Aladdin's road trip to Haparanda, Sweden

Thursday 12^th of July 2018 and I left Tundrea and Kilpisjarvi early morning and I will stay on Norrskensvägen all the way down to Haparanda. And it was the same straight and empty road down to Karesuando. I will leave Finland there crossing the bridge to Sweden instead of going the highway down to Tornio.

The bridge between Tornio and Haparanda cross the Torne älv. Torne älv is the border river between Finland and Sweden at Tornio/ Haparanda.

But I will take the longer way as I want to visit Pajala on the way. So I will cross the same bridge I crossed coming to Finland 2 days ago. Looking for birds on the way as well, but with my luck I doubt that I will find any birds.

Norrskensvägen

About the Northern Lights Route
The Northern Lights Route passes through Finland, Sweden and Norway. It starts in Tornio-Haparanda on the Gulf of Bothnia and follows the main road E 8 and Road 99 up to Kilpisjärvi in northern Finland. It continues via Storfjord to Tromsø in Norway.

The road runs through different cultural settings, pulsating towns and silent wilderness. The countryside is extremely varied. The area includes archipelago, valleys, mountain massifs and fjords. Five languages are spoken in the area.

Along the way, you pass restaurants and accommodation, and well-known tourist attractions and activities for every time of year. Fishing, hiking, snowmobile safaris, alpine skiing, white water rafting and folk music festivals are just a few examples.

The most convenient way to travel is by car, but there is also a well-functioning public transport infrastructure. There are five airports along the road, and there are rail connection and a shipping route in Norway.

From http://www.northernlightsroute.com

Same empty road as when I came here

Same empty road as when I came here

Same empty road as when I came here

Same empty road as when I came here

Time to leave Finland

Back in Sweden

Nu e d dags för val igen. Inte vill vi väl rösta på dom som styrt dom senaste 20 åren. Sverige är bara skit och allt bra kommer från utlandet! Det är Svenskarna som ska integreras i det nya Sverige! Beställ valsedlar nu!! Vi måste få ett slut på eländet! Valsedlar kan beställas HÄR

Took me about an hour to reach Karesuando in Sweden, crossing the bridge turning left and I was on road #99 to Pajala. Still on the Norrskensvägen that I will follow to Haparanda. I drive along keeping my eyes out for wild life and birds.

Almost no cars on the roads, maybe 4 cars on my way to Pajala. I have not seen one single bird since I left Finland. Well, there was no birds to be seen in Finland as well. I stopped to have a look for birds. Of course, no luck and I’m thinking about giving up the bird watching hobby.

And I was happy that I never invested in the 100-400mm Canon lens, I was so close to buy the lens before leaving. What a waste of money that would have been, 77000 Baht.

Traffic sign you won't see in Skåne

Reindeers

I stop to look for birds

I stop to look for birds

Crossing Torne Älv

Crossing Torne Älv

Crossing Torne Älv

Reaching Pajala

Picnic lunch in the car

Toilets

I stop in Pajala to have a look at the village and to see if I could see any birds. I spotted the Fieldfare, a bird I have been looking for since I was at the beaver safari in Skinnskatteberg. But again, the bird took off before I could get a picture.

I was surprised to discover quite a few hotels in the small village of Pajala. The area was around the river was beautiful here in Pajala, but not many birds to be seen and I was soon on my way south towards Haparanda again.

I cross the Arctic Circle and I'm soon spotting a wader sitting on a wire. I stop the car and I walk back towards the bird. The bird is calling so I go back to the car to get my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder so I can record the bird. I'm very happy with the recording but the pictures was not any good. And thanks to the Birdforum I could identify the bird as a Green Sandpiper

Arctic Circle

Green Sandpiper/ Skogssnäppa

Green Sandpiper/ Skogssnäppa

Green Sandpiper/ Skogssnäppa

Thanks to SteveClifton at Birdforum I could identify this bird.

Forum thread HERE

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Sitting on a wire along road #99 between Pajala and Haparanda in Sweden.

I stop the car and I go out to get a picture, then the bird starting to fly around me in circles giving alarm call

The bird was obviously sitting on the wire keeping an eye out while the partner was sitting on the nest.

I had a few quick pictures and I gave it a quick look for the nest. Never found it and I was out of there in a minute as the bird was stressed and I didn't wanted to disturb

I left the Green Sandpiper and I continued towards Haparanda. I reach Kukkola and I see another wader on a wire. I stop the car and I park on the road side. I take my camera and ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and I go to try to record and take pictures of the bird. This time it is a Common Redshank, a very beautiful bird.

There are three of them and I walk around the pastures. I get a recording and I get some pictures, not so very good, but the bird was flying around all the time so it was hard to get any good pictures. But I was kind of happy one hour later and I continued towards Haparanda.

Common Redshank / Rödbena

Common Redshank / Rödbena

Common Redshank / Rödbena

Common Redshank / Rödbena

Common Redshank / Rödbena

Common Redshank / Rödbena

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

I drive along road #99 to Haparanda when I see the bird sitting on a wire.

I get out to take pictures and the bird start to fly around me giving alarm call. So I suspect the bird is sitting as a look-out on the wire guarding the nest.

I continue to Haparanda and I find my hotel, River MOTELL & Vandrarhem. The hotel is just next to Torne Älv, the reason for me to book the room here. I have a minute to walk down to the river and the bird life. I checked in and it was a very small room, but it was OK for the price and if I ever come back to Haparanda I will stay here again.

Anyway, I put my bags in the room and I go down to the river and as there is a camping on the river side I had to walk up the river 100 meters. There is a bridge, border between Sweden and Finland. There is a bicycle path that cross a pond with birds. A path is going to the right and I take this path walking pass the water and I spot some juvenile Black-headed Gulls.

Walking around the edge of Torne Älv and I see quite a few ducks that I have not seen before.

Torne Älv, Haparanda - Bridge to Finland

Juvenile Black-headed Gulls

Hooded Crow / Kråka

Female - Eurasian Wigeon / Bläsand

Thanks to Nutcracker at Birdforum I could identify this bird.

Forum thread HERE

Female - Eurasian Wigeon / Bläsand

Baby - Eurasian Wigeon / Bläsand

Female - Goldeneye / Knipa

Baby - Goldeneye / Knipa

Baby - Goldeneye / Knipa

Baby diving for food

Baby - Goldeneye / Knipa

Baby diving for food

Female - Goldeneye / Knipa

Great Crested Grebe / Skäggdopping

Great Crested Grebe / Skäggdopping

Great Crested Grebe / Skäggdopping

Great Crested Grebe / Skäggdopping

Great Crested Grebe / Skäggdopping

Little Ringed Plover / Mindre Strandpipare

Little Ringed Plover / Mindre Strandpipare

Female Tufted Duck / Vigg

Female Tufted Duck / Vigg

Female Tufted Duck / Vigg

Female Tufted Duck / Vigg

Female Tufted Duck / Vigg

Torne Älv, Haparanda

I was very happy with the birding when I walked back to the hotel. I had my dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel and I was off to bed. Alarm is set to go off at 4 and I will leave for Finland and hopefully some wild brown bears. Click HERE to find out if I get to see any brown bears in the forests close to the Russian border.

Visit Alternativ för Sverige's You Tube channel by clicking HERE

If you cannot reach their channel, or see some of their videos, it is because of the censorship. China!!?? NO NO, it is Sweden 2018!!


Tweet



OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

You are visitor no.

To www.aladdin.st since December 2005

Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011