Reserve, Helsinki, June 5, 2010.

Common Rosefinch, Eurasian Coot, Great crested Grebe,
Vanhankaupunginlahti Nature Reserve, Helsinki, June 5, 2010.

Pied Flycatcher, White Wagtail, Barnacle Goose, Common Magpie,
Vanhankaupunginlahti Nature Reserve, Helsinki, June 5, 2010.

European Greenfinch, Sedge Warbler, Hooded Crow, Garganey (female), at Liminka Bay;
Boreal (Tengmalm's) Owl at nest box, Oulu, June 6, 2010.

Rook along highway;
Tufted Duck, Chaffinch, Black-headed Gull near hotel, Oulu, June 6, 2010.

Blythe's Reed Warbler in town, Arctic Tern at waterfront,
Redwing at the hotel, Oulu, June 7, 2010.

Northern Hawk Owl with Brambling, Great Grey Owl,
Siikajoki area, 150 km north of Oulu, June 7, 2010.

Whinchat, Ortolan Bunting, Eurasian Wryneck, Three-toed Woodpecker,
Ural Owl, forests around Oulu, June 8, 2010.

Eurasian Jackdaw and Rook along highway,
European Greenfinch at hotel, Oulu, June 8, 2010.

Common Tern, Jan, Toni, Black-tailed Godwit, Oulu, June 8, 2010.

Whooper Swan in Oulu, Arctic Loon and Velvet Scoter along the way,
Siberian Tit near Kuusamo, June 9, 2010.

Little Gull, Whooper Swan, Reindeer, Arctic Hare, near Kuusamo, June 10, 2010.

Reed Bunting, Wood Sandpiper with Common Ringed Plover, Arctic Loon,
Willow Tit, Mew (Common) Gull, near Kuusamo, June 10, 2010.

White-throated Dipper, Bohemian Waxwing, near Kuusamo, June 10, 2010.

Siberian Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whooper Swan,
Oulanka National Park, near Kuusamo, June 11, 2010.

Scenes and White-tailed Eagle at Border Zone with Russia,
Muskrat at hotel, near Kuusamo, June 11, 2010.

Common Redpoll near Kuusamo, Jim and Common Redstart at the Arctic Circle,
traditional village that survived WWII, between Kuusamo and Ivalo, June 12, 2010.

Common Crane, Eurasian Curlew, Reindeer, Eurasian Dotterel,
between Kuusamo and Ivalo, June 12, 2010.

Sami shields, Sami Museum, Ivalo; Red Squirrel, Great Tit,
Pine Grosbeak, feeders north of Ivalo but still in Finland, June 13, 2010.

Brambling, European Greenfinch, Common Redpoll,
feeders north of Ivalo but still in Finland, June 13, 2010.

Rough-legged Hawk, scenery at Delta, Eurasian Oystercatcher,
river delta, Norway, headed toward Båtsfjord, June 13, 2010.

Dunlin, Temminck's Stint, Little Stint,
river delta, Norway, headed toward Båtsfjord, June 13, 2010.

Common Ringed Plover, Common Shellduck, Mew (Common) Gull, Parasitic Jaeger,
river delta, Norway, headed toward Båtsfjord, June 13, 2010.

Red-throated Loon, Long-tailed Duck, Toni, Long-tailed Jaeger, Bean Goose, Little Stint,
crossroads and beyond, headed toward Båtsfjord, Norway, June 13, 2010.

Red-throated Phalarope, Common Redshank, Ruff,
hotel in Båtsfjord, Norway, June 13, 2010.

Båtsfjord scene, European Golden Plover at hotel, Bluethroat near town,
Bean Goose near summit, Båtsfjord, June 14, 2010.

Scenes along route to Berlevag: coast, Kongsfjord harbor and cafe, coast, June 14, 2010.

Long-tailed Jaeger, Gyrfalcon, Black-legged Kittiwake, Red-throated Pippit,
along route to Berlevag, June 14, 2010.

Common Redshank, Temminck's Stint, Ruddy Turnstone, Common Ringed Plover at hotel;
Common Eider near town, Båtsfjord, June 14, 2010.

Long-tailed Jaeger and Rock Ptarmigan (female) near summit;
Rough-legged Hawk, Common Shellduck, fjord scene,
Båtsfjord to Vardø, June 15, 2010.

Eurasian Oystercatcher, Ruff with Reeve (female Ruff), Reindeer, White-tailed Eagle,
further toward Vardø from Båtsfjord, June 15, 2010.

Black-legged Kittiwake nearing Vardø; Common Eider females with young,
Vardø (Norway) scenes, June 15, 2010.

Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Mew (Common) Gull, Vardø;
Hornøya Island from Vardø, June 15, 2010.

Vardø from Hornøya, Reinøy Island from Hornøya, crowd scenes, Toni,
Hornøya Island off Vardø, June 16, 2010.

Razorbill, Common Murre, Hornøya Island off Vardø, June 16, 2010.

Atlantic Puffin, Hornøya Island off Vardø, June 16, 2010.

European Shag, Hornøya Island off Vardø, June 16, 2010.

Black-legged Kittiwake, Hornøya Island off Vardø, June 16, 2010.

Black Guillemot, Great Black-backed Gull,
Hornøya Island off Vardø, June 16, 2010.

Herring Gull with chick, Rock Pippit, Red-throated Pippit,
Hornøya Island off Vardø, June 16, 2010.

Brent Goose, Glaucous Gull, Vardø, June 16, 2010.

White-tailed Eagle, King Eider, coastal scenes,
Vardø-Hanningberg road, June 16, 2010.

Meadow Pippit, Twite in Vardø,
Yellow-billed Loon along Varanger Peninsula, June 17, 2010.

European Goldfinch, Common Blackbird, Garden Warbler, White Wagtail,
Helsinki hotel, June 18, 2010.

Mew (Common) Gull, Fieldfare, train station, Jim with Fountain,
downtown Helsinki, June 18, 2010.

Cathedrals: Russian Orthodox, Lutheran, in the Rocks,
downtown Helsinki, June 18, 2010.

Northern Finland and Norway photos: 2010