May 2016

Video recorded by  Mutikluti, LK forum

After the ringing of the eagle chicks yesterday (Friday) the large and prudent adults have not come to the nest. Calls of the female as well as male can be heard near the nest.

There is no risk of the chicks starving, their bodies are already adapted for such events. Don’t worry – we are sure that the adults will appear at the nest because in earlier years too similar situations have occurred (and occur elsewhere in the world too as we have seen in camera view).

Please check the forum where each moment is recorded: LINK 
(Estonian article publ 27.05.2016; adults have returned since then)

Video recorded by  Mutikluti, LK forum

Translation Liis

White-tailed eagle     Merikotkas       Haliaeetus albicilla

Urmas took the trouble to climb to the nest with a rope, without using climbing irons. The trunk of the nest tree is not large enough.

Rings are in place on legs, the eagle chicks measured and weighed.

Great Tit Year scientific news are edited by Marko Mägi, marko.magi@ut.ee, Bird ecologist at University of Tartu

Translation Liis

Pied flycatcher male checking on what goes on in a great tit nestbox / photo: Marko Mägi

Pied flycatcher   Must-kärbsenäpp     Ficedula hypoleuca

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If you are a stranger and you arrive at the nesting site later than the others information on local conditions –is important and both  knowledge and experiences are essential. Knowing the best feeding and nesting sites can increase the nesting success significantly.

Text and photos  Margus Ots, coordnator of Great Tit Year

 Translation Liis

The pied flycatcher arrives in Estonia in the second half of April, at latest in May. Like the great tit and the starling, it constructs its nest in a tree hollow or a nestbox but since by May the greater part of suitable nest sites are already occupied by other birds, the flycatcher starts taking over already occupied nests. The fights may even end with the death of one part – the great tit is larger and stronger and usually manages to defeat the intruding flycatcher. In 2015 for instance I found in a nest box in Vana Kuuste in Tartu County two dead male pied flycatchers on the verge of a great tit nest with eggs. The great tit evidently was not seriously hurt since all chicks developed nicely.

Text and photos  Aare Lindt, www.loodusmuuseum.ee

Translation Liis

Chocolate tip

Chocolate tip      Roostelaik-haavatutlane      Clostera curtula

The chocolate tip moth occurs in all Estonia but is not particularly common anywhere.

The moths fly in broadleaf and mixed forests and in parks and gardens  from mid-May until early July. During summer some second generation specimens may occur.

Photos Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Globeflowers

Globeflower   Harilik kullerkupp        Trollius europaeus

Globeflowers are the favourite flower of many people; over time they have been perpetuated in paintings and praised in words.

Belonging to the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family, it prefers rather damp meadows or wooded meadows as habitat but we also find it at forest verges. On the mainland it is a common flower nearly everywhere but on the islands we find globerflowers less frequently.

Text and photos  Aare Lindt, www.loodusmuuseum.ee

Translation Liis

Pebble prominent

Pebble prominent     Siksak-hammastutlane   Notodonta ziczac (Linnaeus, 1758)

The pebble prominent occurs in all Estonia and it is quite common locally.  The mothe fly in broadleaf and mixed forests, and in parks and gardens from mid-May until mid-June, a few specimens can also be seen later. In the second half of summer the second generation appears but it is not as numerous as the springtime one.

Photo Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Swallowtail     Pääsusaba       Papilio machaon

Truly one of our most beautiful day-flying butterflies. Large and eye-catching, the swallowtail  is easily recognizable – its wing span is up to 8 ½ centimetres. On the hind wings we note the ”tails”, characteristic for swallowtails. However, we leave a detailed description of the butterfly to our readers – it isn’t difficult, try doing it!.

Photos Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Bird'w-eye primroses

Bird's eye primrose   Pääsusilm  Primula farinosa

The humid habitats of the bird’s-eye primroses should preferably have a soil that is rich in lime. We will find these beautiful flowers in all Estonia, and not only in meadows, but irregularly distributed.

Breathtakingly beautiful sites may be found on the north-western coast of the mainland and on the islands where bird’s-eye primroses are in almost full flower.

Text and photos  Aare Lindt, www.loodusmuuseum.ee

Translation Liis

Nut tree tussock

Nut tree tussock    Sarapuuöölane      Colocasia coryli

The nut tree tussock occurs in all Estonia and is quite common.

The moths fly in May-June, in broadleaf and mixed forests, as well as in parks and gardens. In a favourable year a few second generation specimens can be seen in August.

In May the nut tree tussock is easily recognizable. In June however the wing pattern and colour of the moths may be so worn that even a specialist has difficulties in identifying them.