Torpfjärden Bird Watching Tower overlooks the small fjord or bay Torpfjärden. The bay is famous for its many birds, some of which are usually possible to see from the nearby road 1, whose embankment almost cuts off the bay from the sea. The watchtower is visible from the road. However, it is a lot more secluded for anyone wanting to observe the bay and its inhabitants.
Torpfjärden
Torpfjärden is sometimes called “Svansjön”, or Swan Lake. It is a shallow bay that is connected with the Baltic Sea via a small strait to the south. On its northern and western shores lies Mariehamn Airport (MHQ), to the south-west is the nature reserve Ramsholmen and to the south-east is the locality of Möckelö. The road separates both Ramsholmen and Möckelö are separated from the bay.
It is not uncommon to see large amounts of mute swans (Cygnus olor), they are often accompanied by different species of ducks and shorebirds. It is from these swans that the bay has received its nickname. A few predators are also not uncommon. We have also recently seen a few grey herons between the bay and Ramsholmen.
Torpfjärden Bird Watching Tower
Torpfjärden Bird Watching Tower was built in 1980 by local bird protection organization Ålands fågelskyddsförening. The tower was built with the purpose of letting visitors watch the birds without causing any disturbance.
The watchtower reaches a height of around 12 meters, which lets you see above the nearby greenery and out over the bay. It is actually also possible to view Ramsholmen and the airport from the tower. If visiting with young ones, keep in mind that climbing the tower’s stairs is almost like climbing a ladder. They are quite steep.
Finding Your Way
The tower is not far from Mariehamn along Road 1. There is a small sign mentioning “150m Fågeltorn”, showing you the way to a small gravel parking lot. From the road, there is just a short walk along a path to reach the tower.
Looking to Explore more of Åland and Finland?
