Birder's diary - 8.01
Diary kept by: Margus Ots, linnuvaatleja.ee
Photo: Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
Rough-legged buzzard.
January 8
This morning Pärnumaa long-time birdwatcher organiser and raptor man Eedi Leelov showed me the best places in his home territory, and at the fields at Kodesmaa village I at once collected two new species for the year – two black grouse sitting in the shrubs and a rough-legged buzzard.
The rough-legged buzzard is also called taliviu, winter buzzard, in Estonian but I think this is rather misleading because in winter it is, compared to the common buzzard, a quite rare bird in Estonia. The breeding areas of the rough-legged buzzard are in the far north and it occurs in Estonia during its migration, primarily from April to May and September to November. Only a few birds will winter in Estonia. The common buzzard however is a rather usual winterer in Estonia during some winters, even though most move southwards. So, buzzards seen in winter cannot cursorily be noted as “winter” or rough-legged buzzards. Very probably we usually have to do with common buzzards.
On the southwestern coast of Pärnumaa, at Pikla ponds, I met Valga birdwatcher Kalle Muru, an inland man come to the coast to collect year points. Together we checked the best bird localities of the neighbourhood. From Pikla snow bunting was added to the list, as interesting species a Northern harrier could be noted. Pity that the bearded reedling was not to be found today although it is a common inhabitant here even in winter.
At the Häädemeeste river mouth the recent storms had done some rather severe wrecking and the observation deck at the river mouth had broken up. The water level had fortunately gone down sufficiently and we could get beside the tower and use our telescopes. We had hoped to see a number of waterfowl here but the sea was rather empty today. Far at sea we saw a whooper swan with neck ring but the bird was too far away to read the code, and the weather was too foggy.
The road home to Tartu went through the forests of Soomaa national park, maybe some owl or gallinaceous bird might be there to be seen. But none turned up, the forest, with a heavy snow cover, was silent as the grave. Not until the outskirts of the area, around Paelama, I noticed in the top of a spruce far away a bulge that evidently was not the spruce top. I stopped the car and got the telescope up, a pygmy owl showed up in the scope. It was the first owl of the year for me. But better owl trip times will come in a few months.
Today 4 more species were added to my 2012 list, altogether they are now 89.
January 8
This morning Pärnumaa long-time birdwatcher organiser and raptor man Eedi Leelov showed me the best places in his home territory, and at the fields at Kodesmaa village I at once collected two new species for the year – two black grouse sitting in the shrubs and a rough-legged buzzard.
The rough-legged buzzard is also called taliviu, winter buzzard, in Estonian but I think this is rather misleading because in winter it is, compared to the common buzzard, a quite rare bird in Estonia. The breeding areas of the rough-legged buzzard are in the far north and it occurs in Estonia during its migration, primarily from April to May and September to November. Only a few birds will winter in Estonia. The common buzzard however is a rather usual winterer in Estonia during some winters, even though most move southwards. So, buzzards seen in winter cannot cursorily be noted as “winter” or rough-legged buzzards. Very probably we usually have to do with common buzzards.
On the southwestern coast of Pärnumaa, at Pikla ponds, I met Valga birdwatcher Kalle Muru, an inland man come to the coast to collect year points. Together we checked the best bird localities of the neighbourhood. From Pikla snow bunting was added to the list, as interesting species a Northern harrier could be noted. Pity that the bearded reedling was not to be found today although it is a common inhabitant here even in winter.
At the Häädemeeste river mouth the recent storms had done some rather severe wrecking and the observation deck at the river mouth had broken up. The water level had fortunately gone down sufficiently and we could get beside the tower and use our telescopes. We had hoped to see a number of waterfowl here but the sea was rather empty today. Far at sea we saw a whooper swan with neck ring but the bird was too far away to read the code, and the weather was too foggy.
The road home to Tartu went through the forests of Soomaa national park, maybe some owl or gallinaceous bird might be there to be seen. But none turned up, the forest, with a heavy snow cover, was silent as the grave. Not until the outskirts of the area, around Paelama, I noticed in the top of a spruce far away a bulge that evidently was not the spruce top. I stopped the car and got the telescope up, a pygmy owl showed up in the scope. It was the first owl of the year for me. But better owl trip times will come in a few months.
Today 4 more species were added to my 2012 list, altogether they are now 89.
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