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INFORMATION SHEET OULU, FINLAND : 10 – 17 May 2003 Leaders: Killian Mullarney and local Finnature guides The Sunbirder package includes... * Return flight from London * 4-star hotel on a bed & breakfast basis including two nights in Kuusamo * Evening get-together and log call * Checklist Optional extras... * Daily leader-led minibus excursions * Car-hire * Services of professional bird tour leaders
OULU - Finland is a country with many special attractions. The sheer clarity of the air and the wide open spaces are exhilarating enough. Add to this the pristine habitats ranging from crystal clear lakes to vast tracts of forest, and consider the numerous special birds to be found there and you will soon realise why many regard Finland as the perfect birdwatching destination. Although Oulu (pronounced “Oh-loo”!) is the largest city in Northern Finland with a population of 120,000, a drive of thirty minutes will take you to an almost untouched wilderness. The province of Oulu easily offers the best birdwatching in Finland with habitats which include the shores of the west coast, the Bay of Liminka (Liminganlahti - Finland’s most valuable wetland area) and perhaps the last taiga forest in Europe. The west coast is typically given over to lowland agriculture with the accent on cattle-rearing and is greatly favoured by migrating waterfowl and waders. The Bay of Liminka is an important nesting area for birds such as the Greylag Goose (100 pairs), Ruff (400 pairs), Marsh Harriers (25 pairs), and Little Gulls (200 pairs). Within easy reach of our hotel are woodlands that, on previous Sunbirder tours have produced Pygmy, Tengmalm’s, Short-eared, Long-eared, Hawk, Ural, Great Grey and Eagle Owls as well as 4 species of grouse. There are also vast areas of peatland around Oulu and these provide important nesting sites for Crane, Bean Goose and waders such as the Wood Sandpiper and Jack Snipe. The sandy beaches at Tauvo in Siikajoki, and around Hailuoto, the largest island on the Bothnian Bay, offer good resting areas for migrating waders and even nesting sites for some species, including Temminck’s Stint. Close to the border with Russia, some 200 km north-east of Oulu, lies the small town of Kuusamo. Here the landscape of lakes and forested hills are in complete contrast to the flat western coast. Divers, Red-necked Grebes and Little Gulls nest on the lakes while Spotted Redshanks and Great Grey Shrikes can be found on the surrounding bogs. The forest offers good opportunities for watching woodland species such as woodpeckers, owls and grouse, and Kuusamo is also an excellent place for two sought-after Fenno-Scandian specialities, Siberian Tit and Siberian Jay. Those opting for the full programme of excursions will not, it has to be said, have much time for additional activities, but if you should feel like skipping a session or two, the Oulu region offers good opportunities for a variety of alternative activities, including cycling on the city's excellent network of wide cycle tracks. You can also try a canoe safari, cross-country riding through the forests, fishing in rivers, lakes or the sea, jogging or hiking. You can even visit the Arctic Circle, 200 km north of Oulu, where you can meet Santa Claus in person! The Raunua Wildlife Park offers the chance to watch some of the native animals of the region including Wolves and Wolverines, in spacious and natural enclosures, and will be greatly appreciated by photographers. No visit to Finland would be complete without experiencing the traditional Finnish sauna and, of course, sampling the tasty, Finnish cuisine. Local specialities include unleavened barley bread, reindeer, salmon and a variety of wild berries. During May the sun rises in Oulu around 03.00 a.m. and sets at 11.30 p.m. Most birds are active at dawn although the owls are on the move only during the brief period of darkness. This means that it is possible to watch birds in Finland 24 hours a day in summer although the quietest time is from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Our Sunbirder site guide will allow you to explore the region on your own using a hire car or you can join the excursions led by Killian Mullarney and a local guide. However you choose to spend your days, you are assured of a truly unforgettable birdwatching experience.
PACKAGE PRICE: Prices per person include flights, airport taxes, transfers to and from the airport, hotel accommodation in twin-bedded rooms each with a shower or bath, and breakfast. Payments cannot be made by credit card . 8 days : £ 840 Single Room Supplement: £ 120
Note: If you are travelling by yourself but wish to avoid paying the single room supplement, mark the booking form accordingly and we will try to find someone for you to share with. If this proves impossible we will have to charge you the single room supplement. TRAVEL: The flights are normally scheduled services with Finnair via Helsinki. Departure times are currently mid-morning for the outward flight, arriving in Oulu in the late afternoon. The return flight departs Oulu early afternoon and arrives in Helsinki in time to connect with the flight to London. Please note that flight schedules are subject to change at short notice. ACCOMMODATION: We will be based in the Hotel Vihiluoto 8 km from Oulu town. This is a comfortable, quiet family hotel located by the Bay of Kempele, a nature conservation area. Breakfast is served from 6 a.m. Secure parking is available and the hotel has its own restaurant and bar. HOLIDAY INSURANCE: We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance for the trip. On request, we can send you the Norwich Union Travel Insurance leaflet which includes prices and an application form. Unfortunately, as with most British travel insurance policies, this scheme doesn't cover anyone living outside the UK. INVOICE : With the final invoice, you will receive a checklist for keeping a daily log. On request we can include a comprehensive site guide at a cost of £5. However this is only available to those who have booked on the trip. SUNBIRDER MEETINGS Each evening's Sunbirder meeting is a pleasant social event and provides an opportunity to exchange information on sightings of special interest. Killian Mullarney will be on hand to call the log and offer assistance or advice. Relevant identification problems will also be discussed in detail throughout the event. SUNBIRDER FIELD EXCURSIONS: Daily excursions in a minibus driven by the leaders are available throughout the event. The excursion programme will consist of 4 day trips out from Oulu and three days spent visiting Kuusamo with a two-night stay there. There is no fixed itinerary but the leaders will use their local knowledge to determine which sites will be best to visit on each day. The date of the visit to Kuusamo will be announced at the start of the event. Birding will be concentrated in the early morning and late afternoon/early evening when the birds are most active. Only the full excursion programme can be booked in advance. Anyone taking the excursion programme will give up their room at the hotel in Oulu for two nights. The rebate for this has already been taken into account in the costing of the excursions. There is no additional single room supplement charge for the Kuusamo leg of the tour as the cost of the hotel at Kuusamo is the same as at the hotel in Oulu. If there is space in the minibuses it may be possible to just join the excursion for the trip to Kuusamo but again this cannot be booked in advance. Note : For those not wanting the Sunbirder “Package”, a few places might be available on the daily field excursions provided there is space in the vehicle, but these cannot be pre-booked . Please check with the Sunbird Office two weeks before the departure date, or with Killian while in Oulu. We will invoice you, after the tour , for any excursions taken. VEHICLE HIRE: For those not wishing to go on the excursions, self-drive cars can be booked through Sunbird. The following approximate rates apply to a one week rental and include unlimited mileage and collision damage waiver with an excess of £68. They do not include personal accident insurance but our holiday insurance covers you for this (see policy for extent of cover). Petrol is the only extra cost. The driver’s details requested on the booking form will avoid delays and ensure that the vehicle will be waiting for you on your arrival. An international driving licence is not needed. Group A: VW Polo or equivalent £ 250 Group B: VW Golf or equivalent £ 310 Group C: VW Golf Variant or equivalent £ 340 The above rates are conversions of European Euros and are current at the time of printing. These prices might change should there be a marked change in the value of the pound against the Euro between now and the time of invoice.
EATING OUT: Local shops sell a variety of foodstuffs. Dinner is served in the hotel from 5 -10 p.m. with prices around £10. There is a small selection of other places to eat away from the hotel and details will be included in the site guide. In practice, however, the dinners are so good at our hotels that no-one has ever opted to try elsewhere! WEATHER : The weather can be very changeable at this time of year as summer approaches. You should bring rainwear and windproof clothing along with wellington boots in case the weather turns cold and wet. However it could also turn out to be very warm during our stay there so some lightweight summer clothing would also be a good idea. There should not be any problem with mosquitos as they do not normally appear until later in the year.
COSTS SUMMARY (per person): • Sunbirder package price £ 840 • Sunbirder package deposit £ 150 • Single room supplement £ 120 (same for Oulu and/or Kuusamo – only needs to be paid once) • Sunbirder Field Excursions (inc. 2 nights in Kuusamo) £ 310 • Sunbirder Field Excursions deposit £ 50 • Excursion to Kuusamo only (space permitting) £140 • Daily excursions from Oulu only (space permitting) £ 45 • Deposit for booking a vehicle £ 30 FINAL INFORMATION: About three weeks before your departure, you will receive your airline tickets and final information with details and reminders for your holiday. LEADERS: Killian Mullarney has led most of the Sunbird tours to Finland and, in addition, has visited the country many times independently. Based in Co. Wexford, Ireland, he is one of Europe’s best-known bird artists, especially since the recent publication of the highly acclaimed Collins Bird Guide, which he co-authored with Lars Svensson, Dan Zetterström and the late Peter Grant. We will also have the services of local Finnature guides. Finnature works closely with the WWF and also cooperates with BirdLife Finland by running birdwatching courses for children and adults at Liminka. Their team of experienced field workers devote considerable time and effort in advance of the trip to locating the more difficult-to-find species which occur in the region.
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