Finland: Brown Bears & Wolverines Pre-trip - May 2025
Dates: May 12 - 19, 2025
Leaders: Andrew Whittaker & Local Leader
E-bird
Total Species: 93 birds
Click Here to view list.
Overall Summary
It is a magical experience for any naturalist to observe the poorly known and rarely seen Wolverine and the immense Eurasian Brown Bear. Once again this year, we enjoyed leisurely encounters at close quarters with multiple individuals of both of these impressive Arctic predators in the taiga forests of remote eastern Finland. Watching from a comfortable log cabin and from a heated bear blind, we were over the moon at this outstanding wildlife spectacle—but there was even more this time, with an incredible bonus in the form of another apex predator of the Arctic. And of course, we found a nice smattering of cool Arctic birds too, all the more interesting for the spectacular settings in which we saw them.
We met up at the airport in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, then flew together to Joensuu, full of anticipation and excitement. As we landed, we saw below us a mosaic of picturesque lakes surrounded by rich taiga forest. We were met at the airport by a smiling Pirita, whom I have worked with on all our past tours. We soon set off in two comfortable vans to Koli National Park, arriving an hour later at our stunning lodge in the heart of the park, with magical views out over the Arctic landscape.
We enjoyed a full breakfast, then took a break to battle jet lag and catch up on some sleep. Mid-afternoon, we had a great introduction to some of the commoner local species—and most importantly, encountered the greatly sought-after Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker, a responsive male that almost took Pirita's head off in response to playback!
The next day, we left after breakfast for Lieksa, taking advantage of the deserted back roads for some fun birding. Noteworthy were our first close looks at Arctic Loons in full breeding plumage. Cuteness came in the form of Mountain Hares on the grassy meadows, just beginning to change from their all-white winter coats into the brown of summer.
We settled into our nice hotel by the river for a delicious homemade lunch and a short rest in our rooms, then headed out, full of anticipation, for our first night in the Wolverine blind, deep in the Kontiovaara wilderness. After an introduction by the owners, we made the short drive out to the secluded log cabin, quickly taking comfortable seats in front of four large picture windows. Overlooking a picture-perfect lake surrounded by lush forest, the cabin was fully equipped with beds to rest on, drinks, lots of snacks, and even warm slippers. Before they left us, the owners set out bait. As we waited, we enjoyed several smart long-winged Baltic Gulls (a future split from the Lesser Black-backed Gull), Yellow-legged Gulls, Scandinavian European Herring Gulls, and the smaller, daintier Common Gulls. Within an hour, I spotted a Wolverine coming toward us. A quiet gasp and a “WOW” rippled through our group, and soon we were completely mesmerized as this lovely female stopped to eat within three feet of our windows. We felt like we could reach out and touch her!
Each of our two visits to the blind treated us to prolonged views of different Wolverines, male and female alike, as they appeared and disappeared in search of food. Marveling at the exceptional views of the animals actively scurrying around collecting bait and turning over stones and branches, we were fully aware of how rare this opportunity was to study a rarely seen predator’s antics, including climbing a tree for a fish reward; one male even climbed to the top of a tree to see whether the dominant female was around.
An immense bonus was a long-awaited lifer for me and for many others, in the form of a tremendous Gray Wolf! Watching this magnificently marked female for over 30 minutes was a trip highlight for many of us. Avian sightings included a lovely breeding pair of Red-throated Loons, a striking male Common Redstart, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Common Teal, Great Tit, Chaffinch, and a White Wagtail nesting in the cabin roof.
Each morning, we went back to our hotel for a great home-cooked lunch and a rest; every afternoon, we returned to the log cabin blind for another exciting session of mammal watching.
Extremely content after observing one of the world’s most legendary predators—plus the wolf—we packed up and began our migration farther north to the delightful forested homestead that is the Boreal Wildlife Center, our home for the next two days. After checking into our comfortable rooms, we tucked into a great homemade lunch. Birds around the lodge, set in the picturesque taiga wilderness, included recently arrived Redwings and Fieldfares, filling the air with their melodic songs as they sought out territories and mates.
After a short rest in the mid-afternoon, we headed off in our vans to the exciting new bear blind, a short fifteen minutes away. This spacious structure overlooks a large grassy meadow surrounded by forest extending without a break into western Russia. Within minutes of our arrival, a huge male bear appeared. As it came closer and closer, we all held our breath, the only sound the frantic clicking of camera shutters. Soon, the bear was only 50 feet in front of the blind; the feeling as he looked straight into our eyes was spine-chilling. You could have heard a pin drop in the blind as we watched this thrilling apex predator.
We enjoyed the rest of the night with drinks and lots of snacks. Bunk beds were available for resting, but we all wanted more action. Meanwhile, we were amused by the antics of flocks of Common Ravens and the hundreds of gulls fighting over food scraps. This year, we also had wonderful studies of White-tailed Eagles, and a Black Kite appeared and perched in the clearing, showing off.
Incredibly, on both of our nights in the bear blind, the dominant male—Yogi—made his bed within 40 feet of the blind. This was truly a National Geographic moment, totally fascinating as he scraped a hollow to lie down in, with a mound of moss as a pillow. Our final bear total was five: Yogi, a female with two 4-month-old cubs, and a smaller, darker male. We presumed that Yogi was the father of the two cubs, as he did not show any antagonistic behavior toward them, even when one cub climbed a tree.
Our time in the blind was also a chance to experience the spectacle of the beautiful boreal dawn unfolding around us. The low sunlight and changing angles made the colors all the more radiant. One morning, a delightfully noisy male Black Grouse started displaying at 2:00 a.m. Standing water nearby hosted some cool geese, among them our first migrant flock of Taiga Bean Geese, as well as shorebirds including lovely breeding-plumage Redshanks and our first male Ruff. Our best avian delight, however, was a pair of Parrot Crossbills that landed in front of the blind, offering great looks—the only representatives of this species we saw on either this pre-tour extension or the main tour alike.
Each morning, we returned to our comfortable wildlife center at 8:15 for a great homemade hot breakfast. Some of us explored for birds around the lodge, while others enjoyed a warm shower and caught a few winks. Breeding birds here included a pair of lovely European Pied Flycatchers in a nest box behind the cabins, White Wagtails, and Eurasian Siskins. Great Spotted Woodpeckers and stunning Eurasian Bullfinches were regulars at the feeders.
On our last afternoon, we experienced an adrenaline rush as we approached the blind to find a huge, thankfully friendly Yogi already there, feeding in the forest; we carefully walked past within 100 feet of him and entered the cover of our blind. We all left the bear blind on our last morning extremely happy with the magical wildlife experiences we had enjoyed in this remote and beautiful region. On the way back to the lodge, we encountered three close wild Forest Reindeer, yet another mammal highlight!
After another fine breakfast, we packed up and said our fond farewells to the friendly lodge staff. We made a few quick stops along the way to Oulu, including one to see a superb Ural Owl in an open-fronted nest box. We arrived at the Finlandia Airport Hotel in the mid-afternoon, conveniently located right next to the fantastic Liminka Bay Wetland Reserve. Some of us just couldn’t get enough birding and took advantage of the reserve’s towers overlooking the extensive reedbeds and lake, brimming with waterbirds; others decided to rest up before a great dinner together and the start of the main tour the next day.
I can’t wait to return next spring and experience this fabulous part of Finland again. It was terrific fun sharing this unique pre-trip experience with such a charming and patient group, and I am sure that everyone came away with fabulous memories, wondrous images, and videos from this spectacular mammal trip.
Best regards, and, as always, happy birding!
Day-by-Day Summary
May 12 - Arrived in Helsinki and flew onward to Joensuu before traveling to beautiful Koli National Park. Settled into our scenic lodge surrounded by taiga forest and Arctic landscapes.
May 13 - Recovered from jet lag and enjoyed introductory birding around Koli National Park. Highlights included a fantastic Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker and several common boreal forest species.
May 14 - Traveled to Lieksa along quiet forest roads, seeing Arctic Loons in breeding plumage and Mountain Hares transitioning into summer coats. That evening, we enjoyed our first unforgettable Wolverine blind session with exceptionally close views.
May 15 - Returned to the Wolverine blind for more prolonged encounters with multiple Wolverines. An incredible Gray Wolf appearance became one of the major highlights of the trip, alongside Red-throated Loons and other boreal birds.
May 16 - Headed farther north to the Boreal Wildlife Center. Afternoon and evening at the bear blind produced thrilling close encounters with Eurasian Brown Bears, including the massive dominant male known as “Yogi.”
May 17 - Another memorable day at the bear blind with outstanding views of multiple bears, including a female with two cubs. Additional highlights included White-tailed Eagles, Black Kite, Black Grouse, Taiga Bean Geese, and Parrot Crossbills.
May 18 - Enjoyed one final exciting bear blind session, carefully walking past Yogi feeding near the forest edge. Forest Reindeer added another mammal highlight before returning to the lodge.
May 19 - Departed the Boreal Wildlife Center and traveled to Oulu, stopping for a superb Ural Owl along the way. Arrived at Liminka Bay Wetland Reserve for optional evening birding and reflections on an unforgettable Arctic wildlife adventure.
Wildlife Seen:
Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus) – So cute, long legged and different winter/summer colors.
Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) – Lovely even in the grayer/reddish winter colors.
Wolverine (Gulo gulo) – INCREDIBLE STUDIES of two different individuals!
Brown Bear (Ursos arctos) - MEGA STUDIES of at least six different bears!
Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) – WOW a trip highlight for me my lifer as it was for many of you. Observing this timid female approaching across the lake then arriving a couple of times in front of the cabin offering 30 minutes of marvelous viewing was truly precious and a moment none of us will ever forget!
Common Frog (Rana temporaria)
Common Toad (Bufo bufo)