Looduskalender

The Capercaillie (Teatrao urogallus), in Estonian 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 camera is again placed in the area of Võru in southern Estonia. It is placed in a wood, where we hopefully will be able to watch the male capercaillies doing their lekking once again. It is almost at the same place as last year.

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.
Unfortunately it was not possible to enhance the stream, as the lekking place is in a depression and there is no direct view to any transmission tower.

Camera links:

Direct stream: http://tv.eenet.ee/metsis.html
iPhone / iPad, Android, VLC: http://tv.eenet.ee/hls/metsis.m3u8

The area in Estonia where the camera is situated:



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".

Two of last year's screenshots

Reserved

Reserved

reserved

Link to last years list of observed birds, compiled by forum member Hagnat: viewtopic.php?p=570872#p570872

Observations from 2019

New:
Woodlark -

Western Capercaillie - Tetrao urogallus - Metsis

Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius - Pasknäär

Northern Raven - Corvus corax - Ronk
Goshawk -
Common Cranes - Grus grus - Sookurg

Mistle Trush – Turdus viscivorus – Hoburästas
Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos - Laulurästas

Ural Owl – Strix uralensis – Hänskakk

Red Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra - Kuuse-käbilind

Wood grouse - lignum tetraones - ........
Comon Buzzard – Buteo - Hiireviu
Western Osprey - Pandion haliaetus - Kalakotkas

Great Tit - Parus major - Rasvatihane
Willow Tit - Poecile montanus - Põhjatihane

Black Woodpecker - Dryocopus martius - Musträhn
European Robin - Erithacus rubecula - Punarind

Common Blackbird - Turdus merula - Musträstas

Eurasian Woodcock - Scolopax rusticola - Metskurvits
Common Snipe - Gallinago gallinago - Tikutaja

Mute Swan - Cygnus olor - Kühmnokk-luik


European Robin - Erithacus rubecula - Punarind

Greater White-fronted Goose

Eurasian Skylark - Alauda arvensis - Põldlõoke


Common Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs - Metsvint
Common Redpoll - Acanthis flammea - Urvalind
Eurasian Siskin - Spinus spinus - Siisike
Goldfinch
Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus - Karmiinleevike

Common Wood Pigeon - Columba palumbus - Kaelustuvi

Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo - Hiireviu

Dunnock - Prunella modularis
Tree Pipit -Anthus trivialis

Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - Kägu

Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - Hallhaigur

European nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus - Öösorr

Eurasian Golden Oriole - Oriolus oriolus - Peoleo

Common Redstart - Phoenicurus phoenicurus - Lepalind



I used the example of Hagnat

A capercaillie just passed in the back from left to right

For quite some time I could hear a capercaillie somewhere out of sight.

Yes !! Thank you for the new season

March 24

6:22 good morning

A Raven :-)

Hello fellow forum members! This morning I was testing camera operation for an hour or so, but no CC was present. Did not hear any calls either, except for a Raven at 7:30.

Hello PeterZ and welcome back. Looks like I was lucky to see the one marching through the picture ...
But it is still early in season, after a long winter, we are quite optimistic to be able to see more of them soon!

15:45
It sounds like war on this camera. These are not gun shots. One shot after the other!

@Liz: I don't know for sure anymore, but I think there was a message somewhere last year on the forum / topic 2018 that there is a military base far in the background where they occasionally practice.

07:43 One in the upper left corner

06:48- war games, dogs, goshawk(?) cranes, redpolls, woodlark...

03.23 16:47 Mistle Trush singing, one of the most beautiful songs you can hear
-again today 08:09-

(thanks for the low network footprint on this cam )

Fleur wrote: ↑March 27th, 2019, 7:41 pm @Liz: I don't know for sure anymore, but I think there was a message somewhere last year on the forum / topic 2018 that there is a military base far in the background where they occasionally practice.

I sincerely hope, that the military activities, won't disturb the Capercaillies...

I hope not, till now I don't see or hear nobody a few mornings

March 30

6:34

around 19:30 I heard The Capercaillie in the distance