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 Wagtail

 

In the Easter birdwatch days arranged by EOÜ on the weekend of April 19^th-20^th, many exciting bird species and new spring arrivals were seen thanks to the splendid weather. By the time for the initial preliminary summary, 96 watching forms had arrived to the Ornithological Society and 165 bird friends had taken part in the compilation of them and noted 45 000 birds of 155 species. Since we are still waiting until Friday, April 25^th, for data from the birdwatching days the results will definitely be significantly supplemented.

 

According to the preliminary summary more than half of the birds seen were predictably  the Anser and Branta geese, for whom the peak period of arriving in Estonia on their migration is at hand. Observations of black-headed gulls, long-tailed ducks and chaffinches were also numerous. The most frequently encountered bird species according to the preliminary summary were great tit, wagtail, chaffinch, fieldfare, blackbird and starling. On the weekend cuckoos were also already heard in several places and barn swallows were seen. But on the birdwatching days observers also noted a number of bird species rare in Estonia, such as the ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus), pallid harrier (Circus macrourus), red kite (Milvus milvus), lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus), hoopoe (Anser erythropus) and others.

 

The most surprising find was surely the collared accentor (Prunella collaris) that was seen in Hiiumaa, and has been seen in Estonia only once.

 

Birds seen on the weekend can be still registered on the EOÜ web site  www.eoy.ee until April 25th.

 

(Estonian article published 21.04.2014)