Translation: Liis
January 3
We started today’s trip on western Saaremaa in Karala, together with Jüri-Karl Seim. As we got outdoors in the morning dusk no winter was to be seen anywhere, a very autumny feeling made itself felt – in the bushes 2
robins ticked, on the road verge a
skylark. was busy. The first stop at the Karala shore at Naistekivi brought two more species to the 2012 species list, and not at all winter species – in a whooper swan flock a
barnacle goose flew by and on the shore pasture a
woodlark let hear a couple of calls.
The goal of the day was Harilaid on north-western Saaremaa, but we started the inspection of the Tagamõisa peninsula shore somewhat further away, from the Veere harbour. The sea was smooth as a mirror and the birds were well visible and identifiable even at a distance of a couple of kilometres. Among other the birds this year’s first grebes were noteable –
rednecked grebe and
great crested grebe.
At Suuriku bank first one, then a second and finally altogether eight
black guillemots appeared in binocular view. What were they doing here, now? Whenever ice conditions allow, this species is said to winter close to their nesting areas. The gullies of the Suuriku bank cliff face are truly suitable breeding areas for black guillemots but nesting of the species has not been documented here. The only permanent black guillemot nesting area in Estonia is on the Pakri peninsula. Anyway, in summer the Suuriku bank should be checked, just in case.
At the Undva tip, open to winds, the sea was already boiling but between the wave crests we managed to find eider and greater scaup as new species to the year list. In the innermost part of the Uudepanga bay the sea was calmer and here we found the most famous winterer in these waters – in a dense flock at sea some 115 Steller’s eiders were swimming. Obviously the birds had just arrived here because a few days ago less than ten birds were seen at Undva.
Misty image from Uudepank, or roughly what a Steller’s eider flock looks like far at sea
The most important trip aim today was the western shore of Harilaid where a small group of
purple sandpipers winter each year. To find this species a considerable hike on foot has to be undertaken, because the area cannot be approached by car. In the steadily strengthening adverse wind the equipment load felt ever heavier and as an unpleasant surprise the camera gave up working just as a
little gull stopped to hover in the stormy winds only a few meters away. I have never seen it so close up. Fortunately we found the purple sandpiper at once, on the peninsula reaching further into the sea there were even two, and the purpose of the trip could be said to be fulfilled. But suddenly a raptor appeared, a large falcon, a
peregrine falcon! The bird struggled with its prey, something white was held in the talons, seemed like a gull, very likely the same little gull that had posed so nicely a moment ago, because we could not see the bird any longer. The falcon disappeared quickly across the dunes into the forest. The peregrine falcon is a rare passing migrant in Estonia and in winter it is very seldom seen. A nice additional point from the Harilaiu trip.
On the road back to Karala a
buzzard caught the eye in a tree at Loona manor, the
73rd species on my 2012 species list; today 13 new species were added. Tomorrow will be another stormy day and we don’t know if it will be possible to go on a trip at all.
Jamuary 2
Morning arrived at
Põõsaspea peninsula again, but compared to the day before the weather conditions were poor – it rained, it was windy and visibility was almost non-existent. Very few birds were to be seen, actually this could be my all-time poorest morning at Põõsaspea cape. Only a few observations went into the database, and surprisingly not one single new species was added to my 2012 species list during 1,5 hours.
In a never-ending slush there was no point in staying for long and I set out on the road to Saaremaa earlier than planned. On leaving Põõsaspea a new species at last got into the year list at Tuksi village -
goldcrest.
I made a stop again at the Haapsalu water treatment plant, where the Randsalu creek behind it has recently been made deeper and along the shore bank it is possible to walk as far as to the sea. A
wren was in the reeds and as new species for the year list I discovered a
reed bunting, both quite rare creatures here in winter.
Before going to the Virtsu harbour I briefly turned off to Keemu (southern shore of Matsalu bay). The downfall had become even more dense but I still noticed a wader far away on the peninsula, but in order to identify it I had to get close; in the unpleasant weather conditons binoculars were little help. On the spot the wader turned out to be a golden plover and it was not alone, there were 160 of them! A record number of plovers have stayed in Estonia in this warm winter, information has arrived from several sources. Moreover there were 7 lapwings on the shore and at my feet a snipe took flight.
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