June 2017

Coming across a roe deer fawn

Avapilt
Sisu

The roe deer doe may have a fawn hidden nearby.
Photo: Tarmo Mikussaar
Posted by the Animal of the Year Team  09.06.2017

It is the time when on moving around in nature you may come across a spotted roe deer fawn lying on the ground. It is the great secret of the roe deer doe, and it is visited and fed a couple of times a day. Since the fawn has no smell, foxes, dogs and other predators cannot find it. Such a creature must not be caressed, lifted up or taken along. A human-smelling fawn will probably be abandoned. It is sensible to leave quietly the same way as you came.  Evidently the worried adult keeps an eye on us from a distance.

Vahur Sepp

New explanation to early morning singing start of birds

News from Linnuvaatleja, www.linnuvaatleja.ee
Translation Liis

While there generally is a consensus on the purpose of bird song – singing is the easiest way of self-promotion and warnings to competitors – the springtime birdsong in early mornings has been explained in several ways. It has for instance been thought that on a calm windless morning when the background rustling is absent the singing reaches further and it is efficient for the birds to warn competitors and attract partners. It has also been proposed that in singing the male birds gobble early morning cool air, because it cools the sexual organs and protects the germ cells from overheating.

MY FOREST: What to sow, what to plant?

Text Kalle Eller

Photo Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Männikasvud

Pine shoots

And the time has arrived to begin to establish a forest. All this needs spending but it will be richly repaid in the future. One solution is of course that we fetch plants and seeds from a forest nursery, but for smaller areas cheaper and from nature’s point oif view more appropriate solutions can be tested.

MY FOREST: Creating a new forest

Text Kalle Eller

Photos Arne Ader
Translation Liis

Kased lähevad lehte

Birches coming into leaf

What will be the forest of your future does unfortunately not depend on your own wishes only. Nature’s particular traits have to be carefully reckoned with. The soil, the movement of water and the annual changes in water level determine from which tree species a strong and healthy forest will consist. The characteristics of soil and water are vital factors in determining the formation of the underwood vegetation.

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