January 2018

Video Ahto Täpsi
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 29.01.2018

Did you watch and count birds at the weekend?

The Winter Garden Bird Watch took place on January 26.-28. It has developed into the most popular birdwatching event in Estonia and the largest people’s science enterprise.

A preliminary summary of the survey from the Estonian Ornithological Society:

On the weekend more than 44 000 birds were counted

Photo  Mats Kangur
Translation Liis
 

Estonian text posted 25.01.2018

We see the traces of the rompings of the fox pair and in the right-hand corner the line of tracks of a solitary fox investigating  what has happened

Fox; Red fox       Punarebane or rebane        Vulpes vulpes   

During the weekend Mats still managed to get a nice series of images from the start of  the heat period of the foxes.

Info from Eesti mükoloogiaühing Estonian Mycological Society

Photo Külli Kalamees
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 13.01.2018

Tinder polypore on birch trunk     

Tinder polypore; Touchwood      Tuletael       Fomes fomentarius

The   Estonian Mycological Society (Eesti mükoloogiaühing) elected the Tinder Polypore as the Mushroom of the Year for 2018.

The tinder polypore belongs to the polypore family; its fruiting bodies grow on birches, more seldom on other broadleaf species.

Text and interviews  Kristel Vilbaste
Photos Arne Ader
Video Villu Karjus
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 25.12.2017

Elva river

The year 2017 was a year of expectations. We waited for when winter would arrive, and  summer. When will the strawberries be ripe, and the cranberries. Everything dawdled. Or never arrived.

A decent winter never came. Or as nature-wise Vello Keppart wrote to me: "There was no phenological winter at Jõgeva, because a permanent snow cover of 30 days never occurred and so in a strict sense winter, or so to say true winter never arrived in Jõgeva. There were longer periods with snow during last year from November 2nd – November 19th (17 days) and this year from January 3rd – January 24th (21 days) and January 30th – February 17th (19 days)."

Information from Estonian Ornithological Society
Webscrap IceAge, LK forum
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 26.01.18

The Estonian Ornithological Society invites you to take part in the winter garden birs count that takes place on January 26 – 28. It has become the most popular birdwatching event in Estonia and the largest public education initiative.

In the count that takes place for the 9th time this year more than 2600 bird friends took pasrt last year and observed altogether nearly 60 000 birds of 64 species. The winter garden bird count is arranged in Estonia since 2010 and the event has been honoured with  the Environmental Enterprise Award of the Year .

Video recorded by  Ahto Täpsi

Photo Arne Ader

Estonian text posted 21.01.2018

This terrain suits  the activities of lynxes

Lynx        Harilik ilves      Lynx lynx

A few degrees of frost and a slight snow cover made the animals use the first few days to familiarize themselves with the new conditions in the forest but the track book is already readable.

Information from Samblasõbrad, www.sisu.ut.ee/samblasober

Photos Arne Ader
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 18.01.2018

Stair-step moss

Stair-step moss; Glittering Wood-moss       Harilik laanik       Hylocomium splendens

The stair-step moss was elected as Moss of the Year 2018.

The stairstep moss is quite common in Estonia; it occurs in dry pine forests as well as in swampy spruce stands, on tussocks in bogs as well as in pebbly alvars.

The moss of the year is easy to recognize by its fronds forming layers or “steps”.

Videos recorded by  Fleur, LK forum
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 15.01.2018

Goshawk         Kanakull       Accipter gentilis

The shallow MatsaluBay with a water salinity near zero is freezing,  only a few openings are visible because the surface water already is at a couple of degrees minus. We will see how the view has changed tomorrow; strong winds from south are forecast. The mute swans moved away from the forming ice, out of the Matsalu bay.