On the Spot

Some drizzle in the morning, some sun, some southeast wind, +10 at around 10 o'clock.

I got out for the ride earlier than usual, in the morning. Quite a same route as last days, there is always much to see in that direction. Past the forest pit (see Mar 18th) along the path through the forest along the bank of Vantaanjoki river to the Vanhankaupunginkoski rapids region (see Apr 17th, 22).

I saw many things on the way.

A duck, male, was swimming again in the forest pit, already a couple of days ago. Trees' leaf buds are opening. The barnacle geese were in the same place as yesterday, one of them tried to treaten someone as yesterday, but it wasn't very clear who an object was, another bird or me... or was it learning to do it. Wild flowers were occuring on more places.

In the branch of the rapids where there is a dam, I spotted an European herring gull (Larus argentatus) below the dam. It was standing proudly in the middle of the river on a rock, as you can see in the main.

The species is a large gull, up to 66 cm (26 in) long. One of the best-known of all gulls along the shores of Western Europe. In Finland, the European herring gull breeds in the archipelago and on larger inland lakes as far as Central Lapland. However, the European herring gull has been classified as endangered in Finland since 2019,  beacause of the significant decrease in individuals. In Extra there is the undammed branch of the rapids.

Then back home, chatting with the neighbours before getting in.