April 2018

Video record  Urmas Lett, www.eenet.ee
Translation Liis

 

Estonian text posted 22.04.2018

 

 

Capercaillie       Metsis or  mõtus      Tetrao urogallus

 

 

The sun in southern Estonia rises already at a quarter to six. A couple of hours before sunrise the cocks start to call, but in the trees where they spent the night.

When the hens arrive to the lek area the first cock lands on the ground and soon also the other participants in the lek.

Text: Urmas Sellis, Andres Kalamees, EOÜ
Photos: Jaanus Tanilsoo and Hagnat (LK forum)
Transmission provided by  EENet

Estonian text posted 22.04.2018

The capercaillie camera is installed at a capercaillie lek site in Võrumaa that has been known already for a long time. During monitoring up to five cocks have been counted there. With the aid of the camera we can confirm this or be more exact. The camera however is in one definite place, from where you cannot see far and the direction of the sound cannot be determined from the camera. So the camera does not really replace monitoring but hopefully will complement it

Screencap from webcam UteL, LK forum
Translation Liis

 

Estonian text posted 22.04.2018

Female Kati left the nest and Karl stayed to keep the eggs warm….

 

Black stork         Must-toonekurg         Ciconia nigra

 

 

Screencap from webcam  UteL, LK forum
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 20.04.2018

Early morning in the stork nest.

We waited and hoped to see a third egg in the nest in the morning – and so it was.

Female Kati has regularly laid an egg every two days, on April 14, 18 and 20.

Transmission provided by Elisa and EENet
Introduction  Tiit Hunt, www.rmk.ee

Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 18.04.2018

To observe the spring migration of birds we have installed a camera on the Sassi Peninsula – in the same area where we in the autumn could observe the migration of mainly cranes and geese. At the springtime migration particularly many barnacle geese arrive here to the coastal meadows. The first barnacle geese have already been seen on the nearby fields and also flying over the observation point. Here on the coastal meadows they have nothing to do before some green to nibble at has grown. The shore vegetation will only begin to develop when the air temperature permanently holds at least 5 degrees of warmth throughout day and night. The cool spring and cold sea have not let the vegetation on the Sassi meadows sprout  

Photo Arne Ader
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 15.04.2018

Nest tree of goldeneye

The felling truce that was activated today is particularly aimed at preventing disturbances to birds nesting in old forests and animals during the reproduction period. The felling truce lasts until June 15th. An interruption of the spring felling has become a tradition in state forests from  2002.

In the state forests planting of more than 20 million trees is planned during the felling truce period and maintenance of young forests will be arranged on 40 thousand hectares..

Several private forest owners have also adapted their activities to the felling break.

ELF’s “ Konnad teel(t) - Frogs off roads”

Photo Arne Ader
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 17.04.1018

Common frogs (Rana temporaria)

 

The warmer weather has woken up our amphibians that have started to migrate massively to their reproduction areas. In connection with this the Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF) calls all to help frogs to cross road cuts safely where the migration paths of amphibians meet motoring roads. Drivers should be particularly attentive late at night when the migration is large and volunteers are out to help the amphibians.

Screencap  Juta LK forum
Translation Liis

Estonian text posted 18.04.2018

 

Black stork            Must- toonekurg       Ciconia nigra

 We were of course expecting the second egg in the nest this morning but still a nice view.

Early morning screencap Liz, LK forum
Translation Liis

 

Estonian text posted 16.04.2018

It is 5.15 in the morning

 

Black stork        Must-toonekurg       Ciconia nigra

 

In the nest of the stork pair, carefully finished with moss in the last few days there was an egg in the early morning and the pair standing proudly beside it.

So the first egg was in the nest on April 16th.