Looduskalender

The Capercaillie (Teatrao urogallus), in Estonian language "metsis", was the Estonian Bird of the year 2018 (Aasta lind 2018). More information about the bird of the year can be found on the homepage by the Estonian Orntihological Society (EOÜ): https://www.eoy.ee/metsis/

This year the camera is placed in the Tudu Nature Reserve (Tudusoo LKA) in Lääne-Virumaa. It is a part of the Alutaguse forest, which we know already from the bear cam.

Most activity we will likely get to see in the morning when it becomes light until 8 or 9 AM.

The camera has got the possibility to pan, tilt and zoom. Maybe we will have somebody to operate the camera sometimes.


The stream is provided by Kotkaklubi through their new Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCvBXT ... Saqd19N0Sg
Camera link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBy1GbxOw0U - is subject to change, please check at the Kotkaklubi address

More about the area:

About the capercaillie:

Western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)

The capercaillie is the largest member of the grouse family. The species shows extreme sexual dimorphism, with the male twice the size of the female. It is a non-migratory, big, largely sedentary forest grouse that inhabits old conifer and mixed forests across the Palearctic Eurasia. It is renowned for its mating display, also called "lek" (Swedish for "play").

In Estonia the capercaillie was a hunting bird until the 70ies of last century and still is shown in the coat of arms of Estonian hunting association. The numbers have decreased remarkably during the last century, probably because of the forest management, particularly the land improvement or land amelioration of wet forests around bogs.

Cocks typically range from 74 to 85 cm in length with wingspan of 90 to 125 cm and an average weight of 4.1 kg. The largest wild cocks can attain a length of 100 cm and weight of 6.7 kg. The largest known specimen, recorded in captivity, had a weight of 7.2 kg.
The body feathers are dark grey to dark brown, while the breast feathers are dark metallic green. The belly and undertail coverts vary from black to white depending on race.

The hen is much smaller, weighing about half as much as the cock. The capercaillie hen's body from beak to tail is approximately 54–64 cm long, the wingspan is 70 cm and weighs 1.5–2.5 kg, with an average of 1.8 kg. Feathers on the upper parts are brown with black and silver barring; on the underside they are more light and buffish yellow.

Both sexes have a white spot on the wing bow. They have feathered legs, especially in the cold season, for protection against cold. Their toe rows of small, elongated horn tacks provide a snowshoe effect that led to the German family name "Rauhfußhühner", literally translated as "rough feet chickens".

The season 2023 starts here viewtopic.php?p=889078#p889078

reserved

reserved

List of the birds seen or heard

Capercaillie cock - Tetrao urogallus - Metsis

Barnacle goose - Branta leucopsis
Bean Goose - Anser fabalis

Eurasian Bullfinch - Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Eurasian Siskin - Spinus spinus - Siisike

Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra - Kuuse-käbilind

Eurasian Skylarks - Alauda arvensis - Põldlõoke

Gray-headed woodpecker - Picus canus - Hallpea-rähn, hallrähn
Black Woodpecker - Dryocopus martius - Musträhn
Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker - Picoides tridactylus - Kolmvarvas-rähn, laanerähn

Northern Raven - Corvus corax - Ronk

Common Cranes - Grus grus - Sookurg

Eurasian pygmy owl - Glaucidium passerinum - Värbkakk
Boreal Owl - Aegolius funereus - Karvasjalg-kakk

Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius - Pasknäär

Great Tit - Parus major - Rasvatihane
Coal Tit - Periparus ater - Musttihane

Crested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus

Common Blackbird - Turdus merula - Musträstas

Fieldfare - Turdus pilaris - Hallrästas, paskrästas
Mistle Trush - Turdus viscivorus - Hoburästas
Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes - Käblik

Great spotted woodpecker - Dendrocopos major - Suur-kirjurähn

Common Wood-Pigeon - Columba palumbus - Pigeon ramier
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto - Kaelus-turteltuvi, pargi-turteltuvi

Eurasian Woodcock - Scolopax rusticola - Metskurvits

Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs - Metsvint

Redpoll - Acanthis flammea -

Eurasian Woodcock - Scolopax rusticola - Metskurvits

Common Snipe - Gallinago gallinago - Tikutaja, taevasikk

Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus - Metstilder

Black Grouse - Tetrao tetrix - Teder

Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - Kägu

Eurasian Nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus - Öösorr

Ural Owl - Strix uralensis -

Robin - Erithacus rubecula - Punarind

Eurasian Tree-Creeper - Certhia familiaris - Porr

Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata -

Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialus - Metskiur

Common Redstart - Phoenicurus phoenicurus - Lepalind

Red-breasted flycatcher - Ficedula parva - Väike-kärbsenäpp

Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus -

Common Swift - Apus apus - Piiritaja, piirpääsuke

Eurasian Golden-Oriole - Oriolus oriolus - Peoleo

Wood Warbler - Phylloscopus sibilatrix - Mets-lehelind

Hazel Grouse - Tetrastes bonasia - Laanepüü

reserved

Felis silvestris wrote: ↑March 6th, 2020, 5:31 pm This year the camera is placed in the Tudu Nature Reserve (Tudusoo LKA) in Lääne-Virumaa. It is a part of the Alutaguse forest, which we know already from the bear cam.

It has been estimated that there are 25-28 lekking male capercaillies in Tudu Nature Reserve.

I did some bird counts in the area in 2019 and counted 9 male cappercaillies and 1 female in this lek. Hope to see how many I missed

Thank you for the cam.
I am looking forward to it again and am very happy with what we can see in this area.

Fleur wrote: ↑March 18th, 2020, 5:20 pm Thank you for the cam.
I am looking forward to it again and am very happy with what we can see in this area.

Thank you for taking again the job to collect the birds heard or seen there!

Triin wrote: ↑March 18th, 2020, 5:15 pm It has been estimated that there are 25-28 lekking male capercaillies in Tudu Nature Reserve.

I did some bird counts in the area in 2019 and counted 9 male cappercaillies and 1 female in this lek. Hope to see how many I missed

So far the only capercaillies I have seen in the wild were in Alutaguse, I guess not too far from Tudu Nature Reserve.

21:05
I think Barnacle geese flying over. Or Bean Goose?

March 19

a little look around

I hear some small birds singing in the distance, but I really don't know the name.
I hope there are people who want to write down the name coming weeks when they hear something?

Oh, look at this...from the chat:
​At 06:29 a Capercaillie cock was somewhere near a tree and made a noise. It is early spring and it is wonderful to hear the nature awakening.

Eurasian Bullfinch, overflying Siskins, Crossbills, flock of Bean Goose, migrating Eurasian Skylarks. The Gray-headed woodpecker was singing in the background. Raven and Common Cranes - what a life!

7:49 I heard flutter in the distance 1x

I'm going to have breakfast now

The great thing about this camera is that you can look back

5:35 I think sound from Pygmy owl
6:29 sound Capercaillie

8:38 Sound Gray headed woodpecker I think. I'm not sure

Fleur wrote: ↑March 19th, 2020, 8:55 am 5:35 I think sound from Pygmy owl

Yes, it is Pygmy owl.

Fleur wrote: ↑March 19th, 2020, 9:20 am 8:38 Sound Gray headed woodpecker I think. I'm not sure

Black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) flight call. Something like this https://www.xeno-canto.org/410101

Windy day and hard to hear anything.

Fleur wrote: ↑March 19th, 2020, 8:55 am The great thing about this camera is that you can look back

Yeah, cranes started 4:40, pygmy owl 5:07
Grey-headed woodpecker started 6:07:53 distant and sporadic, maybe best heard around 6:12 with its short falling "ki ki ky ky ku ku" and guess two of them 6:18
Metsis also heard 6:34

I agree with the chat guy and also heard blackbird, great tit, fieldfare, jay, great spotted woodpecker