February 2019

Photo Arne Ader, www.loodusemees.ee

Estonian text posted 24.02.2019

Our best wishes to Estonia!

Text and illustrations Tiit Hunt, www.rmk.ee
English translation Liis

Estonian text  posted 21.02.2019

The antler-shedding period of the red deer is still ahead;  from previous years we know that even a powerful old stag sheds its antlers in the last week but one in February at the earliest. 

Images: Tiia and Ain Panek
English translation Liis

In East Virumaa there is enough snow

Roe deer           Metskits or kaber       Capreolus capreolus

How and why do wild animals find their way into a home garden?

We can only guess, and there may be quite a number of different reasons but probably that household has no dog, the entrance to the yard is not closed with a gate and the animal felt secure for almost a week.

Text and webcam records Tiit Hunt, www.rmk.ee
English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 13.02.2019

MatsaluBay has frozen to a large open field and the paths of the jackals now in winter seem to run in wider sweeps, the sea is no longer an obstacle that keeps the animals firmly on the shore areas. The tracks of two jackals have been observed  running across the bay.

Video recorded by  Ahto Täpsi
English translation Liis

Small spring-fed streams flow in the hilly landscape where the beaver family is active and has its winter life

Beaver         Kobras ehk piiber         Castor fiber

There is soon cause to discuss the life of beavers – at the end of February their heat period starts.

When a beaver dives, a line of small air bubbles remains along its path. The fur of the animal is not wetted but for this it has to take care. Its fur consists of an extremely dense undercoat through which water cannot penetrate and rougher and longer upper hairs.

The air layer in the undercoat protects the beaver against wetting as well as cooling off.

Web camera image  IceAge, LK foorumist

Photo Kaido Haagen, www.kaidohaagen.com

English translation Liis

Stickleback shoal at the trout spawning place. Such a great number has not been seen earlier

Ninespine stickleback       Luukarits          Pungitius pungitius

Linnuvaatleja, www.linnuvaatleja.ee

English translation Liis

The Nordic winter is a harsh challenge not only for birds but also for mammals. Some bats fly to spend winter in warmer parts of Europe, others stay to hibernate at home. Bears, badgers, raccoon dogs, dormice, birch mice and hedgehogs also hibernate. Many quadrupeds however remain to face  hunger and cold and so do not even shy off from the dangerous proximity of humans when  searching for food and shelter. Smaller mammals – for  instance some rodents - also visit the birdfeeders.

Photos  Peep Käspre and Vello Keppart

English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 06.02.2019

Brown hare; European hare     Halljänes      Lepus europaeus

The season has arrived when the brown hares begin to take an interest in the fruit trees in gardens. The thaw created a new and load-bearing layer on the snow that is covered by a fresh snow layer – all traces of activities nicely visible.

Video Ahto Täpsi

English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 03.02.2019

Somehow I wouldn’t like to reveal the bird species in action here. For experienced birdwatchers it is easy.

But to find a definite answer identification help might be useful: LINK  (winter garden bird images and names in Estonian; translations of names here)

Screencap from webcam Biker, LK forum
English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 04.02.2019

Red deer            Punahirv         Cervus elaphus

As was expected  the female deer have started moving around at the feeding ground. We have just not had any good images showing both sexes before.

Video recorded and saved by  Ahto Täpsi
English translation Liis

Estonian text  posted 02.02.2019

Roe deer          Metskits or kaber         Capreolus capreolus

The snow cover is thick and has become layered from the intermediate thaws;  layers of ice have remained in the snow. The snowfall and thaw at the weekend do not make the life of roe deer easier. The ice layers already damage their legs. It takes time and energy to get to the food and a sleeping place for the night must be dug out down to the ground – otherwise the deer may get pneumonia.

Screencap from webcam  IceAge, LK forum

Illustrations from Wikipedia

English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 23.01.2019

In  the spawning area we meet spawners as well as their ”satellites”

Members of the LK forum have been interested in what small animals we can see in action in such waters. The information below is provided by Henn Timm from the Estonian University of Life Sciences:

"In the upper reaches of rivers and streams where the flow is rapid and the water is cold there is almost no plankton. The zoobenthos (the animal fauna of the bottom) is dominated by crenobiotic species (invertebrate aquatic organisms living in cold spring waters), for instance unicellular species, crustaceans, insect larvae, leeches, snails … Typical fish species are river trouts and graylings “.