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Greater white-fronted geese at Kärevere floodplain

 

Hello all bird friends!

 

The results of the annual Easter spring bird watch arranged by the Estonian Ornithological Society are now summarized. If anyone still has an observation form that has not been submitted, please send it today (Wednesday) because on Thursday the final results will be up on the EOÜ web site.

 

From the Easter bird watch, on the first weekend of April, this time 112 observation forms have been received by the EOÜ, and 230 nature enthusiasts participated in compiling them. Bird friends counted more than 300 000 birds from 158 species.

An interesting fact this time was that the largest species count was produced from the inland.

The longest observation list was sent in by Mariliis Märtson, who noted 103 bird species  in Viljandimaa during two days. The most participants turned out at the Linnujõll in Tartu led by Arne Laansalu, and at the bird trip in Harjumaa guided by Linda Metsaoru.

 

In this year’s Easter bird watch geese were most numerous in the counts, quite as last year: greater white-fronted geese (86 750 birds) and bean geese (41 650). In addition the chaffinch (28 700), mallard (13 050) and starling (12 700) were among the five most numerous species.

 

The most exciting find at this event was undoubtedly the red-flanked bluetail seen in Pärnumaa. It was observed in Estonia only for the fourth time. Locally there were also several other bird species that are rarely seen in Estonia, as for instance the red-breasted goose and the hoopoe. The most frequently occurring species in the observation lists were the great tit, chaffinch, hooded crow, greenfinch and blackbird.

 

The next EOÜ birdwatch event is the Bird Tower Watch day on May 20th. More information about the event will come next week.