Bird of the Year 2018: Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)

[Hagnat]

I have searched and today's male was not new on the 15th. We saw him already on April 8 and later. With better searching perhaps even earlier. But perhaps we hadn't seen him for a while before the 15th.

[Hagnat]

18:47 A distant Pygmy owl. (Not for the first time but always good to hear.)

[arto]

Hi. I am new here.
Not a bird, but I just saw this 17.5. about 21:20
http://kauhu.fi/videos/black_thing.webm
(action 0:09 - 0:25)
Any idea what that black beast was?

PS. I think i found an answer from this forum:
European Pine Marten ?

[Hagnat]

I think it is a kind of marten but too black for a Pine marten, so I don't know. An American Mink seems unlikely here.

[Hagnat]

22:28 A close Singing Nightjar.

[Hellem]

American Mink (Neovison vison) lives everywhere in Estonia

[Hagnat]

I thought that mink is bound to water.

[juta]

MAY 18

Good morning!
I operated camera since 4.30. Not much activity.

4.46



5.11



5.24



Then he went to lower place behind the trees and can´t spot it anymore.

[Hagnat]

Mistle thrush ran across the screen

[Biker]

recording 7. May: early birds ca 3:30
various calls of woodcock. Ural owl calls and capercaillie to hear

[Hagnat]

]recording 7. May: early birds ca 3:30
various calls of woodcock. Ural owl calls and capercaillie to hear

You forgot the most prominent: Common Snipe

[Fleur]

21:49 activity in the background

[UteL.]

May 19

Good Morning

no Capercaillie today?

[juta]

Good morning!
Earlier there was sound but not visible bird. Then I saw big bird landing, not sure which.
Feel sorry for today´s operator!
It seems that this wonderful season comes to the end.

[Hagnat]

I started watching early but soon returned to bed. Wind, low resolution, interruption and no activity.

[Urmas]

Today there was new operator Olev. According his information about 15 minutes before five one male flew from tree to the right, but too far behind the trees to see it later. Before that it was Cc voice to heard quite often.
It is normal that in conditions of early tropic such northern birds quit display actions earlier as usual. According the tagged individuals (in other places, yet), they spend most of time in tight woods and that may be related also to temperature. But for transmitters that means no charge of batteries.

If not much activity, there is good chance to experience new operators for next season... we did not decide, if install cam in the same or some other lek site.

around 8:53 there was Black Woodpecker in scene, but connection did not allow moving view quick enough to see better it.

Aha, low resolution was left from previous session - with small screen that is not visible directly... Good that you pointed it, Hagnat!

[UteL.]

Yes, I saw him (Black Woodpecker), he quickly jumped up the tree trunk 8:55:49

9:28:45 Cuckoo calls loudly

[Hagnat]

.. we did not decide, if install cam in the same or some other lek site. ..

This location is not bad. Early in the season we have seen wonderful things from close range. Only later most of the activity was not close by. You can't predict such thing and you can't follow the birds, but to see this shifting of activity and the shifting of individual males was to me also interesting to see.
Unfortunately we have not seen many females and activity in the trees completely escaped us.
For a richer general soundscape it would be nice if the camera was closer to some broad-leaved or some older coniferous wood or even to more open country, but this cam showed nicely how poor in resident species this kind of forests are.

[Fleur]

all

10:16 Cuckoo call

[UteL.]

May 20

Good Morning

The picture is blurry.

No Capercaillie...

Here over the branch on the left in the background ... he has breakfast