Olonia - the Goose Capital

The spring aggregation of  geese in  the Olonets fields are the laregest in  Europe. The reasons for that are the  rich forage that vast farmland can offer and availability of avoernight shelter on Lake Ladoga nad wxpansive surrounding wetlands. The main species in the aggregations are the White-fronted and Bean geese. The numbers of the Barnacle Goose has lately been  growing quite notably. All over European geese also come to the staging sites, but are far less abundant. The Brent Goose the territory of Karelia in one nonstop flight. Up to 1,5 million geese pass the fields over the spring  season. On a one-day excursion one may sight up  to 10,000 birds in  flocks that may reach 10,000 individuals. Aggregation peak in the  first half  of May and normally dissipate by May 25.

Other fairly large groups of  birds staging in the Olonets fields are puddle ducks, cranes, waders,  doves and pigeons, diurnal raptors, owls and passerines. In taiga forests snow melts nearly a month later than in the  fields, therefore many early arriving forest birds also use the farmland to feed and concentrate there in great nambers.