Frozen over coastal meadows and bird bays

Coastal meadows are quiet places in winter, the yellowed reeds swaying in the wind being the only memory of a summer long past. The peaceful landscape is livened up by blue tits feeding among the reeds, and in mild winters you might also run into a flock of exotic-looking bearded reedlings on Ruissalo. The common alders growing on the shore attract flocks of redpolls and siskins looking for food, and with any luck you might also be able to spot a quiet lesser spotted woodpecker hunting for insects on the trunks of the trees.

The common reed is a so-called winter seeder that waits until winter to release its seeds, which are then carried off by the winds. In the frozen and snowy terrain, the seeds spread much more effectively than they would during the growing season, which increases their chances of ending up at new habitats. Common reed is a perennial species that winters in the form of rhizomes in the bottom mud.