Spring bird migration stalls as cold weather delays arrival by weeks

Bird migration in Finland is running nearly a month behind schedule due to persistent cold weather and northern winds, according to observations by BirdLife Kanta-Häme.

Migration activity has slowed dramatically, with significantly fewer birds in transit compared to a typical spring. While early April brought warm, sunny days and an initial surge in movement, a high-pressure system and sustained northern winds have since halted progress.

BirdLife Finland reports that the first barn swallows of the season arrived only last Sunday, later than usual. Ground-foraging birds like thrushes and insect-eating species are also scarce—redwing numbers are low, and brambling sightings have dropped to just a third of last year’s counts.

Markku Hyvärinen of BirdLife Kanta-Häme described the situation as exceptional. “Spring began promisingly in early March with early arrivals like skylarks and crested tits. But then the wind shifted north and stopped migration entirely—we’re far behind now.”

Key species such as cranes, which should be mid-migration, have yet to appear in large numbers in Häme, though 5,000 were spotted last weekend in Hanko. “We’ve had beautiful sunny days, but nothing is happening,” Hyvärinen noted. Birds migrate most effectively with southern or southwestern winds.

Open farmland, like the fields in Hattula’s Suontaa—a major observation site—offers ideal visibility for tracking migrants. On Tuesday, observers recorded a few hundred chaffinches in small flocks, along with a notable sighting: a migrating goshawk flying determinedly north. A local pair of rough-legged buzzards, nesting in a nearby barn, has also drawn attention as they hunt rodents and beetles.

The season’s highlight came in early April when Johanna Helminen, a local birder, spotted Finland’s first-ever white-fronted goose among a flock in Suontaa. “It’s thrilling to find something rare and share it with others,” she said. Helminen, who maintains an annual species list, is focusing on identifying birds in flight—a challenging skill due to distance and lighting conditions.

Forecasts offer no immediate relief, with colder temperatures expected later this week and no shift in wind direction. BirdLife Kanta-Häme will conclude its monitoring on Friday with a casual gathering featuring sausages and coffee.

Finnish birding associations provide guides to prime observation spots. The annual “tower competition,” where enthusiasts track migrations from high vantage points, is scheduled for May 9.