looduskalender.ee

Wintering mute swans and mallards. Pakri cliff

 

There is a midwinter waterbird counting at January the 12th to 13th. Everyone can count the whole day. To participate, one should choose a suitable part of the beach with open water (view the link in the end of the article) or inland water, and count every bird seen. It is the international bird counting, which takes place all over Europe and elsewhere at the same time.

The weather at the weekend should be cloudy with bright spells. The northern and northwest coast is icefree, as the western and northwest sides of both Hiiumaa and Saaremaa (biggest islands of Estonian west coast) as well. It should be quite promising in some ice-free parts of the rivers. Look at the ice map of EMHI:

http://emhi.ee/?ide=21,798

For participating, contact project manager Leho Luigujõe

leho.luigujoe@gmail.com

5079713

The reason for research, watching and organizing protection of waterbirds is the worsening condition and oil pollution of the waters and a need for an adjustment of hunting. Waterbirds are gathering into the wintering places in large groups. Studying these groups is the most rational way to estimate the condition and abundance of the population.

Winter counting of waterbirds has been organized here since 1995. This is an international project and since 1995 it is incorporated in the Estonian national biological surveillance program.

The maps of counting sectors, reports of earlier results and survey forms are available here: http://www.eoy.ee/node/109.