Image from webcam captured by IceAge, LK forum

Translation Liis

Samples are taken from a perished grey seal pup for laboratory purposes.

Grey seal        Hallhüljes       Halichoerus grypus

A thorough seal count takes about an hour and a half, after that a short sea trip back to Saaremaa, the boat on to the car trailer and the trip goes to the next seal isle.  In the evening numbers are summed up and a summary of the day is made.

Image sent by LK reader  Kaisa

Translation Liis

Ruby tiger in Mõisaküla in Kiili parish. In the midst of a snow field a hairy caterpillar - "päevakoer“ or ”sun dog”. The snow crust is about 10 centimetres thick and can be walked on without sinking in.

Ruby tiger     Kevadkaruslane      Phragmatobia fuliginosa

Info from  Margus Ots, Co-ordinator of the Year of the Great Tit

Photo Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Great tit

In Finnish the great tit (Estonian rasvatihane, ”fat tit”) is called  talitiainen. Since one of the Estonian folk names of the great tit is also talitihane, ”winter tit”, it seems evident to Estonians that the Finnish  talitiainen  means talitihane, “winter tit”. The Finnish name of the great tit has been explained so for instance in texts about the Bird of the Year (i a in journals Tiirutaja and Eesti Loodus).

Trail camera video sent by  Ahto Täpsi
Photo Arne Ader
Translation Liis

Image from badger webcam captured by  Fleur, LK forum
Translation Liis

Last night western Saaremaa in Estonia turned wintery with the degrees of cold.

The vernal equinox has arrived and, as often before at this time, weather arranges little pranks, sometimes looking like winter, sometimes spring. But we can enjoy the longer daylight time more by each day and it brings a smile to all around us.

In western Saaremaa winter turned the spring-like view  into snow white – the last time that snow covered the islands was in January. Snowflakes (Leucojum) flowered and go on flowering. In Hiiumaa flowering Hepaticas have already been noted. Geese migrate, cranes call and it is audible even in the web cameras.