Paavalniemi bird-watching tower

Arrival instructions: Drive from Rovaniemi Jätkänkynttilä bridge along Kajaanintie road (road 78) to Ranua and Kajaani direction for approx. 3.5 km and turn onto Kemijoen itäpuolentie road (road 926) at the Tervola sign. Drive along the Kemijoen itäpuolentie road for approx. 2.5 km, then turn right (to west) at the Paavalniemi sign. Drive along Paavalniemen tie road for approx. 3 km to the end of the road where there is a turning point. To right from the turning point is located a parish camp centre. Do not go to the camp centre yard. There is a trail across the forest that leaves from the turning point to the bird-watching tower at approx. 280 m.

Environment: Lush River Kemijoki inlet with bog-like shore.

Avifauna: Diverse selection of waterbirds and charadriiformes nest in the area. The nesting species include the smew, spotted redshank and common redshank. The Paavalniemi tower is a popular spot for observing migration especially in the spring (starting at the end of April).

The best bird season: Starting from mid-May.

Top observations: great skua, barnacle goose, gadwall, western marsh-harrier, white-tailed eagle, peregrine falcon, common moorhen, ruddy turnstone, long-tailed jaeger, glaucous gull, arctic warbler.

Source: Lapin lintutieteellinen yhdistys, http://www.lly.fi/