There's an interesting and always changing bird fauna in the Ruokolahti area.
During the summer months of May to August hundreds of species of migratory birds nest on the islands and in the forests. In April-May and in September-October you'll hear barking in the sky - millions of geese are either coming to nest in the north or flying south. Also storks, hawks, ducks, loons (Gavia) and many small birds migrate around these same times. About 180 of our 240 nesting bird species escape the freezing waters cold to the south, most to the Meditteranean countries or Africa.
In the winter you may observe the tough local birds, like the tit family, crows, ravens, woodpeckers, sparrows, the grouse family or the beautiful red bullfinch, among others.
Kuokkalampi wetland
Kuokkalampi is an important resting and feeding place for migratory waterfowl. Kuokkalampi wetland is located in the southeast part of Ruokolahti, about five kilometers from the Russian border. There's a 1,3 km foot path from the parking area to the bird tower on the eastern side of the wetland, see attached Finnish pamphlet for map ->
The lake's surface was lowered in the 1930s, and today only five hectares of its former more than one hundred hectares are open water areas, but the rest is reed and wetland forest & other suitable nesting and hiding places for waterfowl and other birds.
The wetland was formed when the river flowing into lake Torsa was dammed. A path runs around the wetland and there is a bird tower, a bird platform and a resting shed. The length of the nature trail is about 1 km. See attached Finnish pamphlet for map ->
