looduskalender.ee

 Blackbird

 

January 25

 

The weather station threatened with Siberian cold. So the decision was easy – the trip should go to Hiiumaa, where the weather is milder and to where, hopefully, the last late migrating birds flee. On going to the island yesterday I made the obligatory stop at the Haapsalu water treatment plant again. As interesting winterers this time I noted moorhen, robin and 2 meadow pipits there.

On today’s agenda was to check the northern coast of Hiiumaa, from Kärdla to Ristna. The morning started in Kärdla with the noisy calls of blackbirds. This winter the blackbird is a rare winterer on the mainland but in Hiiumaa (mainly in Kärdla) I found some twenty birds today. Well, winter reached Hiiumaa only a few days ago and there were still comparatively many migrant birds there. Today I saw one more robin too, it was already my fifth in January. If I remember rightly I have seen more of them this winter than during all previous winters together. The reason is the mild winter and of course also the fact that I have never been on so many birding trips to the west coast in winter.

Today’s most interesting find came in the morning near Kõrgessaare. At the verge of the shoreside pine forest I discovered an eagle owl. This creature has become so rare in recent years that I have not even seen it every year. This year however it is already my second eagle owl observation.

On the coast, especially in Ristna, I noted that the cold wave seemed to have forced the dawdlers on migration. Clearly migrating mute swans, long-tailed ducks, red-throated loons and Steller’s eiders could be seen. It is likely that in the morning there may be more active movements in Ristna, so I plan to go there already in early morning and stay for birding.