The summer of 2014 was a summer of extremes in Finland. After a very warm late spring, June temperatures plummeted, and the monthly average temperature was almost throughout Finland one or more degrees colder than the 30-year average. Midsummer (June 21st), one of Finland’s most important national holidays, was celebrated in many parts of the country in exceedingly cold and rainy weather. The cold June weather affected the breeding of many Finnish birds, particularly insectivores, since the amount of food available for hungry nestlings was very low. In July and early August, on the other hand, a nearly record-breaking heat wave swooped over Finland, baking the vacationing Finns in temperatures exceeding 25C for 38 consecutive days. After the heat subsided, August brought along heavy rains and thunderstorms, and by mid-August in several parts of the country the cumulative rainfall was already more than double the long-term monthly average.
The Bird Brigadiers visited Örö Island on four occasions during June, July and August. Osmo Kivivuori and Tapani Missonen did a four-day trip on June 13th-16th; Ari Linna spent one day on the island on June 26th; Osmo Kivivuori returned together with Mauno Mustakangas and myself for three days on July 15th-17th, and Mauno Mustakangas did a five-day solo trip on August 15th-19th.
