After long months of autumn, winter came to Helsinki, and with it, holiday season. I had not been on a real adventure since September and our road-trip in Lapland, but I had planned something spicy for the end of December. The origin of it all was Sólstafir’s concert in Copenhagen: I wanted to see this old favourite band of mine again, and when I learnt they were playing in the capital of Denmark, they had not announced any gig in Finland yet. I thought it was a good opportunity to visit Denmark again, and see some friends there.

I flew there on Friday evening, and the morning after, I was in the train to Falster and Lolland, two islands in the south of Copenhagen. In Nykøbing F, I met Gert and Hans. I knew them from my year in Denmark, when I had spent two weekends in the area already. We drove to Lolland, stopping in several good birding areas and chatting about birds. I was astonished by the quantity of ducks feeding on the sea or resting on the lakes, including the remarkable Smew (Mergellus albellus) and Red-crested pochard (Netta rufina). I don’t see many raptors in Helsinki, so I was happy to spot a few Common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and Common buzzards (Buteo buteo).

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