Preface
This album features the songs of the five most common thrush species in Finland, recorded in their breeding habitats. The album’s 24 audio tracks were captured in Lapland, on the islands of the Archipelago Sea, and in Eastern Finland. The recordings span 25 years and were carefully selected from a large archive, with particular attention to the acoustic background, behind the thrush singing in the foreground. The most intriguing part of the work is the Redwing’s song dialects, which appear on 11 tracks. These tracks illustrate how versatile this species can sing. The song of the Song Thrush is a chapter of its own; the album’s five recordings convey this virtuoso’s performances better than words ever could. The Common Blackbird and Mistle Thrush recordings highlight the characteristic differences between these species as singers. The Fieldfare recordings, in turn, show how easy this thrush is to recognize by its chattering voice.
Thank you!
- Kuopion Luonnon Ystäväin Yhdistys ry. (KLYY): A grant to pay for the release of this work
- Finnish birdwatchers: Their observations have helped in locating bird species.
- Guides and helpers: For enabling the production of recordings at remote nature sites. Also for help with editing and mastering of these recordings.
- All my close friends, my sisters and brother and my wife Maarit: For their support and encouragement throughout this long-lasting project.
Kuopio 27.11.2025
Lauri Hallikainen
Producer and sound recorder
Track descriptions and background species
1. MISTLE THRUSH, BRAMBLING AND WILLOW WARBLER IN THE MORNING WIND. 2 June 2014, 05.30 am, Savukoski Mukkavaara (04'09").
The bright summer night in Forest Lapland has turned into morning. In Finland, Eastern Lapland is the best place to find a singing Mistle Thrush. On the recording, in the background: Chaffinch, Spotted Flycatcher, Song Thrush, and a bee.
2. SONG THRUSH, WHOOPER SWAN AND BLACK-THROATED LOON. 18 June 2012, 10.35 pm, Kuopio Riistavesi (02'13").
A shoreline forest resting in the summer twilight. Over the lake bay, mist creeps from the shadows of the coniferous swamp onto the calm water. On the recording, in the background: Redwing, Common Cuckoo and insects.
3. COMMON BLACKBIRD, EURASIAN WREN AND FERAL PIGEON. 15 April 2020, 7.15 am, Kuopio Riistavesi (3'38").
The break-up of ice is imminent. Large patches of bare ground are visible in the fields. On the recording, in the background: Whooper Swan and Eurasian Bittern, and possibly sounds caused by lake ice.
4. REDWING. 31 May 2016, 05.20 am, Kuopio Riistavesi (02'25").
On a calm May morning the distant calls of the Black-throated Loon ring out. Early summer is only at the stage where the leaves of the deciduous trees have not yet grown to their full size. On the recording, in the background: Fieldfare and a sphinx moth or possibly a dragonfly.
5. MISTLE THRUSH. 6 June 2014, 04.25 am, Savukoski Saukkovaara (03'17").
In the background: a European Robin and a mosquito, and the whispering wind of Forest Lapland in a pine forest.
6. SONG THRUSH AND COMMON CUCKOO. 12 May 2024, 04.50 am, Kuopio Hirvilahti (03'23"").
A slowly stirring morning breeze wuthers through a mixed forest in springtime. On the recording, in the background: a Black Grouse and another Song Thrush singing in the distance.
7. REDWING. 26 April 2006, 07.05 am, Korpo Rumar (01'51").
A Redwing singing in a rocky pine forest near an island village. On the recording one can hear Common Eiders courting out at sea. The recording also contains Chaffinch, Eurasian Siskin, Great Crested Grebe and a European Greenfinch in the background.
8. COMMON BLACKBIRD AND EUROPEAN ROBIN. 9 June 2000, 04.15 am, Kuopio Vehmersalmi Soisalo (03'24'').
A recording from Soisalo, the largest inland island in Finland. The peaceful island has no busy roads, so capturing natural sounds is possible. On the recording, in the background: a Common Cuckoo.
9. REDWING. 21 May 2013, 05.40 am, Kuopio Hirvilahti (02'40").
In an old lakeside pine forest, a uniquely singing bird was found; it turned out to be a Redwing singing in a peculiar dialect. On the recording, in the background: Boreal Owl, Common Cuckoo, Black-throated Loon, Black Grouse, Common Gull, European Robin, Song Thrush and another Redwing.
10. FIELDFARE. 24 May 2013, 05.10 am, Kuopio Riistavesi (01'54").
A flock of Fieldfares nesting in a shoreline birch forest near a pasture. On the recording, behind the lively thrushes: Common Cuckoo, Sedge Warbler, Common Snipe, Eurasian Bittern, a bee and grazing cattle.
11. COMMON BLACKBIRD, AND COURTING COMMON CUCKOOS. 8 June 2018, 03.40 am, Kuopio Riistavesi (02'13").
In the recording is a singing Common Blackbird in the mixed forest by the lakeshore, in addition to male and female Common Cuckoos, Eurasian Woodcock, Redwing, mosquito and the splash of a fish.
12. SONG THRUSH. 27 May 2015, 04.30 am, Kuopio Kaislastenlahti (02'50").
A bright early-summer shoreline birch forest at the end of May. On the recording, behind the songster: Redwing, Common Sandpiper, Fieldfare and Common Cuckoo.
13. REDWING. 25 May 2015, 08.36 pm, Savukoski Miekkavaara (02'09").
In a hillside pine forest, a lonely Redwing sings against a beautiful, tranquil view of Forest Lapland’s fells, hills and string bogs. Behind the solitary singer, a Common Cuckoo and a Short-eared Owl can be heard on the background.
14. COMMON BLACKBIRD AND A MIMICKING COMMON RAVEN IN A COASTAL GROVE. 18 May 2016, 08.00 am, Brändö (04'06").
A May morning in a coastal grove in the Archipelago Sea. Night singers and diurnal songbirds perform in chorus, providing a rich bird concert. Eurasian Blackcap, Fieldfare, Common Gull, Barnacle Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Common Eider, Thrush Nightingale, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Wood Pigeon, Willow Warbler and Wood Warbler.
15. FIELDFARE. 5 June 2021, 03.55 am, Kuopio Riistavesi (02'30").
Two Fieldfares engage in an almost conversational song-chatter in a shoreline birch forest. In the background, the calls of a Eurasian Bittern and a Common Cuckoo carry from across the lake bay.
16. COMMON BLACKBIRD, WILLOW WARBLER AND EURASIAN CHAFFINCH. 13 May 2016, 05.00 am, Brändö (03'16").
A coastal flood meadow early in the morning in May, in the Archipelago Sea. Songsters from a nearby grove join the seashore chorus near lush shoreline grass. Common Cuckoo, Thrush Nightingale, Song Thrush, Mute Swan, Common Wood Pigeon, Black Grouse, European Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Water Rail and European Goldfinch.
17. REDWING, BRAMBLING AND BEES. 6 June 2013, 02.20 am, Sodankylä Lokka (03'19").
Willow shrubs on the lakeshore bathe in the hazy light of the June midnight sun. A gentle night breeze brings waves from the lake. The birds of the open pine forest along the shore accompany a choir of bees. Willow Warbler, Common Cuckoo, a crossbill species, Black Grouse, Redpoll and Common Redstart.
18. MISTLE THRUSH. 14 April 2020, 06.00 pm, Kuopio Riistavesi (04'17").
A Mistle Thrush has returned from its migration and sings in an April pine forest. Among the snowdrifts, small patches of bare ground peek out here and there. On the recording a Eurasian Woodcock is doing its display flight, and the faraway expanse of the still frozen lake produces faint sounds of ice. The pine forest wuthers in the evening wind.
19. REDWING, LITTLE BUNTING AND WILLOW WARBLER. 8 June 2006, 06.30 pm, Pelkosenniemi Vuotos (04'09").
A northern swamp that grows sparse pines, near the Kemijoki River. The white night has given way to the brightness of day. On the recording, in the tranquil landscape. Black Grouse, Common Cuckoo, Redpoll and Whooper Swan are singing in the background.
20. SONG THRUSH AND REDWING. 12 May 2010, 10.00 pm, Savukoski Liitovaara (04'03").
A May evening in the wilderness of East Lapland. Waters from melting snow form streams that run down the slopes of hills. The murmur of spring and the thrushes’ song sweetly herald the coming of summer. Brambling and Eurasian Siskin.
21. REDWING. 24 April 2019, 08.50 am, Kuopio Riistavesi (03'04").
The Redwing’s squeaky song is accompanied by an April wind. In the background, wind carries the distant cries of Common Cranes from the swamp.
22. SONG THRUSH, COMMON SNIPE AND REDWING. 30 April 2024, 09.15 pm, Kuopio Riistavesi (04'04").
A mixed deciduous forest, surrounded by a small wetland, at the turn of May. Wild rosemary blooms at the forest edge. On the recording, several thrushes are singing, together with Black Grouse, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Cuckoo, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Woodcock, Eurasian Bittern, and a bee.
23. COMMON BLACKBIRD, REDWING AND COURTING BLACK GROUSE. 5 May 2007, 04.15 am, Kuopio Hirvilahti (04'06").
Song of several thrushes in a shoreline forest. Courting Black Grouse echo on a nearby swamp the morning dusk. At the shoreline of a small island, Common Gulls accompany the bird choir. Eurasian Bittern.
24. REDWING AND A MORNING WIND. 28 May 2015, 05.30 am, Savukoski Akanvaara (03'18").
A wuthering morning wind in a coniferous forest in the bright glow of dawn. On the recording, behind a Redwing singing in an unusual dialect, are Willow Warbler, Black Grouse, Common Cuckoo and Common Redstart.