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    bird lovers in isosaari

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    Isosaari is an old abandoned army fortress on the coast of Helsinki. Nowadays this is a paradise for wild birds migrating to and from Finland.   Photo: Jarmo Nieminen
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    Isosaari has been a Russian naval fortress early in the Grand Duchy of Finland during 1809-1917. After that time it was a site of Finnish army, until year 2014.
    Now it is partly open for birdwatching.
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    Old sign banning the boat-owners to board, saying "Quarantine Island"
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    All around the island there are old cannon sites. They were used to close the Gulf of Finland, so enemies were not able to attack st. Petersburg (Leningrad on Soviet time)
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    Quillemot (cepphus grylle) is a common bird in Isosaari. 
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    During one cold and windy day we had the opportunity to take part in one team, that was building safety covers above eider (somateria mollissima) nests. They are required, so the white-tailed Eagles (haliaeetus albicilla) cannot catch the eiders from the nests.
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    White-tailed Eagle gliding above                                        Photo: Jarmo Nieminen
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    Ready-made protection cover above eider nest place.
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    On top of the old bunkers we were able to build protection lockers for the quillemots
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    electric bicycle tour in tahko

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    Bicycles are a very nature-friendly way of having outdoor activity. 
    Ketunretket had an electric bicycle tour to Tahko Hill in Nilsiä, Finland.
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    With electric bicycles you can ride uphill so easily that you just can't believe it! 
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    Here you can see how high we were!
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    Now who the heck is he?
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    tampere icy walk to siilinkari

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    Tampere town is located some 176 km to the north from Helsinki. Town itself lies between two lakes, and one of them is lake Näsijärvi. Near the northern harbour Mustalahti (Black Bay) is shallow water area, on top of which has been built a small lighthouse called Siilinkari, Hedgehog Reef.
    In the photo can also be seen a sightseeing tower Näsinneula, 168 meters high. 
    ​Ketunretket had an icy cold trek over the ice to the Hedgehog Reef, because we are collecting visits to lighthouses!
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    Near this lighthouse happened on 7th of September 1929 the worst inland water accident in Finland of steamship "Kuru", and 138 lives were lost.
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    Steamship KURU after the accident, renovated and again on duty october 1929.
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    Vaakkoi kämmenlampi hike

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    Mother of Ketunretket calls you to join us into a snowy hike in Vihti.
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    The coldness had disappeared just a couple days before, and the snow had got wet. After that it got frozen again, so we did not need to have snowshoes all the time. The thick snow was hard enough to let us walk easily.
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    At small pond of Kämmenlampi is situated an open cabin, that can be used for sleeping and making food.
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    Mr. Fox grilled some sausages on top of the fire...