looduskalender.ee

Chaffinch picking alder seeds from lake water

 

On the birdwatching days on April 19-20 more than 130 000 birds of 187 species were noted. In the history of the birdwatching days more species have been seen only in 2000, when 200 bird species were registered. Results from 198 observation groups in which at least 362 bird enthusiasts had participated arrived at the Ornithological Society this year.

 

Predictably more than half of the birds seen were Branta and Anser geese. For them the peak period of arriving in Estonia on their migration was approaching at the watching days. Over 2000 birds were registered of long-tailed ducks, black-headed gulls and chaffinches.

 

The most frequently seen bird species was as usual the great tit, followed by wagtail, chaffinch, hooded crow, starling and blackbird. During the Easter weekend many expected migrants also arrived, for instance the first cuckoos were heard and many barn swallows seen. But on the birdwatching days  many species rare in Estonia were seetoo by the observers, such as ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus), pallid harrier (Circus macrourus), red kite (Milvus milvus), lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus), black scoter (Melanitta nigra americana) and others.

 

The real sensation was the collared accentor (Prunella collaris), seen only once previously in Estonia.

 

The greatest number of bird species during the two observation days was seen by Peep Veedla on whose list from North Estonia 92 species were registered. More than 90 species were also recorded by Kalle Muru from South Estonia and Tarvo Valker from Läänemaa.

 

The final results from the birdwatching days can be studied on the Estonian Ornithological Society web site:

www.eoy.ee

 

Many thanks from the Ornithological Society to Kristjan Adojaan and OÜ 5D Vision for creating the electronic survey form for the watching days and Roman Zadonski for help in making the summary.