The Winners of the Questionnaire in British Birdfair 2016

For the sixth time, at the British Birdfair, Estonian Nature Tours offered a possibility to win a dream wildlife holiday to Estonia. We wish to thank everyone who completed our questionnaire and took part in the prize draw. ENT apologise to participants that we have not published the results until now. We very much hope that the winners still have the opportunity to include their visit to Estonia in their plans for 2017.

All together our questionnaire was filled in by 18 people, 12 of them gave right answers to all the questions and therefore gained the right to participate in our drawing. The chance to win was very big! This time, the prizes were awarded exclusively to women!

We are delighted to announce the winners:

Grand Prize: MATSALU - A PARADISE FOR BIRDS! 

Price: 855 € - Ms. A.Wragg

Click here to see a video > 

   

Lot 1: Brown Bear photography (for two)

Price: 210 € - Ms. R.Shepherd

Click here to see the video >

Brown Bear / Photo: Luke Massey

Lot 2: Beaver boat-trip (for four) 

Price: 200 € - Ms. J.Young

Click here to see the video >

European Beaver / Photo: Sven Zacek

Lot 3: Elk safari (for two) 

Price: 150 € - A.Halligan

Click here to see the video >

Elk / Photo: Tarvo Valker

Congratulations to everyone!

For more information: info@naturetours.ee

Beginners luck or the whole truth about mammal watching in Estonia?

We came out with a totally new opportunity Mammals and Birds in Estonia in Spring 2011. Our very first visitors experienced something extraordinary during the first trip – in 8 days they saw 5 Brown Bears in different places all over Estonia!

Read comments: One Week in Estonian Wildlife

So far, we have run 18 Mammals and Birds tours and most of them have been very successful. People have seen Flying Squirrels, Brown Bears, Elks, Wild Boars, European Beavers, Raccoon Dogs and many interesting bird species, for example Capercaillie, Hazel Grouse, Black Grouse, Black Stork, Great Snipe and various species of woodpeckers and owls. Some of the groups have been lucky even with Lynxes! What means, our clients can see in Estonia in one week more mammal and bird species than most of Estonians throughout their life. Remarkable, isn´t it?

Brown Bear in Nõva, Estonia 2014 / Photo: Jack Hill

Our first Mammals and Birds tour for this year is already full, so we decided to put on another one. Booking for a period Fri 13th May – Fri 20th May is now open! If you prefer to book through a UK agent so everything is included, there are still places left with Travelling Naturalist  from 15th May – 22nd May 2016.  

A very first Eurasian Lynx trip (probably in Europe) was organized by ENT in the beginning of March 2015 and it started successfully indeed. Pygmy Owl and Mr Lynx was seen in the  first three hours! Was it the beginner's luck? We will find it out soon. There are still places available on a tour Estonia – Eurasian Lynx Quest Wed 2nd Mar - Mon 7th Mar 2016, operated in conjunction with Wise Birding Holidays.. 

The Winners of the Questionnaire in British Birdfair 2015

For the fifth time Estonian Nature Tours offered a possibility to win a dream wildlife holiday to Estonia, this time only at the British Birdfair 2015. Estonian Nature Tours wishes to thank everyone who completed our questionnaire and took part in the prize draw. 
All together our questionnaire was filled in by 32 people, 13 of them gave right answers to all the questions and therefore gained the right to participate in our drawing. The chance to win was pretty big!

We asked all nature lovers to read carefully our homepage www.naturetours.ee or read up on the brochure "ESTONIA – the heart of European wildlife" You have now excellent opportunity to get acquainted to Estonia’s nature.

We are delighted to announce the winners:

Grand Prize: MATSALU - A PARADISE FOR BIRDS! Price: 755 € - Mrs. R.Walls

Click here to see Woodpeckers gallery...

Lot 1: Brown Bear photography (for two). Price: 210 € - Mrs. J.Houston

Brown Bear / Photo: Luke Massey

Click here to see the video...

Lot 2: Beaver boat-trip (for four). Price: 200 € - Mrs. K.Hatch

Beaver / Photo: Remo Savisaar

Click here to see the video...

Lot 3: Elk & Wild Boar safari (for two). Price: 150 € - Mrs. C.Williams

Elk / Photo: Remo Savisaar

Click here to see the video...

Congratulations to everyone!

Abundance of mammals in Estonia

The abundance of Lynx has dropped significantly recently and researchers have therefore suggested to stop hunting this carnivore in the upcoming season. The reason for the decline has been a sharp drop in the abundance of Roe Deer in 2010, when females were no longer able to supply their offspring by adequate nutrition. Over the last two years, three adult female Lynx have been equipped by monitoring devices. The average size of their territories has been 200 square kilometers. When Lynx abundance was high, the average size of male territories was 180 square kilometers, but this year's territories are on average four to five times higher, 800 square kilometers!

Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) / Remo Savisaar

Lynx (Felis lynx) / Sven Zacek

There has also been a slight decline in numbers of Brown Bear and Wolves. There were about 20 Wolf packs in Estonia this year after a steady decline from 31 packs in 2011.  Wolf packs are found in specific area and this is not influenced by other wolves in areas nearby.  Since last summer, local researchers were able to observe in detail the movements of two Wolf packs in Pärnu and Viljandi County as the alpha females of these packs were radio tagged.  Both of the territory sizes were found to be in the range of 700-750 square kilometers. The amount of damage caused to farmers by wolves has continuously declined since 2011, which is probably due to the decrease in their numbers.  

Wolf (Canis lupus) / Valeri Štšerbatõh

   Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) / Luke Massey

The abundance of Wild Boar and Raccoon Dogs is still high but there has been a moderate decline in Elk and Red Deer numbers which primarily inhabit in the two islands, Hiiumaa and Saaremaa. Roe Deer populations that were severely damaged by previous snowy and very cold winters have begun to recover.
The numbers for Pine Marten and Beaver have fallen slightly, but more significantly for Foxes, while numbers of European Polecat, Badger, Mountain and European Hare have increased. Also of interest - a new species of mammal was recorded for Estonia - the Golden Jackal, a species who's range has been gradually moving north and west in recent years.

Elk (Alces alces) / Luke Massey

Racoon Dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) / Valeri Štšerbatõh

Wild boars (Sus scrofa) / Sven Zacek

Special offers! Why Autumn in Estonia?

We are pleased to offer the opportunity to travel Estonia with an exceptionally affordable price this Autumn.

Special offers until 31st August!

Mammals and Birds in Autumn 
Fri 26th Sep - Fri 3rd Oct 2014        
Price: 1295 € pp.
BOOK HERE...

To see Brown Bear video click here...
"In all, 12 000+ Barnacle Geese flew over our head towards Matsalu Bay". See video here...

 Elk (Alces alces) / Luke Massey

 European Beaver (Castor fiber) / Remo Savisaar

Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive in Tallinn, to Haapsalu
Day 2 Matsalu National Park
Day 3 Tracking & birding; Beaver boat-trip
Day 4 To central Estonia; Elk & Wild Boar safari
Day 5 Toosikannu & Mõrdama
Day 6 Transfer to North-East Estonia; Bear Hide
Day 7 Birding & tracking; alternative overnight in the bear hide
Day 8 Departure

Highlights
Mammals: Racoon Dog, Red Fox, Elk, Roe Deer, Flying Squirrel (in darkness 70% quaranteed), Wild Boar (90%), Brown Bear (90%), European Beaver (95%), tracks and droppings of  Lynx and Wolves (100%, or even  the animals themselves if you are lucky!)
Birds: Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, hundreds (or thousands) of Common Cranes, White-fronted Geese and Bean Geese, thousands of Barnacle Geese, peak autumn migration of songbirds, waders and waterfowls, Ural Owl, Pygmy Owl, Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, Black Grouse, White-backed Woodpecker, Three-toed Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-browed Warbler (probably), Nutcracker, Crested Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Bearded Tit, Lapland Bunting etc.

Birds and Bears
Wed 8th Oct - Sun 12th Oct 2014                           
Price: 795 € pp.
BOOK HERE...

To see Brown Bear video click here...
"In all, 12 000+ Barnacle Geese flew over our head towards Matsalu Bay". See video here... 

   

 Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) / Luke Massey

 Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) / Luke Massey

Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive in Tallinn, to Haapsalu
Day 2 Matsalu National Park
Day 3 To North-East Estonia; Bear hide
Day 4 Alutaguse forests; alternative overnight in Bear hide
Day 8 Departure

Highlights
Birds: massive Arctic waterfowl migration – including thousands of  Long-tailed Ducks, Velvet Scoters and Red-throated Divers, spectacular passerine migration with tens of thousands of Siskins, Chaffinches and Bramblings, possible massive invasion of Jays and Nutcrackers,  stunning raptor migration with hundreds of Sparrowhawks in few hours, Bewick's Swan, Rough-legged Buzzard,  White-tailed Eagle, Common Crane, Hazel Grouse, Grey-headed Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker, Tengmalm's Owl, Pygmy Owl, Great Grey Shrike, Waxwing, Yellow-browed Warbler, probably Hawk Owl etc.
Mammals: Racoon Dog, Red Fox, Elk, Roe Deer, Wild Boar (probably), Brown Bear, tracks and droppings of Lynx and Wolves etc.

Short breaks are becoming increasingly popular and in response to the high demand for this type of holiday we are continuing to increase our programme. For birdwatchers who can make a quick decision and are keen to focus on the spectacular bird migration, we offer this Autumn new, fully-inclusive, 4-day trip in Western Estonia.

WESTERN ESTONIA IN AUTUMN
Thu 25th Sep - Sun 28th Sep 2014
Price: 495 pp.
BOOK HERE... 

Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) / Sven Zacek

Common Crane (Grus grus) / Remo Savisaar

Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive in Tallinn, to Saaremaa    
Day 2 Saaremaa island              
Day 3 Põõsaspea, Leidissoo, Matsalu National park                                    

Day 4 Departure

Highlights
Birds: Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Eurasian Crane (thousands), White-fronted Geese and Bean Geese, tens of thousands of Barnacle Geese, peak autumn migration of songbirds, waders and waterfowls, Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, Black Grouse, Hazel Grouse (probably), Capercaillie (probably), woodpeckers, Yellow-browed Warbler (probably), Nutcracker, Crested Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Bearded Tit, Lapland Bunting etc.
Mammals: Wild Boar (probably), Raccoon Dog, Red Fox, Elk, Roe deer, Red Deer, tracks of Brown Bear, Wolf, & Lynx (probably) etc.

To find out more about our fantastic value birdwatching holidays available for the Autumn 2014  click on our website  or visit us at the Birdfair Marquee 5 Stand 32!


Estonia in the autumn is a magnificent destination for the birdwatcher who wants to see forest species, such as woodpeckers and forest grouse, together with raptors and arctic migration, with that added touch of eastern rarities and even some mammals. From early September until late October, thousands of ducks, geese and cranes use these wetlands as their last feeding and roosting grounds before their final migration to the wintering sites. One of the best time to observe (and photograph) the bears from the hide is in September and October when they return to feeding places to gorge on food before  hibernation.

10 Good Reasons to Visit Estonia in Autumn:
10 000+ Cranes - unforgettable experience
White-backed, Three-toed and Black Woodpecker
Western Taiga forests - habitats to Hazel Grouse, Ural, Hawk and Pygmy Owl
Invasion of Nutcrackers
Massive assemblies of migrating waterbirds from the Arctic
Long coastline and many islands – a paradise for seawatching
Bird stations and siberian rarities
Raccoon Dog, Brown Bear and Ringed Seal
Mating season for Elks
A lot of surprises, colours and silence

Birdfair 2014. What´s new?

The 2014 British Birdfair will take place at Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland on Friday 15th – Sunday 17th August. 

This is the seventh time Estonian Nature Tours (ENT) will participate in the biggest bird and ecotourism fair in the world as an exhibitor.

Visit us in Marquee 5 Stand 32!

Estonian Nature Tours has been a pioneer in developing nature and bird tourism all over Estonia. We have more than 10 years experience in organising outstanding wildlife holidays in Estonia and the feedback from our clients has always been very positive. Believe it or not – we have developed a fan club, with many of our customers visiting Estonia with our help four or even five times!
Short breaks are becoming increasingly popular and in response to the high demand for this type of holiday we are continuing to increase our programme. For birdwatchers who are keen to focus on the spectacular bird migration, we offer new, fully-inclusive, 4-day trips in Western Estonia for a year 2015.

ESTONIA IN SPRING
Fri 15th May – Mon 18th May 2015
Price: 530 € pp.

BOOK HERE...

Hazel Grouse (Bonasa bonasia) / Remo Savisaar

ESTONIA IN AUTUMN
Fri 18th Sep – Mon 21st Sep 2015
Price: 530 pp.

BOOK HERE...

Common Cranes (Grus grus) / Remo Savisaar

Another new idea is our 5-day fully-inclusive holiday for dragonflies. In recent  years Estonia has been a magnet for birdwatchers from Europe and beyond. Now this Baltic State is also becoming a mecca for dragonfly (and butterfly) enthusiasts eager to see the country´s speciality species.

DRAGONFLIES IN ESTONIA
Wed 10th Jun – Sun 14th June
Price: 755 € pp. 
BOOK HERE...
To read tour report Butterflies in Estonia by Trevor Davenport click here...

Yellow-Spotted Emerald (Somatochlora flavomaculata) / Philip Smith

Ruby Whiteface (Leucorrhinia rubicunda) / Mati Martin

Estonia is an up and coming destination for wildlife photography. Boasting fantastic species such as White-tailed Eagles, Brown Bear, European Beaver, Wild Boar and Elk. All of which you may get the chance to photograph if you visit Estonia.

White-tailed Eagle Photography
September – October / February – March (on request)
Price: from 50 € pp.
Beaver Photography
April – October (on request)
Price: from 45 € pp.
Brown Bear Photography
May – June / September – October (on request)
Price: from 85 € pp.

White-tailed Eagles (Haliaetus albicilla) / Luke Massey

We also have the expertise to discuss your requirements and arrange suitable accommodation and a rental car for your itinerary.

If you are keen to see specific mammals such as Flying Squirrel, Elk, Beaver or Brown Bear then let us know – we can now offer individual bookings on our Mammal study trips and safaris 2015.

Brown Bear tracking and watching                
16.-17.05 / 23.-24.05 / 30.-31.05 / 19.-20.09
To see Brown Bear video click here...

Flying Squirrel Study trip              
15.05 / 17.05 / 24.05
To see Flying Squirrel Study trip gallery click here...

Beaver boat-trip               
April – August (on request)
To see Beaver boat-trip video click here...

Elk & Wild Boar safari    
April – June / August – October (on request)
To see Elk & Wild Boar safari video click here...

 

Flying Squirrel (Pteromys volans) / Rainar Kurbel

Estonian Nature Tours invites you

Estonia – a geographical crossroad for butterflies and dragonflies 
on Saturday 16th August 12:00am – 12:20pm
Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre
Presenter: Dr Wilf Powell
Butterfly Conservation (member), Wildlife Trust (member), Bedfordshire Natural History Society (member of Council)

Despite being a small country lying at the same latitude as N. Scotland, Estonia is host to around 100 butterfly and 57 dragonfly species. This reflects its geographical position, where species with predominantly northern, southern or eastern European distributions meet. This talk will give an introduction to this fascinating butterfly and dragonfly fauna.

NB! For futher information on any of the butterfly (and dragonfly) trips we have on offer in 2015, plus booking details, terms and conditions please visit us in Marquee 5 Stand 32 or e-mail us for the detailed itinerary. The best idea is to visit our stand and chat with Dr Powell right after his presentation (12:30pm – 14:00pm). Wilf Powell has been in Estonia four times and will be back in the Autumn, this time watching bird migration.

Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna) / Wilfred Powell   

All photography enthusiasts who have heard (or not yet heard) anything from Estonia and the wonderful opportunities there are welcome to our stand Marquee 5 Stand 32 on Saturday 18th August  2:00pm – 4:00pm. A professional award-winning photojournalist, Neil Aldridge, will talk about wildlife photography opportunities in Estonia.


Neil's work includes three streams - Conservation Photojournalism, Travel and The Conservation Collection. He has travelled around the world but keeps coming back to Estonia, one of his favourite locations.
Neil's photography has been widely published. He is a contributing photographer to the renowned BBC Wildlife Magazine. His African wild dog work also featured in the winning portfolios of the coveted Wildlife Photographer of the Year and International Conservation Photography Awards, as well as the iLCP's Extinction exhibition in Telluride, Colorado in 2010. As well as several Highly Commended achievements, Neil has twice been a winner of British Wildlife Photography Awards.

 Männikjärve bog in Estonia / Neil Aldridge

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) / Neil Aldridge

Bears and Orchids 18-22 June. Clients are talking...

„Dear Marika,

Firstly I would like to thank you, Peeter and Tuuli for a splendid five days in Estonia. The food, accommodation, itinerary and company were all perfect. Great sites, great orchids and flora, good birds and very comfortable accommodation and tasty local food which Brian and I very much enjoyed. Brian and I were most impressed with the high level of professional service provided.

I'm busy trying to convince my wife that a return trip for dragonflies and birds in August is a must! Best regards. Keith.“ / UK / 2014

Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) / Keith Wilson

„Dear Marika, Tuuli, Keith, and Brian,
it has been a pleasure to spend some days looking for orchids, birds and bears in the  interesting and lovely Estonia, a country which is plenty of opportunities for nature lovers. Our goal will be to promote this country among Italian people, showing the beauty of the flora, fauna  and culture of Estonia and to do that we will produce a video in Italian with English subtitles. As soon as it is ready, we will glad to allow you to watch it on Youtube.
We are collecting notes and sketches on our  field books, like the Brown Bear above,  and we will be glad to share them with you.
Best regards.“ Gloria and Francesco / Italy-Oasis magazine / 2014

 Sketch is drawn by Francesco Petretti

DO NOT MISS!

See below the selection of Birdwatching & other Wildlife holidays we still have on offer for Summer/Autumn 2014.

Dragonfly Holiday in Estonia         
Fri 1st Aug - Fri 8th Aug
Four places available!
An 8-day wildlife holiday in search of the dragonflies (and butterflies) of Estonia, amongst them a fine selection of rare species as Siberian Winter Damsel, Azure Hawker, Green hawker, Bog Hawker, Baltic Hawker, Dark Whiteface, Spearhead Bluet, Yellow-Spotted Emerald as well as Baltic Grayling, Scarce Heath, Scarce Fritillary, Frigga's Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Cranberry Blue, Clouded Apollo, Northern Chequered Skipper, Poplar Admiral etc. Read more...  

Group size: 6/8 pax   3 places available
Local guide: Erki Õunap
Price: 1250 € per person
T: +372 5349 6695 | E: info@naturetours.ee     
for your free Trip itinerary
www.naturetours.ee   

 

Siberian Winter Damselfly / Peeter Vissak

Estonia in Autumn

Fri 19th Sep - Fri 26th Sep
Six places available!      

An 8 day holiday focusing on the spectacular bird migration in Western Estonia. Estonia in the autumn is a magnificent destination for the birdwatcher who wants to see forest species, such as woodpeckers and forest grouse, together with raptors and arctic migration, with that added touch of eastern rarities and even some mammals. In western Estonia, wetlands are always full of life in the autumn. From early September until late October, thousands of ducks, geese and cranes use these wetlands as their last feeding and roosting grounds before their final migration to the wintering sites. The sight of tens of thousands of common birds like Chaffinch and Brambling can be very impressive and these can include large numbers of Goldcrests, Northern Wheatears and Common Starlings. Read more...

Group size: 6/8 pax

Local guide:  Kaarel Võhandu 

Price: 1150 € per person

T: +372 5349 6695 | E: info@naturetours.ee     
for your free Trip itinerary
www.naturetours.ee 

Common Cranes / Remo Savisaar

    

Mammals and Birds in Estonia

Fri 26th Sep - Fri 3rd Oct

An 8-day fully-inclusive holiday amongst unique, untouched nature with winding rivers, vast floodplains, mires, bogs and primeval forests. We will search for mammals including Racoon Dog, Red Fox, European Beaver, Wild Boar, Elk, Roe Deer and Brown Bears and enjoy birdwatching as well. Estonia including several European rarities, the most endagered examples being the European Mink, several species of dormouse and the Flying Squirrel. Read more...

Group size: 4/8 pax

Local guide:  Margus Pensa

Price: 1495 € per person

T: +372 5349 6695 | E: info@naturetours.ee     
for your free Trip itinerary
www.naturetours.ee 

 Elk / Luke Massey

Migration Hotspots

Fri 3rd Oct - Fri 10th Oct

Three places available!    

An 8-day holiday focusing on the most dramatic autumn bird migration locations in Estonia. Estonia has been chosen to appear among the elite of the world ́s most dramatic migration locations for its amazing spring and autumn passage of birds, involving millions of wildfowl and waders flying along the coast between the Baltic Sea and breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra. In addition, there is an exceptional migration of songbirds through the country each autumn, while in winter there are large congregations of wildfowl (including Steller's Eider, now considered a Vulnerable species by BirdLife International) along its coastline. Estonia is acrucial country for birds and a visit or two should be on every birder's itinerary! Read more...

Group size: 6/8 pax

Local guide: Tarvo Valker

Price: 1150 € per person

T: +372 5349 6695 | E: info@naturetours.ee     
for your free Trip itinerary
www.naturetours.ee 

Pochards and Tufted ducks at Matsalu bay / Mati Kose

   

Brown Bears and Birds in Estonia

Wed 8th Oct - Sun 12th Oct    
An 5-day fully-inclusive holiday focusing on the spectacular bird migration and Brown Bear tracking and watching. Estonia in the autumn is a magnificent destination for the birdwatcher who wants to see forest species, such as woodpeckers and forest grouse, together with raptors and arctic migration, with that added touch of eastern rarities and even some mammals. In western Estonia, wetlands are always full of life in the autumn. From early September until late October, thousands of ducks, geese and cranes use these wetlands as their last feeding and roosting grounds before their final migration to the wintering sites. The sight of tens of thousands of common birds like Chaffinch and Brambling can be very impressive and these can include large numbers of Goldcrests, Northern Wheatears and Common Starlings. Read more...

 

Group size: 6/8 pax

Local guide: Kaarel Võhandu

Price: 955 € per person

T: +372 5349 6695 | E: info@naturetours.ee     
for your free Trip itinerary
www.naturetours.ee 

Brown Bear / Luke Massey

Birds and Mammals in Estonia 4-11 October 2013

Early in October Luke Massey Images and Tarvo Valker led a Bird Watching magazine readers group around Estonia searching for an array of different birds. They hit the jackpot spotting over 100 species of bird including Hawk Owl, Golden Eagle, Parrot Crossbill, thousands of Barnacle Geese and many more. Though it wasn't just birds they found, amazingly the group saw a great number of mammals, including Elk, Foxes, Arctic Hares, Bears, Pine Martens, Beavers and even the extremely rare and elusive European Flying Squirrel. Autumn is a fantastic time to visit Estonia as birds are migrating through and mammals are out feeding before winter kicks in. See which tour suits you, from photography to orchid spotting.

„Last two days: amazing. Saw two brown bears, 6 raccoon dogs, pine marten, fox and a flying squirrel. All in all 12 different mammals and 105 species of birds. Best part of it: chasing the hawk owl with Luke trough the wilderness.“  B.H / Germany

Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) / Luke Massey

"On our first morning we witnessed a great sunrise right outside the hotel as it rose over the Baltic. As I was photographing the sunrise I heard the unmistakeable calls of cranes, moving out of their roost site to go feed in the surrounding fields. Cranes are making a comeback in the UK, with around 50 now living wild after a a successful reintroduction project." L.Massey / UK

Common Cranes (Grus grus) / Luke Massey

"Estonia is one of the top 10 destinations in the world for bird migration with hundreds of thousands of birds passing through every spring and autumn. Probably the biggest migration is of barnacle geese, throughout our time in the country we saw thousands of them either flying over or carpeting fields feeding up before continuing on their way." L.Massey / UK

Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) / Luke Massey

"We managed to see loads of different stuff from European flying squirrels to hawk owls. I think the highlight for most of the group were the bears, we were incredibly lucky to see 2 bears and one appeared in broad daylight. Not wanting to scare it I didn't take any photos, so this shot is one of the only one I got at dusk at 1/8 second!" L.Massey / UK

 Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) / Luke Massey

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE – an 8-day bird watching tour price is lower than ever before!

On May 26 it was the 10th jubilee of Estonian Nature Tours. Thereby we have in store some surprises to our clients and Facebook followers.

Estonia in Autumn Thu 12th Sep - Thu 19th Sep 2013

BIRTHDAY PRICE: 955 € pp. (before 1150 € pp.)

Make a quick decision – the number of places are limited!

BOOK HERE...

Although not widely discovered yet, Estonia is the ideal country for observing one of the most spectacular natural shows – massive bird migration. This smallest and northernmost Baltic country lies on the crossroads of the Eastern Atlantic migratory flyway: Estonia is locked between the Finnish Gulf, the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea and Lake Peipsi near the Russian border. Geographically the Estonian waters and coastline are stepping-stones along the flyway between breeding and wintering areas for millions of Arctic waterbirds, making birdwatching in Estonia fabulous at this time of year. 

Common Crane (Grus grus) / Remo Savisaar

Click here and read Tour itinerary... 

Click here and read tour report...

Period: Thu 12th Sep - Thu 19th Sep 2013
Group size: 6/8 pax
Grading: Day walks only, for all ages
Leader: Tarvo Valker
Accommodation: Comfortable hotels with private facilities
Food: Restaurants and local farms
Extensions: Cultural/sightseeing extensions available on request

 Elk (Alces alces) / Luke Massey

Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive in Tallinn, to Haapsalu                       

Day 2 Põõsaspea & Matsalu National Park
Day 3 Taebla & Martna fields, Matsalu
Day 4 Matsalu National Park, to Saaremaa
Day 5/6 Saaremaa Island, to Pärnu
Day 7 Soomets forests & Kabli
Day 8 Departure

 

 White-tailed Eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) / Luke Massey

Highlights

Birds: Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, tens of thousands of Common Cranes, White-fronted Geese and Bean Geese, peak autumn migration of songbirds, waders and waterfowls, Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, Black Grouse, White-backed Woodpecker, Three-toed Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-browed Warbler (probably), Nutcracker, Crested Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Bearded Tit, Lapland Bunting etc.
Mammals: Red Fox, Raccoon Dog, Wild Boar, Elk, Roe Deer, European Beaver, tracks of  Brown Bear, Wolf or Lynx (probably) etc.

Racoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) /Sven Zacek

Client comments:

 Common Crane (Grus grus) / Remo Savisaar

"Despite the cloudy, cold and windy days at the start, we only experienced rain on one afternoon and evening, and with the skies clearing leaving a beautiful final full day and a half, the changes helped move many migrants and provide us with some superb birding spectacles. The mass exodus of Common Cranes and mass arrival and passage of Barnacle Geese at the start, followed by large numbers of seemingly disorientated small birds over the Sõrve bird observatory and movement of small birds, especially those gorgeous white-headed Long-tailed Tits, at the Kabli ringing station were all excellent examples of the phenomenon of visible migration at this migration crossroads. Apart from these spectacles, I’m sure we’ll all have our own highlights, with the Racoon Dog running along the road, the surprise Eurasian Eagle-owl, or observations of both Grey-headed and European Three-toed Woodpeckers in the same tree, probably figuring among them. I hope so! And 142 bird species recorded on an autumn tour certainly can’t be bad going." J.M. / Travelling Naturalist, Autumn 2010 

 European Beaver (Castor fiber) / Remo Savisaar

" It is good to discover a country in full bloom, looking toward the future, and respecting nature. The days we spend in Estonia will stay forever in my mind. Birds contrasting in wonderful skies, like thousands of cranes, white-tailed eagles, thousands of ducks, sparrowhawks, and in the same trip the corncrake and the snowbunting, the nightjar and the black guillemot...this is unforgettable. Mammals are also very attracting in Estonia, and will definitely call me back to this country. But the people will most of all stay in my mind, with a real sense of welcome, the will of developping the country with taste, and to welcome the hosts with wonderful food..." P. L., Belgia / FAM trip September 2010

Clients are talking / Kliendid räägivad

"We had a good time in Estonia last week. All the warm clothing wasn’t really necessary, luckily. Tallinn is beautiful, and the two-days birding with Karel were also excellent. We saw or heard about 120 bird species, 6 of which I had not seen before. Excellent view of Great snipe, Corncrake, River warbler, White-backed woodpecker, and a soaring Lesser spotted eagle. And other very ‘good’ birds like Citrine wagtail. The pair of Hawk Owls was a very nice surprise." B.B / Belgium, May 2013

  Great Snipe (Gallinago media) / Arne Ader

Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) / Rein Kuresoo

***

"Thank you for giving up your own time to take us out, and to give us such a super day, the first day we were "on tour" in Estonia.  It was great seeing you again, and thanks for a very special lunch.   If only I had known you would be with us that day, I would have asked you to the opera - it was "La Traviata", and the Estonian company did it well.

Thank you for going to so much trouble over my anorak.  It doesn't look very special, but I am very attached to it - especially when it is cold!!    I feel such a fool to leave it in your car, but thank you for all the trouble you have taken to return it to me.

Thank you for finding us such a good guide.  He is absolutely one of the best.   We still want Tarvo, but when we can't have Tarvo we will be delighted to have Margus.   I know very few guides as good as him - he is a good bird finder and guide, and good company also.   You did well to find him.

I am already looking at my diary to see when we can go back again!" P.C / UK, June 2013 

 Female Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) / Pierre Vernay

***

"Our trip to Estonia was a great success. All participants were absolutely satisfied with Roosta puhkeküla accomodation (the cottages), all meals we were served, sauna and the atmosphere of the personel. The buss service and the driver Aivo were also great. Aivo did a good job taking account that we changed the routes many times according to weather. Our guide Mikko was super. He created from the very beginning open relations to all of our group members. He also knew the areas and places we visited and he had a good knowledge of both flora and fauna.

We all want to recommend Estonian Nature Tour services to all Finnish tourists and also to people from other countries. The Estonian nature is rich and beautiful. Satisfaction starts when you get  more than you expected. Here, in our case, this happened!" K.S / Finland, May 2013

A group of 19 birdwatchers and nature photographers of the Finnish Club of Helsinki 

visited Western Estonia 17.-20.5.-2013

***

"I am delighted to report that the bear-watch at Tudu was a success. I easily found the spot as you described, and soon after, two more cars of English people, along with Triin arrived. We were in the hide by 6 pm., and very quickly the first Racoon Dogs appeared, showing interest in the bear-food. About 9, two adult bears arrived, presumably a pair, and while one (the female?) stayed in the background, the other fed hungrily for about 15 minutes, giving wonderful views. A little later a Woodcock came and stood in full view before the hide for several minutes -- the best view I have ever had! In the morning light a fox came to wander around, and a White-Backed Woodpecker (very clearly seen and positively identified) appeared too. I am very grateful to you for organizing all that for me." J C-E. / Australia, June 2013

Click here to see video of Alutaguse Bears, taken on the same night...

 White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) / Agamemnon Loutsios 

***

"Just to say we all had a great trip to Estonia and saw plenty of good birds - particularly the Grouse, Woodpeckers and Geese and even found a Black Kite. The mammals were equally good even though we didn't see a bear the Racoon Dogs were super and the Flying Squirrel was just fabulous. 

 Flying Squirrel (Pteromys volans) / JM Bompar

 Black Kite (Milvus migrans) / Source: Wikipedia

 

Margus is a really good birder, a superb tour leader a great guy and great company. We more or less stuck to the itinerary but changed things around a bit to suit our needs after discussions with or suggestions from Margus.Margus worked tirelessly throughout the week to find us birds & mammals and nothing was too much trouble for him - he really helped to make the trip and I wouldn't hesitate to use him again. So please pass on a big thank you once again from all of us.

The Mooste Viinavabrik Guesthouse was absolutely wonderful - a great building, great food, great staff and ideally located. You have just got to continue to use the place.

Finally a big thank you to you for the organisation and all the work you have done in the background that helped make for a fabulous and successful trip." J.W / UK, May 2013

***

"We had all a great trip in Estonia. It seems that everybody in the group enjoyed our visit very much. Margus is a very easy-going person to deal with and his knowledge about birding in Estonia is over the top! I like very much to travel with him. The people in the group also find him very nice." G.P / Sweden, Avifauna, June 2013

Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) / Raili Mets