Jurmo Island

Jurmo Island

Parainen > Finland

Jurmo is an island situated in the archipelago of Turku. The organization "Jurmo bird observatory" operates on the island.

Added* by Sebastian Andrejeff
Most recent update 22 December 2021

Description

Great way to experience the birds of the Finnish archipelago. Jurmo is one of the few places in Finland where Little Tern breed. The breeding species also include Barred Warbler and the southern subspecies of Dunlin, as well as great numbers of more common species. Therefore, keep in mind that the western side of the island is restricted during breeding season.

The habitat is very variable, from lush forests to sandy beaches and open sea. The island attracts lots of migrating birds – it's possible to see thousands of insectivores such as European Robin, Goldcrest and different warblers feeding on the island. Also a variety of rarities has been seen. For example, some Collared Flycatcher are observed every spring, and Jurmo is one of the few places in Europe to have Alpine Accentor, Siberian Accentor and Black-throated Accentor on the sightings list. In autumn and winter Jurmo is also one of the best places in Finland to see Purple Sandpiper, often by the hundreds, as well as Horned Lark and Snow Bunting. A total of 318 species have been seen on the island.

Jurmo bird observatory is located on the island. The breeding and migrating birds are monitored year-round on the observatory by volunteers. Daily activities include standardized migration watch, routes and ringing with mist nests. More than 300,000 birds have been ringed since 1962.

Details

Access

You can access the island by a ferry called "Baldur" leaving from Pärnäs, Nauvo, Parainen. The ferry is free of charge. There are accommodation possibilities on the island.