Lynx is hot topic again

After a month our first Lynx tour in this year will take place. Only Almighty knows how well we'll succeed. We have lurked and followed lynx tracks for several years, now the truth will be told ...

Lynx (Felis lynx) / Sven Zacek

What we need is snow and frost. Last night a thin blanket of snow had fallen, so I was hunting for some tracks. Strolling early morning along the wooded meadow was pretty successful - a raccoon dog had toddled around, a wild boar and a squirrel had crossed the road and a fox had chased a hare. In the wooded meadow I could hear mild knocking and tapping - woodpeckers were there indeed. Redpolls, almost 30 of them, were nibbling up in the white alder. Beside that Willow Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Green Finch, Bullfinch and a bird I didn’t recognize by the call. On my way back I saw a Sparrow Hawk on top of a power post and on the right hand side a Buzzard lurking on the wire.

Thereafter I was driving to the forest ride, where two days ago I had taken the pictures of fresh Lynx footprints.

In the same day I took some pictures of two more animals, but I‘m not very sure about them. My wild guess is that Wolf was the one, who had pulled away and Raccoon dog the one who approached ...

No fresh footpints today, although Wild Boars had crossed the road some time ago. I also checked the edge of the bog. Further on there were 18 Black Grouse in the field.

Later we took a camera and made together with Raili a short detour by car. Couple of elks had crossed the road at night and a pack of wild boars in the morning. Six Blackcocks and a Greyhen were in the field (lucky her!).

Driving back to Lihula along the Pärnu road we saw 5 more Black Grouse in another field. All together 30 Black Grouse for one morning and everything else as a bonus - not so bad at all!

Tarvo had seen Lynx tracks in the last weekend in Vormsi island.

This Saturday I’ll go and scout around more seriously - on foot in the morning and by car in the afternoon. This time I’ll concentrate on the Lynx (and the Wolf) exclusively.

Ilves jälle kuum teema

Kuu aja pärast toimub meil esimene ilvesereis. Ainult jumal ise teab, kuidas see meil õnnestub. Oleme ilveste kannul luuret teinud juba mitu aastat, nüüd on tõehetk käes... 

Ilves (Felis lynx) / Sven Zacek

Lund ja külma oleks vaja. Eile öösel oli õhuke lumekirme maha tulnud, käisin jälgi otsimas. Hommikune teekond puisniidule andis päris toreda tulemuse – kährik oli tuterdanud, metssiga ja orav üle tee läinud ning rebane oli halljänesele jahti pidanud. Puisniidult kostis mitmes suunas kõbistamist, rähnid olid täiesti olemas. Lepa otsas maiustasid urvalinnud, kokku oli neid ligemale 30. Lisaks sini-, põhja- ja rasvatihane, rohevint, leevike, veel keegi (kelle häälitsust ära ei tundnud) ja tagasiteel vasakut kätt raudkull elektriposti otsas ning paremat kätt hiireviu traadil saaki passimas.

Seejärel sõitsin metsasihile, kus üleeile olin värsked ilvesejäljed pildile saanud :)

Sain tookord veel kahed jäljed pildile, ma ei ole väga kindel, aga pakun, et  hunt oli läinud ning kährik tulnud... 

Sel hommikul uusi näha polnud, kuid metssigu oli üle tee läinud. Vaatasin üle ka rabaserva. Eemal põllu peal oli 18 tetre maas.

Edasi tegime koos Railiga väikse ringi autoga, võtsime kaamera ka kaasa. Paar põtra oli öösel ja metssea kari hommikul teed ületanud.

Põllu peal oli maas 6 tedrekukke ja üks kana (küll kanal ikka veab!). 

 

 

Pärnu maanteed pidi tagasi Lihula poole sõites oli ühe põllu peal veel 5 tetre. Kokku 30 tetre ühe hommikuga ja kõik muu pealekauba – pole paha?

Tarvo nägi ilvese jälgi möödunud nädalavahetusel Vormsil käies. 

Sel laupäeval lähen tõsisemale luurele – hommikul jalgsi ja õhtuhakul autoga. Seekord keskendun ainult ilvesele (ja hundile).

First time in Estonia passed blood transfusion, passed from one bird to another, saved the life of White-tailed Eagle

In January 11 a sick White-tailed Eagle was taken to the hospital of Estonian Land University and to save its life, blood from a donor eagle was used. Today the sick bird is recovering and is taking solid food already. While the most critical period is over, odds are that this White-tailed Eagle will once go back to wild again.

 Photo: Eesti Maaülikool. Source: delfi.ee

Madis Leivits, a vet from the Land University told, that the bird was found somewhere in the surrounds of Kuusalu. “The arriving bird was in a really lousy condition, head was turned onto the back, it could hardly stand and the preliminary checkup revealed, that the bird was exceptionally light and practically without any musculature.” Blood samples showed very critical picture, something, that even the vets hadn’t seen before. The exact medical history is not known this very moment, but it can be expected that the bird was exposed to some kind of poison, contamination, contagious disease or the reason was victual. All earlier experiences from Estonia and worldwide suggested, that a sick bird in such a bad condition should be put down. However, Estonian vets tried something unconventional. “We decided to try out blood transfusion from another bird, as another bird was just available for this quick procedure and so we gave the blood of one bird to another,” said Leivits.

The eagle has left the intensive care by now and the post-transfusion period has been going fine. “Our goal is to let the bird back to the wild again, where it can carry on its activities,” told the vet.

Watch the video of the eagle under the treatment...

Esmakordselt Eestis tehtud vereülekanne lindude vahel päästis merikotka elu

11. jaanuaril viidi Eesti Maaülikooli kliinikusse ravile haige merikotkas, kelle päästmiseks kasutati doonorkotka verd. Tänaseks on raskelt haige lind paranemas ja ta on üle läinud tahkele toidule. Kuna eriti kriitiline aeg on möödas, võib loota, et merikotkas saab kunagi tagasi vabasse loodusesse.

Foto: Eesti Maaülikool. Allikas: delfi.ee

Eesti Maaülikooli loomaarst Madis Leivitsa sõnul leiti kotkas Kuusalu kandist. "Lind oli saabumisel üpris kehvas seisus, pea oli kõverasti selja peal, vaevu-vaevu suutis seista ja esmasel ülevaatusel avastasime, et ta on hästi hästi kerge ja tal pole praktiliselt üldse lihasmassi." Kohe tehtud vereanalüüsid näitasid väga halb seisu, sellist, mida ka loomaarstid polnud varem näinud. Milline on täpne haiguslugu, pole praegu veel endiselt teada, kuid võib oletada, et tegemist oli mürgistuse, toiteliste probleemidega või isegi nakkushaigusega. Varasem kogemus nii Eestis kui maailmas ütles, et sellises seisus lind tuleks magama panna. Eesti loomaarstid proovisid aga midagi muud. "Otsustasime katsetada vereülekannet teiselt linnult, kuna oli parasjagu võimalik ka doonorlindu kasutada ja saigi üks kiire protseduur tehtud, kus kandsime ühelt kotkalt teisele kotkale verd," rääkis Leivits.

Intensiivravist on kotkas praegu väljas ja vereülekande järgne aeg on sujunud väga hästi.  "Meie eesmärk on ta vabastada just tagasi loodusesse, kus ta saab oma tegemisi jätkata," ütles loomaarst.

Vaata ka videot ravitavast kotkast...

Eesti röövlindude seire 2014

2014. aastal jätkas Eesti Ornitoloogiaühingu röövlinnutöörühm röövlindude arvukuse ja sigimisedukuse seiret. Projekti eesmärgiks on kolme linnuseltsi (haukaliste Accipitriformes, pistrikuliste Falconiformes, kakuliste Strigiformes) seisundi jälgimine. Seireprojekt on praegusele lähedases mahus olnud käigus alates 1988. aastast ning Eesti riiklikku keskkonnaseire programmi kuulunud aastast 1994. Röövlinnustikku jälgiti 15 üle Eesti paikneval seirealal. Kahele enam ohustatud liigile – kanakullile ja kassikakule – pöörati suuremat tähelepanu ka väljaspool seirealasid. Kokku leiti 526 röövlindude pesitsusterritooriumi mis kuulusid 18 liigile (s.h. 11 liiki haukalisi, 2 liiki pistrikulisi ja 5 liiki kakulisi).

Suurel määral putukatest sõltuval herilaseviul ja lõopistrikul jäi jaheda ja vihmase algusega suve tõttu arvukus madalamaks kui eelmisel aastal, kuid see ületas siiski keskmise taseme. Pisinärilistest toituval hiireviul, tuuletallajal, roo- ja soo-loorkullil jäi arvukus samuti mullusest väiksemaks, kuid ei langenud pikaajalisest keskmisest tasemest allapoole. Väike-konnakotka, raudkulli ja värbkaku arvukus püsib keskmisel tasemel, välja-loorkulli arvukus on jätkuvalt väga madal.

 Värbkakk (Glaucidium passerinum) / Valeri Štšerbatõh

Väike-konnakotkas (Aquila pomarina) / Mati Kose

Seevastu eelmine soe ja lumevaene talv mõjus soodsalt meil aastaringselt esinevale händ- ja kodukakule, kellel tõusid nii arvukus kui sigimisedukus. Märkimisväärne on vöötkaku kolme pesakonna leid pärast möödunud talvel toimunud rohkearvulist sisserännet.

 Vöötkakk (Surnia ulula) / Luke Massey

Avastati 14 seni teadmata kanakulli pesitsusterritooriumi ning leiti 31 uut pesa. Edukalt pesitsevaid kanakullipaare oli küll vähem, kuid poegi kurnades keskmisest rohkem.

Kassikakke otsiti kaitsealadel läbi viidud linnuinventuuride käigus ning 15 potentsiaalselt sobival alal. Kokku leiti tänavu Eestist 18 selle haruldase kaku poolt asustatud pesitsusterritooriumi, kuid registreeriti vaid kolm pesitsuskatset, mis kõik olid õnneks edukad.

Birds of prey monitoring in Estonia, 2014

The working group for birds of prey, part of the Estonian Ornithological Society, continued the monitoring of breeding and reproductive success of birds of prey during 2014. The project aims to monitor the condition of three orders: Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes hence inluding all birds of prey and owls. The project has followed roughy the same format since 1988 and has been part of the Estonian National Environmental Monitoring Programme since 1994. The raptors were monitored in 15 plots all over Estonia with two of the most threatened species - Goshawk and Eagle Owl - also monitored outside these areas. In all 526 breeding territories were recorded, belonging to 18 species including 11 species of Accipitriformes, 2 species of Falconiformes and 5 species of Strigiformes.

The abundance of Honey Buzzard and Hobby, both of which depend on insects to a large extent, was lower than in the previous year due to the cold and rainy beginning of the summer, but still exceeded the average. The abundance of Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Montagu’s Harrier and Marsh Harrier, which feed on small rodents, was also lower than last year, but did not fall below the long-term average. The abundance of Lesser Spotted Eagle, Sparrowhawk and Eurasian Pygmy Owl remain around average but the abundance of Hen Harrier continues at very low levels.

 Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) / Valeri Štšerbatõh

 Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina) / Mati Kose

In contrast, the previous warm and snowless winter was truly favourable to Tawny Owl and Ural Owl, occurring here year-round, as both species’ abundance and reproductive success are increasing. Finding three clutches of Great Grey Owl after last winter's high levels of immigration was really noteworthy.

 Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) / Luke Massey

14 breeding territories of Goshawk, unknown up to now and 31 new nests were discovered. Although the number of successful breeders was lower, the number of nestlings per clutch was higher than average.

Suitable areas in nature reserves were checked for Eagle Owls with 15 potentially suitable areas discovered.  in all, 18 breeding areas of this rare owl were found, but only 3 breeding attempts were recorded - fortunately all were successful.

A PRELIMINARY overview of monitoring for Raptors in Estonia. Read here ...

Bird species list of Estonia

The checklits of birds recorded in Estonia is currently at 385 species (categories A..C), and can be found on the website of the Estonian Ornithological Society (EOÜ).

A new addition to the list was Lesser Short-toed Lark (Calandrella rufescens):
04.06.2014 Rammu island, Harju County (Riho Männik, Monika Laurits-Arro, Jaanus Aua) (Photograph...)

In addition to that Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) was transferred to the main list. Mandarin Duck was in category E as all records were considered cagebird escapes, but as there are now numberous birds breeding in the country it has been moved to category C - species and subspecies that are introduced or considered to have a self-sustaining population based on specimen escaped from captivity, also species, that occur here from similar populations outside Estonia. There are wild populations of Mandarin Duck in several places in Europe, the nearest regular breeding area being e.g. in Poland. Also in Finland the Mandarin Duck was recently moved to category C. This means that in Estonia there are 3 species now in category C: Canada Goose, Mandarin Duck and Feral Pigeon.

All the confirmed sightings of each species and subspecies, handled by the Rarities Commission can be viewed here...

Greater Spotted Eagle will be better protected in Estonia

The Minister confirmed the Greater Spotted Eagle protection Action Plan, which aims to stop the worldwide decline in numbers of this endangered species and maintain the number at 5-10 breeding pairs as the minimum.

To protect the species more effectively it is important to learn more about the species' way of life and provide them with suitable conditions.

The biggest threat to the survival of Greater Spotted Eagle here is hybridisation with Lesser Spotted Eagles, which is 10 times more abundant. It is difficult to prevent such pairs forming but imporving the habitat for Greater Spotted Eagle may help.

Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) / Source: Wikipedia

Greater Spotted Eagle is the rarest eagle species occurring in Estonia, and numbers are declining worldwide placing it in the group of the rarest bird species in the highest need of protection. In recent years preservation of Greater Spotted Eagles' nest sites has improved a lot, as many previously unknown nesting sites have been identified and protected. For the same reason the risk of disturbing birds during the breeding season has also decreased.

The first protection plan for the Greater Spotted Eagle was drawn up in 1999, the second in 2005, and the newly approved plan is a further improvement on previous ones.

Suur-konnakotkas saab Eestis parema kaitse

Keskkonnaminister kinnitas suur-konnakotka kaitse tegevuskava , mille eesmärk on peatada kogu maailmas ohustatud suur-konnakotkaste arvukuse langus Eestis ja säilitada nende arvukus vähemalt 5-10 paari juures.

Liigi tõhusamaks kaitseks on oluline suurendada teadmisi suur-konnakotka elust ja tagada neile sobivad elutingimused.

Suurim oht suur-konnakotkaste säilimisel on ristumine väike-konnakotkaga, keda on Eestis ligi kümme korda rohkem. Ristumist on raske otseselt takistada, kuid seda on võimalik vähendada kaudsete tegevustega, näiteks suurendada suur-konnakotka arvukust parandades tema elutingimusi.

 Suur-konnakotkas (Aquila clanga) / Allikas: Wikipedia

Suur-konnakotkas on kõige haruldasem Eestis pidevalt esinev kotkas, kelle arvukus kogu maailmas on languses. Ta kuulub kõige haruldasemate ja enim kaitset vajavate linnuliikide hulka. Viimaste aastatega on paranenud suur-konnakotkaste pesapaikade säilimisvõimalused, sest paljud varem teadmata pesapaigad on leitud ja kaitstud. Samal põhjusel on vähenenud  ka lindude pesitsusaegne häirimise oht.

Esimene kava suur-konnakotka kaitse plaanimiseks koostati 1999. aastal, teine koostati 2005. aastal ning äsja kinnitatud kava on järg kahele eelmisele.

Life in front of the forest camera is agile

Forest Cam started the new season on 25th November 2014 and on the third night there was great excitement when it captured a herd of 11 Wild Boar. This species has since become a regular sight on the camera with visits from hers of 18-23 animals.

Source: LK forum

About 10 kilometres from the Forest cam there resides a Wolf pack of 11 animals. Late at night of 2nd December a large single Wolf appeared on the camera's. A few days later, the Wolf appeared again this time at half past eight in the evening. Wild Boars appeared after an hour, but there was no sign of fear in their behavior or signs of nervousness suggesting that the Wolves do not really bother them.

Source: looduskalender.ee

Source: looduskalender.ee

At night, Raccoon Dogs sometimes visit the feeding site and a local pair have been hanging aorund the marked feeding site since October.

Source: looduskalender.ee

Follow the direct stream from the forest cam.

Watch the ‘Ozone’ newscast about the Wild Boar and the forest cam here (click the picture).

Metsakaamera ees käib vilgas elu

Metsakaamera alustas uut hooaega 25-ndal novembril 2014. Juba kolmandal õhtul oli kohal üheteistkümne pealine metssea kari. Hiljem on söödaplatsi regulaarselt külastanud 18-23 pealine kari.

Allikas: LK foorum

Metsakaamerast umbes kümne kilomeetri kaugusel tegutseb üheteistpealine hundikari.
2. detsembri hilisõhtul ilmus metsakaamera vaatlusplatsile üksik suur hunt. Mõni päev hiljem saabus hunt kell pool üheksa õhtul. Metssead ilmusid kaamera ette umbes tunni pärast, nende käitumises polnud ohu märke ega närvilisust.  Tundub, et hunt neid eriti ei kimbuta.

 Allikas: Looduskalender

Allikas: Looduskalender

Öösiti külastavad söödaplatsi mõnikord ka kährikud. Siinne kährikupaar hulgub märgistatud tegevusalal koos ringi oktoobrikuust alates.

Allikas: Looduskalender

Jälgi metsakaamera otsestriimi.

Vaata Osooni saadet metsseast ja Metsakaamerast siin (klikka pildile).

Wildlife photography tour with Neil Aldridge and Remo Savisaar

An 9-day holiday focusing on the fantastic opportunities to photograph Estonia´s wildlife.

Period: Sat 23rd May - Sun 31st May 2015

Price: 1795 € pp.

BOOK HERE...

Click here and read Terms and Conditions...
See Estonian wildlife photo gallery by Neil Aldridge and Remo Savisaar...

This photo tour combines specialist photographic tuition and expert wildlife guiding through the skills and knowledge of noted professional wildlife photographer from UK, Neil Aldridge and leading Estonian photographer Remo Savisaar. We offer just six people the chance to photograph some of Europe's iconic wildlife, now rare or extinct elsewhere in Europe.

Join Neil and Remo and travel from coast to forest and from bog to riverbank photographing Estonia's wildlife and wild places. Highlights of the trip include the chance to photograph bears and other forest-dwelling mammals like elk and wild boar. Beaver sightings have also been excellent on previous trips. Estonia has great swathes of forest and picturesque bogs that give the chance to focus on landscape photography. On top of that, Estonia boasts a bird list of over 300 species.

Highlights
Highlights of the trip include the chance to photograph some of Europe's iconic wildlife that is now either rare or extinct elsewhere in the continent. Mammals that you will be aiming to photograph include bears and beavers, with the added hope of finding other forest-dwelling species like wild boar and elk.

Estonia has an impressive bird list of well over 300 species and Neil and Remo will be hoping to find for you forest species like woodpeckers, raptors like osprey, marsh harrier and white-tailed eagle, as well as coastal waders and seabirds. May is also a good time for seeing waterbird migratory activity from the coastal sites you will be visiting.

Estonia's forests and bogs not only support  an array of wildlife but the country's landscapes and habitats are wonderfully photogenic. The chance to photograph landscapes long since cut down or purposefully drained elsewhere in Europe makes this a particularly special place to visit. Estonia's many bird-watching towers make getting a unique perspective on flat landscapes relatively easy. 

Accommodation

Accommodation is in comfortable guest houses and hotels. This is to ensure that there are necessary facilities to charge camera batteries and laptops throughout the trip. It is also good to have somewhere safe to leave any equipment or belongings while out on a shoot. However, because you will sometimes be out in the field for long periods, every effort is made to try to keep the accommodation costs reasonable.

Your guides

Neil Aldridge is an award-winning photojournalist and professional wildlife guide. Neil’s photography has been celebrated in the winning portfolio of the international Wildlife Photographer of the Year and he is a British Wildlife Photography Awards winner. He is a published author and his work is seen widely in publications such as BBC Wildlife Magazine. Neil’s photography experience, knowledge of wildlife and professional field guiding qualifications make him ideally suited to assisting others in photographing and experiencing wildlife and wild places. Neil leads wildlife photography trips in Europe and Africa.

Remo Savisaar is one of Estonia’s leading wildlife photographers. Remo was attracted to the nature around him at an early age and has been passionate about nature photography for the past seven years. His award-winning photographs have received recognition at international level. He has held numerous exhibitions and his work has been published in books and in magazines, including National Geographic. His knowledge of photography and eye for a good photograph has meant that he has also been a member of the jury of several photo contests. This makes Remo well suited to helping others see and take that winning photograph.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Tallinn
Arrive in Tallinn, where you will be met by your guides. You will be collected from the airport and transferred to the hotel. The first evening will involve getting to know each other over welcome drinks, a trip briefing and dinner.

Day 2 - Paljassaare Peninsula, Saaremaa Island & Kiipsaare Peninsula
Early in the morning the group will visit the protected Paljassaare peninsula. Situated in Tallinn, Paljassaare has beautiful landscapes and a long bird list. From Tallinn’s first bird observation tower, magnificent views unfold onto pools and lagoons amidst the reed thickets and bushes of the peninsula and onto the sea beyond.

May is the time of waterfowl and wader migration, so your guides will be looking for avian subjects, particularly those in flight. Little Ringed Plover nest on the peninsula and can often be photographed at close quarters. 215 bird species have been recorded here altogether, 40 of which are protected throughout Europe. Low light, lovely colours and morning haze will add extra atmosphere to the shots.

After breakfast everyone will pack up and leave for Saaremaa Island, which is reached via a brief ferry trip. The destination here is Pilguse manor – birthplace of famous explorer Admiral von Bellingshausen, where you will have a short rest. In the evening there will be the chance to photograph at Kiipsaare Peninsula, which is an ever-changing sandy coastal formation and features a stranded lighthouse, behind which the sun sets. Waterfowl and waders will still be active. You may also find seals, which are common in these coastal waters. Dinner will be back at Pilguse Guest House.

Day 3 - Viidumäe & Sõrve
The first destination will be the Viidumäe Reserve, where you will start the day photographing from the high observation tower. The tower may be beyond some who struggle with vertigo but the views over the forest are worth it - particularly at sunrise!

The group will continue exploring the reserve and finding forest landscapes, flowers and butterflies to photograph. The flora of Viidumäe comprises of a remarkable 700 species, the most interesting ones being different orchids and other plants. The forest is rich in mosses, lichens, large butterflies and spiders. This smoothly changing forest landscape with steep overgrown cliffs, small swamps with dwarfish pine-trees will keep the group busy until late morning. Lunch and a rest will then be enjoyed.

Late afternoon will see the group head to the Sõrve peninsula. The quiet backroads can provide opportunities for photographing elk, deer, owls and other birds. The bays by the peninsula are home to waterfowl and white-tailed eagles hunt here. The sunsets over the sea can be stunning and there will be the chance to photograph this before returning for dinner at Pilguse.

Day 4 - Pilguse & Photo Tutorial Session
The start of the final morning on Saaremaa will be with optional, informal photography in the grounds of the Pilguse Guest House, which is home to wagtails, swallows, wrynecks, flycatchers, owls, corncrakes and other birds. En route to the ferry terminal you will be checking for orchids, including the incredible lady's slipper orchid, which grows in good numbers on the island.

After 11am, the group will take the ferry to the mainland, have lunch and continue on to South-East Estonia to check in at Mooste – a former vodka brewery and now a restored and picturesque guesthouse and Photo Tourism Centre.

Following lunch and a rest, a photo tutorial session will take place using the centre's excellent facilities.

Day 5 - Jarvselja, Portfolio Reviews & Rapina
After coffee, the morning will be spent photographing forest wildlife, such as deer and elk, in the nearby Jarvselja forests before returning to the Guest House for breakfast and rest.

Before lunch, your guides will once again make use of the excellent facilities at the Mooste Photo Tourism Centre and there will be a group portfolio review and tutorial session. After lunch you will head out to photograph at Rapina, putting the lessons from the tutorial into practice. Dinner will be at the Guest House.

Day 6 - Ardla Wetlands & Beaver Boat Trip
After leaving Mooste the group will spend the morning at the Aardla wetlands to watch and photograph waders, birds of prey and other birds. The wetlands are also good for plants and amphibians. You will be able to choose from several shooting sites, depending on the spread of the flood. There is a bird tower which is also an option for shooting from an elevated position.

The evening will be devoted to finding and photographing beavers on the Emajogi River, which borders the rich Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve. The boat trips can be incredibly rewarding as you will pass through wetlands and grasslands, which are home to corncrakes, bitterns, cranes, kingfishers and marsh harriers. A late dinner at the Hansa Hotel will be waiting on your return.

Day 7 - Endla Bog & Alutaguse Bear Hide
An early start will see the group arrive at Endla Bog in time for sunrise. It is worth it - the protected Endla Bog-system covers more than 100 square kilometers and comprises raised bogs with picturesque dwarf pines and bog-lakes, swamp forests and karst springs. These locations hold great natural diversity of about 450 plant and 180 bird species. Cranes, waders, Golden and Spotted Eagle, different woodpeckers and passerines can be expected. Endla Lake is considered to be one of the richest and most diverse birding locations in Estonia.

You will then check in at Matsu guest house in North-East Estonia just before lunchtime, followed by a welcome rest to be as fresh as possible for an overnight session in a bear hide. These hides offer the best opportunity to take pictures of these shy giants of the forest. The hides are well sound-proofed though and there may be the chance to photograph other mammals such as raccoon dog and red fox, as well as forest bird species. With long daylight hours it remains light enough (depending on cloud-cover) to shoot well into the night and from early morning.

Day 8 - North-eastern Forests & Alutaguse Bear Hide
After leaving the bear hide, the group will return to the guest house for breakfast before spending the day resting. Depending on tiredness and the temperature, there will be the option to explore the nearby forest roads.

The final night will, once again, be spent in the bear hide. If at this time anyone feels satisfied with their sightings and photographs and wishes to get a good night's sleep, there is the option for guests to remain at Matsu Guest House, where dinner will be provided.

Day 9 - Alutaguse Bear Hide to Tallinn
After leaving the bear hide, the group will enjoy breakfast together at Matsu Guest House. You will then pack before leaving for Tallinn. One final lunch will be enjoyed together in Tallinn and, before heading to the airport to catch return flights, there will be time for an optional brief guided tour of the beautiful old area of the town.

Period: Sat 23rd May - Sun 31st May 2015

Price: 1795 € pp.

Includes: English-Estonian speaking guides troughout the journey. All meals and all local transport. Entrance fees to protected areas and museums. Accommodation.

BOOK HERE...

Click here and read Terms and Conditions...

Algas metssea aasta

Eesti Looduskaitse Seltsi eestvõttel kuulutati 15. detsembril välja aasta loom 2015, kelleks on metssiga. Aasta looma valimise eesmärk on aasta jooksul pöörata enam tähelepanu ühele Eestis elavale loomaliigile. Sel aastal räägitakse veidi enam metssigade tegemistest, elukorraldusest ja neid ohustavast katkust. Selles osas teevad koostööd nii teadlased, jahimehed kui veterinaarid. 

 Metssead (Sus scrofa) / Sven Zacek

Meie metsades elutseb üle paarikümne tuhande metssea ja nende tegevuse jälgi pole keeruline metsas ja põllul leida. Metssead on üldiselt seltskondlikud loomad. Nad moodustavad karju, mille suurus oleneb nende asukohast ja aastaajast. Enamasti ei ületa karja suurus 6–20 isendit. Metssead on üldiselt öise eluviisigia ning aktiivsed peamiselt varahommikuti ja hilisõhtuti. Keskmiselt 4–8 tundi päevas otsivad nad süüa, mis on üldiselt sotsiaalne tegevus koos grupiga. Päevasel ajal puhkavad nad varjulistes kohtades, näiteks põõsastes. Metssea eluiga on tavaliselt 9–10 eluaastat, kuid ta võib elada isegi kuni 25 aasta vanuseks.

Metssiga on pälvinud ohtralt tähelepanu ka kui Aafrika seakatku levitaja. Kolme kuuga on Eestis tekkinud seitse seakatkukollet ja leitud 68 katkujuhtu. 

Vaata ka metsakaamera otsestriimi...

Wild Boar Year has begun

On December 15th The Estonian Society for Nature Conservation announced the Mammal of the Year 2015 - the Wild Boar.  The purpose of electing the mammal of the year is to turn more attention to one mammal species, living in the forests of Estonia. During this year there will be more information available about Wild Boar - its movements, activities, way of life and  the threat of swine fever.  Contributions to this information come from scientists, hunters and vets.

Wild boars (Sus scrofa) / Sven Zacek

There are more than twenty thousand Wild Boar living in our forests and it is usually easy to find its tracks or marks of activity in the forest or in the field. Wild Boar are generally social creatures. They gather into groups of different sizes, usually between 6-20 animals depending on location or time of the year.  They are generally nocturnal, the most active periods being early in the morning and late in the evening. They search for food as an average 4-8 hours per day. This is usually a social activity  within the group.  In the daytime they rest in shady places, such as amongst shrubs.  Life expectancy of Wild Boar is usually 9-10 years, but some specimens can make it up to 25.  Wild boar has received much attention as the disseminator of CSF and over three months seven lesions and 68 cases of swine fever were discovered in Estonia. 

Take a look of the live streaming view from the Wild Boar web-camera ...