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Springtime high-water does not reach everywhere. Last remains of the snow in Pärtli, April 18, 2013

 

Early spring is here – birch sap is flowing. Snow is rapidly melting and the water level in the rivers of Soomaa is increasing by a meter every day. Migrant birds can be seen everywhere...

 

Current time seems to be among the wettest. If not everywhere then definitely on lower forest areas and meadows. This is caused by the fact that winter snow has started to melt quickly.  Forest creatures too are temporarily bothered by the water in local high-water areas because the formerly dry habitats have turned into a large water-mirror and homes need to be abandoned for a while and changed for different ones. This causes quite a significant change in the location of ungulates. Animals with greater mobility – wolves and lynxes - should be able to find food with even greater ease thanks to that, since the concentration of prey animals has greatly increased in drier habitats.

 

St George`s Day (Jüripäev) marks the end of the time when wolves kill sheep – prior to St George`s Day, shepherds need to protect the animals from the wolf and after that St George (Püha Jüri) will protect domestic animals.