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In the morning I observed the migration at Kabli bird station for some hours. This year a spring migration monitoring project goes on there, what takes place can be read in the bird station diary. A decent number of passerines could be seen migrating this morning, but other birds were on the move too. As new species for my year list I found the osprey and the parrot crossbill.

 

Great egret. (05.05.2010 Kärevere water meadow)

 

By evening I was back in Tartu; new species were added on the road too. At Häädemeeste village I saw the wheatear, the first birds had arrived in Estonia only in the last few days. In Tartumaa at Rämsi polder a great egret was busy. Although egrets have been seen in the Tartumaa wetlands for some time already, I have not seen them this year. The observations of great egrets have again become more frequent this spring suggesting that to the until now only known nesting site, in Ilmatsalu in Tartumaa, others may be added. At Rämsi polder I saw two garganeys too. Of the more common waterfowl (Anseriformes) I have still not seen only the brent goose; their migration comes in May. The remaining geese and ducks are rarities and finding them will be difficult. My 2012 species list now has  160 bird species.