Editor of science news from the Year of the Great Tit Marko Mägi, marko.magi@ut.ee , bird ecology researcher at University of Tartu

Photo Uku Paal

Translation Liis

Cities attract birds and other animals particularly in winter because the heat leaking from buildings warms the environment and helps animals to save energy. In addition many bird species find easy ”mouthfuls” on these islands of warmth from food waste left by careless humans but also from food tables meant for birds. The concentration of great tits in cities, already at the autumn migration and particularly abundantly in the winter season, is confirmed by many scientific observations. In northern Finland and Sweden great tits manage to survive the winter only thanks to human activities – the birds gather in communities where they spend the whole long dark winter and only leave from there for the breeding areas when spring arrives.

Video recorded by Urmas Lett

Tawny owl      Kodukakk       Strix aluco

Yesterday, Friday, March 3, Renno got the webcam in place and by evening the connection worked too.

In the video we see Klara’s first visit to the nest tree trunk: at 9 o’clock pm the owls could be heard hooting. The brief visit to the nest trunk was two hours later; around midnight the owl pair was again busy near the nest …

Tomorrow  we can hopefully open the owl webcam page.

Video recorded by  Aita, LK forum
Translation Liis

Grey seal        Hallhüljes        Halichoerus grypus

Yesterday (Sunday 26th) the placenta was left behind after the female seal had given birth (see Saturday's video story ). It was left on the beach rocks about ten minutes after the pupping.

Estonian Environmental Board informs

Photos Roland Müür

Translation Liis

Small grey seal resting on Pärnu bay ice

Disturbing seals may be dangerous for the young seals as well as for humans since female seals may attack the intruder to defend their offspring.

Two of the three seal species in the Baltic are native to Estonia: the grey seal and the ringed seal. Sometimes, but rarely, the harbour seal may also visit here; its habitats are in the southern part of the Baltic, around southern Sweden and in the Danish straits. In spring the Estonian seals moult, sitting on rocks; in summer however they swim in the sea to collect a sufficient fat layer for winter and prepare for the giving of birth to their offspring in winter..