MARKUS VARESVUO

UTÖ ISLAND ON THE BALTIC SEA

Utö Island is an absolute gem.

This remote little island in the Archipelago Sea is the most southerly piece of land in Finland with permanent habitation. It lies on the edge of the open sea, and as the first larger piece of land when crossing the sea northbound, it attracts birds on their spring migration. In autumn it offers birds a good place for refueling before they start their journey across the sea. At about 2 km (1.2 mi) long and just over 1 km (0.6 mi) at its widest, Utö sports a couple of little groves, a fair-sized meadow, some dry heath, a few sheltered coves, a shallow shore with seaweed, and a little village with gardens—many and varied locations for birds to rest and feed.

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