A capercaillie that inhabits the wilds near Rokua Health Spa has become a local celebrity. The bird—a type of grouse–is often seen strutting around the health spa’s yard and has been christened Santeri by locals.
Far from being afraid of people, Santeri bravely peeks through windows and observes life around the center from the branches of nearby trees.
Helena Tuomaala, a current visitor at the health spa, has been at Rokua for almost two weeks with her husband. Every day the couple from Rantsila has hoped to catch a glimpse of Santeri.
“We thought we wouldn’t get to see Santeri after all.”
On Saturday morning, however, they were in luck. “There he was, right behind the window, very close.”
For the Tuomaalas, seeing Santeri was the highlight of the day.
“Today we saw Santeri and yesterday Marko Maunuksela, so we’ve had enough excitement for a while”, Helena laughs, referring to the famous Finnish entertainer.
Santeri has been a regular patron of the center since last autumn. So far, he has acted peacefully.
“But what happens when it’s time to find a mate and hormones take over? It could be that even Santeri starts showing off his tail feathers,” Tuomaala muses.