A brief summary of the final report of the National Environmental Monitoring sub-programme on butterfly communities 2015

by Erki Õunap and Anu Tiitsaar

Regardless of untypical weather conditions during the last summer the species diversity and abundance of butterflies in 2015 remained close to the multi-year average. The index, reflecting general abundance of butterflies, equalled to that of 2004 when the Estonian monitoring programme was launched. Over the 12-year monitoring period the abundance of butterflies is currently demonstrating slight increase, in spite of the recent years’ decline if compared to the advanced period of 2010-2013. These results reveal, that in wider context the butterfly populations of Estonia are in favourable condition. In the European context these are really good results, as similar index, calculated from similar monitoring patterns in 22 European states demonstrates 30% decline since 1990 and only during the latest 5-10 years the rate of decline seems to be decelerated.

The condition of the monitoring areas is generally good - in 10 areas out of 14 there is no need to change the management system, as retention of viable populations of butterflies (protected species therein) is guaranteed there under current regime. In 2015 from 14 transects 83 species of butterflies were registered. Two of them - the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and the Painted Lady (Cunthia cardui) are migratory species of Southern origin, unable to winter in Estonian conditions. The rest of the 81 species constitute 81% of Estonia’s native butterfly fauna (total 100 spp.). The most diverse transect in 2015 was the Piusa-Veski transect with 50 species.

Lesser Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis ino) / Photo: John Maddocks

About Erki Õunap (PhD 2010):

„I discovered the exciting world of arthropods by following the example of my father when I was just a schoolboy. As time passed and I grew up, my interest directed its course to a more definite target and so little by little I decided to concentrate on butterflies.

After graduating from the Tartu University I have worked as a professional lepidopterologist in Tartu University and in Estonian University of Life Sciences. I have gathered data and knowledge of the distribution, habits and behaviour of butterflies during the last twenty years resulting in the  publishing of a book on the butterflies of Estonia.“

Restoration of bogs in Estonia solves several burning problems

Estonian environmental NGO-s and the Ministry of Environment have launched massive projects related to our boglands. The total area of swamps and bogs has decreased substantially since the middle of the 20th century. Recent inventories reveal that the situation is much worse than we thought and we must work hard now to reverse ths process.

Estonia is a land, that has uplifted from the sea during the last 12,000 years and therefore is full of previous lagoons, overgrown lakes, swamps and raised bogs. We are used to the myth, that Estonia is full of bogs. In 2011-2013, Estonian Fund for Nature completed a project, funded by the Coca Cola Foundation, which aimed in finding the best restoration areas of the Estonian Ramsar sites and compiling restoration plans. The main focus was on transitional bogs, as these are usually grown instead of open bogs as a consequence of amelioration. It is shocking to realise that instead of the textbook reference of Estonia being 22% swamps and bogs, the reality is that only 5.3% remains (according to the inventory from 2009-2012, made by Estonian Fund for Nature, Tartu University and NGO Arhevisioon). The disappearance of bogs since 1950 has been become critical and should be a real cause for concern!

Total area of Estonian fens and bogs is about 140 000 ha
/ Photo: Mati Kose

Beginning with this year Estonian Fund for Nature launches a new five-year cooperation programme with the upper mentioned partners to restore 5800 ha of bogs, damaged by amelioration and drainage. The project is still in the preparation stage, as the practical work should begin in 2017. The plans embrace 5800 ha of bogs to be restored, 3276 ha of Natura habitats therein and is financed by LIFE Programme and Environmental Investments Centre. In addition to practical work in landscape lots of information work will be done. The main idea is to restore as natural a water-regime as possible to relaunch peat accumulation processes. Alam-Pedja, Ohepalu, Agusalu, Lahemaa, Tudusoo, Sirtsi and other nature reserves and national parks will be included in the project which will run until 2020.

At the same time the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) is launching another programme to clear overgrown bog areas to restore the bog to its former glory. The main focus is on 5000 hectares of different valuable areas.

It was more than 40 years ago when a “Bog War” took place in Estonia. Pragmatism vs conservationism. Peat vs water. By that time edges of the largest bog massives were already cut through by ditches and the function of bogs as water reservoirs was perturbed. This Moscow-financed operation was a hot topic in newspapers and radio for 3 years, until some Estonian ministers switched their side and became “bog-keepers”. In 1972 the Council of Ministers specified the bogs that were to be excluded from the amelioration fund. All together 93 bogs and swamps (207,000 ha) were listed, from which 28 bog and swamp reserves were established in 1981 (total area 100,000 ha).

After the restoration of independence in Estonia utilitarian interests began to prevail and  peat excavation became a large scale problem with international business interests. The crucial question is whether peat is renewable natural asset or not. Our bogs have come into being since the latest ice age and accumulated peat at a rate of 1 mm per year. According to this knowledge the usable peat stock is about 2.8 million tonnes. However, large amounts of peat is quickly vanishing through decomosition resulting in mineral soil plus lots of carbon dioxide emission – an even worse problem.

The problem is as complex as it gets. We have to consider the pure water reservoir, accumulated carbon dioxide, ability of bogs to produce more oxygen than it uses itself, the habitat of rare and threatened mammals, birds, invertebrates and plants - plus the wonderful asset of our time - silence!

It is easy to make a list of the most important species of interest, more or less related to bogs, swamps and adjacent transitional areas: Capercaillie, Moor Frog, Willow Ptarmigan, Hazel Grouse, Black Grouse, Common Crane, Great Grey Shrike, Whimbrel, Jack Snipe, Wolf, Elk, Brown Bear, Golden Plover, White-faced Darters, Cranberry Blue, Freija Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Baltic Grayling etc. The orchids of interest are Musk Orchid, Fen Orchid, Heath Spotted Orchid, White Adder’s Mouth, Bog Orchid, Narrow-leaved Russow’s Orchid and others.

Cranberry Blue (Plebejus optilete) / Photo: John Maddocks

Estonian Nature Tours takes its clients to several of these reserves, e.g. Lahemaa, Tudusoo, Alam-Pedja etc. 

Great partners, good network

We are happy to remind you that there are many tour operators in Europe who sell ENT tours to their clients. They are on different dates than we provide and may suit you better sometimes or you may prefer that they include everything in their price and book the flights for you too.  Some of these operators have still places available so.. if you are loyal to the company you already know then request tour packages:


Date                                                   Focus                          Booking agent

Fri 26th Feb – Wed 2nd Mar              birds                             Wise Birding

Wed 2nd Mar – Mon 7th Mar             mammals                     Wise Birding

Fri 4th Mar – Mon 7th Mar                 birds                             Sunbird

Sat 19th Mar – Sun 27th Mar             birds                            Spainbirds

Fri 25th Mar – Wed 30th Mar             birds                             Naturetrek

Fri 1st Apr – Wed 6th Apr                  birds                             Birdfinders

Sat 30th Apr – Sat 7th May               birds                             Wise Birding

Sat 7th May – Sat 14th May              wildlife                          SNP Natuurreizen

Sun 15th May – Sun 22nd May         birds & mammals         Travelling Naturalist

Mon 2nd May – Mon 9th May            birds                             Sunbird

Sun 22nd May – Sun 29th May         birds                             Naturetrek

Wed 1st Jun – Wed 8th Jun              wildlife                          Starling Reizen

Mon 6th Jun – Mon 13th Jun             birds                             Bird Holidays

Sun 5th Jun – Mon 13th Jun             orchids & mammals      Sandwich Bird Tours

Wed 8th Jun – Sun 19th Jun             wildlife                          Terra Unica Reizen               

Sun 26th Jun – Mon 4th Jul               wildflowers                   Naturetrek
  
Sat 10th Sep – Sat 17th Sep             wildlife                          SNP Natuurreizen

Sun 18th Sep – Sun 25th Sep           birds                             Naturetrek

Sat 17th Sep – Sat  24th Sep            birds                             Bird Holidays

Wed 21st Sep – Sun 2nd Oct            birds & mammals         Terra Unica Reizen

Sun 25th Sep – Sun 2nd Oct             birds                             Travelling Naturalist

Mon 3rd Oct – Mon 10th Oct             birds                             Ornitholidays 


As well as birdwatching tours, some of the tours we will be operating in conjunction of our partner companies include a Butterfly Holiday, 3 - 10 July, together with Greenwings Holidays and a Mammals and Birds tour, 23 - 30 September, together with Greenwings and Wildwings. 

There are so many options on offer, don’t think just - start packing!

Estonia is Lonely Planet’s best value destination for 2016

In the end of October, a newsworthy message was zipping through our social media and tourism-biased internet sites. Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book publisher in the world, published their top ten ranking of the best value destinations for 2016.  In that ranking Estonia was number one afore Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, East Africa, New Mexico, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Galicia and Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.

What the Lonely Planet was referring to, was mainly the good deal one gets when spending on the trip to Estonia. First and perhaps the most important circumstance is the suitable location if one is already in Scandinavia - either in Helsinki or Stockholm. From there Estonia stays in a reach of a ferry-trip or a short flight with the bonus of staying in the Euro zone. Next catch is affordability combined with pretty high standard and last but not the least comes the opportunity to "experience a gloriously distinctive slice of Europe, where Eastern and Nordic influences mix together,” according to the guide.

The quality of accommodation places in Estonia /
Photo: Private collection

Lonely Planet continues the praise revealing that “beyond the irresistible capital of Tallinn there are little-known Baltic islands and the seashore and forest delights of Lahemaa National Park, which holds the distinction of being the first national park in the old Soviet Union”. Moreover - not everything is reverberated in this brief news - Estonia has a remarkable record of conservational legislation, not less remarkable location right on the East-Atlantic flyway of birds and the “crossroad” of distribution area borders of Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western flora elements, many rarities therein. Add to that the enjoyable moderate weather and the midsummer mellow and misty nocturnal brightness enfolding the landscapes of forests, raised bogs and wooded meadows and some scarce village settlement with the average population density of about 10 persons per 1 sq km. Yes, we mean it - just nature everywhere! Well, almost.

Estonia is one of the few countries in Europe where 

8 different species of Woodpeckers can be found.

In one national park in Estonia more White-backed 

Woodpeckers may nest than in the whole of Sweden!

Photo: Sven Zacek

The population of Elk is estimated 12 000 individuals in Estonia.
The best time for Elk-watching is definitely September
and October during the mating season. /
Photo: Sven Zacek

The most dangered seaduck in Europe, Steller`s Eider,
is good reason to visit Estonia in Winter. /
Photo: Tarvo Valker

Although Estonia received more than six million foreign visitors in 2014, its own population - 1.3 million - is about 15 times less than that of Holland or Denmark, on similar territory. In Estonia one can drive on almost empty roads and have a lunch in a pictoresque cafe at the seacoast together with no more than maybe only a dozen of other guests. If not the paradise, then at least a very easily reached department of it.

During 5 hours staying 50,000 Coal Tits have been
counted this Autumn in West-Estonia. /
Photo: Tarvo Valker

What value can Estonian Nature Tours add to this? But of course a plethora of professionally compiled tour packages to the hottest spots at the peak time under the care of top notch guides. Worth considering, isn´t it?

The quality of accommodation places in Estonia / 
Photo: Private collection

We'll be very delighted to see You in Estonia in 2016 :)

Estonia may be small externally but we think it is big internally!

We are grateful that you've noticed us, and that you are interested in our beautiful country and its wildlife.   

We hope you find something in our brochure that will tempt you but would also like to add that while everything we say in our brochure is true - it is not easy to put into words the pleasure of visiting our country beyond simply seeing and enjoying the wildlife.  We frequently find that two or three days into a trip people start asking questions!  Questions like Where are all  your people? Where are all the cars?  They talk of the pleasure of being somewhere you can listen to the sounds of nature in silence while being in a safe environment.  If we add to this the delight of travel in a country with excellent roads and clean roadsides and streets plus delicious food and friendly people who speak English - well surely this country would like a dream land!  

Estonia may be small externally but we think it is big internally!

Estonian Nature Tours has been a pioneer in developing nature and bird tourism throughout Estonia. We have 11 years experience of organising outstanding wildlife holidays in this fabulous country and feedback from our clients has always been very positive.  We try as much as possible to respond to requests quickly. We always communicate with our customers sincerely and personally. Cordiality and humour are also important to us and at the same time, we expect mutual respect - we don´t think that our customer is “king”, our client is our guest and we want to take care of him, or her, in the best possible way. Believe it or not - we have developed a fan club, with many of our customers visiting Estonia with our help again and again!

ENT office team (from left side: Hille, Marika and Raili) 

One more thing that makes us special - there are very few tourist companies where the owner takes the time to greet a group at the airport or in the office (we are located in the countryside). And there may be no other company in the world where the owner bakes a cake for her customers or offers a picnic-basket on an evening boat-trip!  We always want your trip to be special and believe little details like these make the difference.

We like to think of Estonian Nature Tours as small internally but big externally.
                        

Come to Estonia and feel it for yourself!

On behalf of the Estonian Nature Tours team, sincerely
Marika Mann

Send a postcard to Your friend and do a favour to an endangered butterfly!

The one and only known habitat of an endangered butterfly species Scythris penicillata in the whole World is located in Kogula, Saaremaa island. Thereby the destiny of this tiny creature is commended to our hands. We speak here about a really petty bronze-brown butterfly with its wingspan of 9 mm. This extremely rare species was discovered by Finnish lepidopterologists in 1994 in Kogula, Saaremaa. They had a hard time of identifying the species, until given a hand by Swedish scientist Bengt Bengtsson, one of the best specialists of this family in the world. Scythris penicillata was first escribed  in 1900 in French Alps. In after years the habitat was so severely altered by human that the species was never spotted again.

Buying and sending the donation postcard, published in cooperation between Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF) and lepidopterologists as a gift, one can contribute to protecting the endangered butterfly species  Scythris penicillata and its habitat. The donation postcard was published with the help of volunteers. Illustrations and layout of the postcard are by Maria Karolin. Printing was supported by the print shop Kroonpress. The postcards are printed with vegetable oil printing inks on small carbon footprint paper, using only precipitation water and renewable electricity

Donation postcards are available in the ELF office for subscription by mail. There are five, ten and twenty Euros donation amount postcards to choose among. First make the money transfer and then send your subscription together with the postal address to elf@elfond.ee or make a call: +372 742 8443.

Payment details:

Receiver: Eestimaa Looduse Fond
Receiver address : Lai 29, Tartu, ESTONIA
IBAN: EE282200221005100292
Bank name: Swedbank      
Bank address: Liivalaia 8, 15040 Tallinn, ESTONIA
Bank BIC/SWIFT code: HABAEE2X

Video clip (90 sec, in Estonian) feturing Urmas Jürivete (specialist of petty butterflies, Estonian Lepidopterologists Society) introducing Scythris penicillata:

We have still places on our Butterflies & Dragonflies Holidays 2015:

Wild Flowers & Butterflies                    

Sun 7th Jun - Sun 14th Jun         

An 8-day fully-inclusive holiday in search of wild flowers and other wildlife of Estonia, amongst them a fine selection of orchids and rare butterfly species such as Baltic Grayling, Scarce Heath, Scarce Fritillary, Frigga's Fritillary, Bog Fritillary, Cranberry Blue, Clouded Apollo, Northern Chequered Skipper, Poplar Admiral etc.

BOOK HERE...

Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna) / Wilfred Powell

 

Dragonfly Holiday                                

Wed 10th Jun - Sun 14th Jun       

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.

BOOK HERE...

Woodland Brown (Lopinga achine) / Wilfred Powell

 Siberian Winter Damselfly (Sympecma paedisca) / Peeter Vissak

Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne) / Mike Williams

Yellow-Winged Darter (Sympetrum flaveolum) / Peeter Vissak

Northern Chequered Skipper ( carterocephal silvicolus) / Wilfred Powell

For futher information on Butterfly trips we have on offer, plus booking details, terms and conditions please phone or e-mail us:
Tel:  +372 5349 6695 / E-mail: info@naturetours.ee

Dragonfly holiday in Estonia 1st Aug- 8th Aug 2014

The first dragonfly tour in Estonia organised by Estonian Nature Tours for UK and Switzerland dragonfly enthusiasts took place in early August this year and proved a great success.

For futher information on a Dragonfly tour we have on offer on 10-14 June 2015, please e-mail us for the detailed itinerary: info@naturetours.ee

"Many thanks for a most enjoyable week in Estonia; an excellent tour and my thanks to all concerned. Estonia is a lovely country with so much to offer those with an interest in nature." Trevor D.

Species list by Philip H. Smith (1st Aug - 8th Aug 2014):

Species	English name	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th
Calopteryx virgo	Beautiful Demoiselle		+				+
Calopteryx splendens	Banded Demoiselle		+		+		+
Lestes sponsa	Common Spreadwing	+	+	+	+	+	+
Lestes dryas	Robust Spreadwing				+
Sympecma paedisca	Siberian Winter Damsel	+		+		+	+
Ischnura elegans	Common Bluetail	+	+				+
Enallagma cyathigerum	Common Bluet	+	+	+	+	+	+
Coenagrion pulchellum	Variable Bluet		+	+	+
Coenagrion puella	Azure Bluet		+	+	+
Erythromma najas	Large Redeye		+		+	+	+
Platycnemis pennipes	Blue Featherleg		+		+		+
Aeshna mixta	Migrant Hawker						+
Aeshna grandis	Brown Hawker	+	+	+	+	+	+
Aeshna cyanea	Blue Hawker			+	+
Aeshna viridis	Green Hawker	(+)					(+)
Aeshna juncea	Moorland Hawker		+	+		+	+
Aeshna subarctica	Bog Hawker						(+)*
Aeshna serrata	Baltic Hawker	+
Anax imperator	Blue Emperor						+
Ophiogomphus cecilia	Green Snaketail				+	+	+
Somatochlora metallica	Brilliant Emerald		+		+		+
Somatochlora flavomaculata	Yellow-spotted Emerald		+	+	+	+
Libellula quadrimaculata	Four-spotted Chaser	+		(+)	+
Orthetrum cancellatum	Black-tailed Skimmer	+	+	+	+
Leucorrhinia albifrons	Dark Whiteface					+
Sympetrum danae	Black Darter		+	+	+	+	+
Sympetrum sanguineum	Ruddy Darter	+	+	+	+	+	+
Sympetrum flaveolum	Yellow-winged Darter	+	+	+	+	+	+
Sympetrum striolatum	Common Darter	+
Sympetrum vulgatum	Moustached Darter	+	+	+	+	+	+
Total 28 (+ 2)

Note: (+) = unconfirmed or seen by guide(s) only;

          (+)* = dead specimen.

 

Female Baltic Hawker (Aeshna serrata) / Philip H. Smith

 Male Baltic Hawker (Aeshna serrata) / Philip H. Smith

 Black Darter (Sympetrum danae) / Trevor Davenport

 

 Female Robust Spreadwing (Lestes dryas) / Philip H. Smith

 Male Robust Spreadwing (Lestes dryas) / Philip H. Smith

  

 

 Dark Whiteface (Leucorrhinia albifrons) / Philip H. Smith

 Moustached Darter (Sympetrum vulgatum) / Trevor Davenport

 Green Snaketail (Onychogomphus cecilia) / Philip H. Smith

 Yellow-spotted Emerald (Somatochlora flavomaculata) / Philip H. Smith

 Siberian Winter Damselfly (Sympecma paedisca) / Philip H. Smith

 Female Moustached Darter (Sympetrum vulgatum) / Philip H. Smith

Male Moustached Darter (Sympetrum vulgatum) /
Philip H. Smith

 Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) / Trevor Davenport

 Searching for bog species... / Philip H. Smith

 Estonian bog / Philip H. Smith

 Bog lake / Philip H. Smith

 Forest lake / Philip H. Smith

Trevor Davenport and Philip H. Smith participated also in our butterfly holiday in July 2013.

 See also full list of butterflies and dragonflies in Estonia...