March 2016

Webcam image captured by Maggy, LK forum

Translation Liis

Tawny owl

We see Klaus face-to-face for the first time this year. Usually he makes just a quick visit to bring some rodent to his brooding partner. Probably hunting will be easier för Klaus as warmer weather arrives and the snow thaws. Until now Klaara has been brought about 5-6 rodents every night.

During the night Klaara leaves the nest a couple of times for short whiles – body needs stretching, the nest hollow home is not the most comfortable of places.

Info from Leho Luigujoe

Translation Liis

Matsalu bay

On Sunday and Monday night a beautiful swan migration took place; with it the first swans provided with GPS transmitters also arrived in Estonia.  Three of them stay in Pärnu and two at Matsalu bay. The birds can be recognized from the white neck ring with a black solar powered battery.

In case anyone happens to visit these two locations please take a look. It would be interesting to know how large the flock is, what the birds feed on, how many of last year’s young swans are there in the flock?

Bay of Pärnu 

Video record and investigation Ahto Täpsi

Photo Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Roe deer    Metskits or kaber    Capreolus capreolus

In Virumaa in the Roostoja area the roe buck is out for food. In the bog bilberry kind of pine forest habitat there are not many choices. So an investigation was made to see what goes for food in such a place at this time of the year. He had nibbled at fresh shoots of hare’s-tail cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum). In pulling them out of the tussock he managed to get hold of the white and sweeter lower parts of the stems as well.

Trail camera record sent by Ahto Täpsi

Photo Sven Začek, www.zacekfoto.ee

Translation Liis

Beaver    Kobras or piiber       Castor fiber

On the banks of inland waters traces of beaver activities are well visible; our largest rodents still have their mating period, and the otherwise wary creatures move around even in daytime. Their gestation period lasts three and a half months.

Video recorded by Ahto Täpsi

Photo Arne Ader

Translation Liis

In our neighbourhood pygmy owls have become more active in evenings. There were at least three of them on Wednesday making themselves heard in the village.

Pygmy owl; Eurasian pygmy owl     Värbkakk          Glaucidium passerinum

Pygmy owls occur widely in all of Estonia but they are scarce. It might be said that they are birds who set store on ecologically valuable areas. Their  numbers are estimated at around a thousand breeding pairs.

Video recorded by Lusy, LK forum

Photos Arne Ader

Translation Liis

In the video we recognize the nesters of last year, the smaller male Mihkel with greyish plumage and sturdy and strong female Mari

Buzzard; Common buzzard     Hiireviu            Buteo buteo

Information from Estonian Environmental Board

Webcam image captured by Mutikluti, LK forum

Video recorded by Bea, LK forum

Translation Liis

View from Wednesday morning of white-tailed eagle nest

For the symbols of Estonian primeval nature, the white-tailed eagles and golden eagles and the owls, the breeding period has started and the birds sit on eggs in the nests. The Environmental Board calls on all landowners, forest managers, hunters and all others who move in nature to support the peace during the breeding time of birds that are rare and very sensitive to environmental changes.

Text and photo Aarne

Translation Liis

The photo is … well, mediocre, to express it politely. But I didn’t want to take the risk of getting nearer. They had just arrived from a long flight, wanted to rest and to enjoy each other’s company. They hardly missed me

Crane; Common crane    Sookurg       Grus grus  

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.

Images from webcam captured by  Maggy, LK forum

Translation Liis

Early morning

Tawny owl     Kodukakk       Strix aluco

On Thursday Klaara somehow did not at all want to fly out in the evening from the nest hollow. Klaus came calling on her but it seemed more sensible to him to bring Klaara a mouse… In early morning the fourth egg was in the nest.

In stormy weather there may be interruptions in the webcam operation, but our viewers know that breaks occur in direct stream transmission from forest life from dozens of reasons.

Photos Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Lapwing

Lapwing     Kiivitaja     Vanellus vanellus

Video recorded by  Fleur, LK forum
Translation Liis

Tawny owl        Kodukakk       Strix aluco

Klaara already knows that Klaus will bring something edible to the nest (we cannot hear those sounds).

In the beginning of the video the calls of Klaara and the more masculine “approval” from male Klaus - when his beak is free from the food – can be clearly seen and heard. If the web camera is open in the background we can often have an idea in advance of the doings of the tawny owls.