looduskalender.ee

 Translation: Liis

Summary of August

 

The August of this year will stay in the memory of birders for a long time as exceptionally rich in waders. In the best wader spots (e g Haversi and Telise in Läänemaa, Kõinastu Lee in Saaremaa, Võiste in Pärnumaa, Luidja in Hiiumaa) one could meet hundreds of plovers and sandpipers but also ruffs and sandpipers in the best days. But it was surprising that among the common species not many vagrant species were found. Only in Võiste in Pärnumaa a Terek sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)was seen and that was the extent of rarity wader finds. Overall few rarities were found, in addition to the Terek sandpiper a  Mediterranean gull (Larus melanocephalus) was seen at Undva cape in Saaremaa and at Sõrve säär a crested lark (Galerida cristata) and on Kihnu island a pallid harrier (Circus macrourus). I myself only went twitching for the Terek sandpiper, that species I finally managed to see on the fourth twitching trip. I went twitching for the crested lark already earlier on Kihnu island but the twitching trips for the Mediterranean gull and the pallid harrier I left out because these creatures will not stay in a place.  Only the Terek sandpiper was added to my species list in August, altogether my 2012 list had 267 bird species as of  the end of August.

A top event for birders also came in August – the bird race Estonian Open, which took place in Saaremaa on August 18th this year. The Estonian Open, already the  18th in order, stays in mind because of the record number of participants – 19 competing teams with altogether 77 members. And personally I am of course happy about the third consecutive victory in the Estonian Open.

 

In August I accumulated 153 watching hours (starting from the beginning of the year, 1286), driving kilometres 5464 (from the start of the year 37355) and walking  kilometres were 123 in August (from the start of the year, 832). Comparatively many driving kilometres came in August in connection with the Estonian Open bird race that took place in Saaremaa (in addition to the rally itself preparations were also made in Saaremaa) but I also went to visit the bird spots of Läänemaa and Pärnumaa several times. In September I will evidently move around even more, I would like to observe the migration at Sõrve säär in Saaremaa, at Cape Põõsaspea  in Läänemaa and in Mehikoorma in Tartumaa and obviously some longer twitching trips have to be undertaken too.

 

(Estonian original 02.09.2012)