Meiko has many lakes and Black-throated loons

Meiko has many lakes, beautiful forest and diverse birds including Black-throated loons, which are living in lake Meiko.

Lake Meikojärvi, sunset summer 2020
Lake Meiko during sunset in July 2020

Meiko – unique nature reserve in Helsinki metropolitan area

Meiko nature reserve was established in 1960´s and it has retained exceptionally well its wilderness character: swamps, ponds and lakes are in its natural state. So in Meiko you can experience wild life!

Kakarlampi, Meiko, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Kakarlampi April 2020

Besides fantastic nature Meiko includes also fortifications from the Porkkala lease period. Namely after the Second World War Finland was forced to lease part of areas near Helsinki metropolitan to Soviet Union. If you are interested in the Porkkala lease period, you can read more in my previous post Beautiful landscapes and fighting Swans in Kopparnäs.

My first visit to Meiko – the round of four bonds

I visited Meiko first time in April this year. Reason for my Meiko visit was holidays and the Corona isolation: I was not allowed to cross the border of Uusimaa and needed to find something new inside Uusimaa. I was lucky to find this gem!

  • Meiko nature reserve
  • The round of four ponds
Meiko nature reserve

In Meiko you can choose three different signposted routes of which I chose the round of four bonds also known as Kotokierros. The round of four ponds is located in rocky Dorgarn upland area. Between the cliffs are Korsolampi, Immerlampi, Kakarlampi, Kotolampi and Mustjärvi.

Kotolampi, Meiko, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Kotolampi April 2020 (panorama including two photos)

The birds of Dorgarn include e.g. capercaillie, teal, cuckoo and owl. So far I haven’t met them!

Finnish pinewoods, forest, Meiko
Pinewoods growing in Dorgan uplands
Mustjärvi, Meiko, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Lake Mustjärvi in windy spring day April 2020 (panorama including three photos)
Spring creek, Meiko, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Spring creek in Dorgan upland April 2020

Return to Meiko

Reson for my return to Meiko was Black-throated loons. Namely mr H had noticed in Instagram some photos of loons taken in lake Meiko and wanted to find them there.

Early in the morning of July we headed to lake Meiko. This summer quite often the mornings have been foggy due to the cold nights. So it was also in the Meiko when we arrived there, the lake was hidden in a fog. I was in heaven as I love foggy landscape as you can find in my previous posts (Mysterious misty lake, Misty mornings in May). Instead of searching for loons I concentrated on photographing the beautiful landscape.

Foggy lake Meiko, Kirkkonummi, Finland July 2020
Fallen
Lake Meiko foggy island, Kirkkonummi, Finland July 2020
Hiding in fog
Rocky surface, foggy lake Meiko, Kirkkonummi Finland July 2020
On surface
European herring gull with two chick, lake Meiko, Kirkkonummi, Finland July 2020
European herring gull with two chicks

Actually I found loon couple with a chick but it was too foggy to get any good photos. I have visited the lake two more times and found the loon family but also some young loons which were dancing one night.

Black-throated loon family, kuikka Perhe, lake Meiko Kirkkonummi, Finland July 2020
Black-throated loon family July 2020

I will post more of my Black-throated loon photos in my next post.

Thank you for visiting my blog and welcome back! I am glad if you leave a comment.

Minna from Finnish nature 😊

17 replies to “Meiko has many lakes and Black-throated loons”

      1. Here’s a tip on dark photos. I’m not sure what program you use to process yours. Try removing contrast from your photos, you might be surprised with a nice photo. Also after changing contrast, try processing in B&W. I’ve saved many photos doing this. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I take in raw format and then convert it to jpg when publishing. Actually your tip works very well and I got aldready few photos with both birds and the background in a good balance 👍😊 Thank you Donna! I am so glad that you helped me to save my loons photos 🙏🏻😁

        Liked by 1 person

      5. I do just as you do, shoot raw and then convert to jpg for publishing. 🙂 I’ve ‘thrown’ that contrast toggle to the far left with dark photos and ‘presto’ on some! I’m self-taught, I picked that tip up from another blogger few years ago. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Pingback: Black-throated loon family portraits – FINNISH NATURE photos

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