The author, Kristel Vilbaste, also posts texts in Vikerraadio

Photo: Arne Ader

Translation into English by Maret

Estonian text posted 15.08.2018

Eurasian jay

Have you noticed, how many acorns we have this year? A good year for acorns was supposed to mean a winter with lots of snow.

Because of the dry weather the acorns started falling down as early as at the end of July. But you cannot carry such an acorn around in your pocket for long, as its shell has not yet hardened and will turn black very quickly, and the acorn itself will wither. It’s still too early to collect them; the same goes for hazelnuts  —  they still taste like hay right now.

Nevertheless, we have many searchers for acorns. First of all the Eurasian jays, who carry them off shouting with joy. And although the Estonian name for those jays (pasknäär) does not have a nice sound, the bird itself is very pretty.

Photo Arne Ader

English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 06.09.2018

White storks

White stork      Valge-toonekurg          Ciconia ciconia

A month ago the white storks were busy very visibly and diligently at road verges. The young birds had fledged.

In the beginning of September we only meet some solitary stray bird or groups of not yet breeding birds.

The white storks always leave somehow suddenly – they are busy as if there would be no hurry anywhere and one morning you suddenly notice that you haven’t seen any birds for several days...

Text Aivar Leito
Pnoto Arne Ader
English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 04.09.2018

Crane

Hello again crane friends!

Screenshot from webcam IceAge, LK forum
English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 01.09.2018

The young  greater spotted eagle finally got the name Tõnnipoeg

Greater spotted eagle       Suur-konnakotkas         Clanga clanga

Three months have passed in a flash. In our web camera nest a handsome juvenile has grown up. There is still action near the nest but this period too will end in the next few days.

Let us see what will happen that the camera lens will no longer show.

The author, Kristel Vilbaste, also posts texts in Vikerraadio

Photo: Arne Ader

Translation into English by Maret

Estonian text posted 14.08.2018

A flock of common cranes

August the 10th is St. Lawrence’s Day and August 15th is the Day of the Assumption of Mary, and for the farmers they mean that the fall labours should have started.

In the old days, that was the time for sowing rye and looking up to see, if the cranes, the “sowing cranes”, were flying high or low. If they flew high up, it meant that the rye would grow tall, if they flew low, the rye would remain low as well. Apples would acquire their proper taste and forests would be full of berries.

There is another reason as well to look up to the skies right now.