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English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 08.08.2018

Black stork        Must-toonekurg          Ciconia nigra     

 

As in every year the visits of the female stork becomes rarer in July until we one day notice that she has not been visiting the nest at all for several days – that is how she sets out on migration.

The last time that we saw the third storklet was on the same day that they became two and a half months old. There have been occasions in earlier years when a young bird that has been out straying around has returned again to the nest after four days …

The author, Kristel Vilbaste, also presents texts in Vikerraadio

Photos: Arne Ader and Vello Keppart

Translation into English by Maret

_{Estonian text posted 26.07.2018}

Birch catkins

Did you notice, how toward the end of last week birches suddenly turned yellow? Normally at this time of the year birches get just yellow streaks in their green dos.

Some birches are already totally autumn-yellow. That, however, does not mean, that somehow the autumn will arrive earlier, it just means that birches are very sensitive to drought and water shortage. Drought is forcing some trees to drop their yellow leaves already.

Also the bird cherry (aka hackberry) is already autumnally red, we can find the first deep-red leaves on the footpaths and the trees themselves look unexpectedly bare. The bird cherry is the first tree to show us the signs of fall.

The author, Kristel Vilbaste, also presents texts in Vikerraadio.

Photo: Urmas Tartes

Translation into English by Maret 

_{Estonian text posted 24.07.2018}

Seven-spot ladybirds drinking the nectar of a creeping thistle

thistle We keep hearing from Pärnumaa (a county on the west coast of Estonia - M.), that the seaside is thick with ladybirds and the question is: what is causing this unprecedented occurrence?

People, who have frequented seasides know, that ladybirds by the seaside are not really such a rare happening. I remember well, that the year before I started school, I played with ladybirds on the beach at Kabli, and that all the beach dunes, bigger rocks and the tips of the reeds were full of them. When a tall wave happened to roll in, it was coloured red with ladybirds.