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Grey heron and great egret

 

The bird trip of the University of Tartu Natural History Museum this time went to the Valguta polder. As always in a flooded polder all kinds of waterfowl may be seen; as before several great egrets were busy in the area. Among new arrivals the great reed warbler and lesser whitethroat could be heard. My 2012 year list now has 206 bird species.

In Saaremaa, at Sõrve säär, the search for the Isabelline shrike - found yesterday and lost in the evening - continued today. That creature was no longer found, but another rarity was discovered instead – a corn bunting. Unfortunately this bird too disappeared fast and nobody saw it except the finder. In the course of the searches some more ring ouzels were found near the Sõrve bird station. I did not go for a twitching trip to Saaremaa myself because tonight an old student’s soul is drawn to Tartu to celebrate the Walpurgis night.