Autumn Mammals and Birds tour summary

Dates: 25 Sep – 2 Oct 2015
Group size: 7 pax
Local guide (text by): Kaarel Võhandu 

We started our tour in Western Estonia. In the first morning we went to Puise peninsula which is an excellent passerine migration spot. Migration was in full swing and we saw 157 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Black Woodpeckers and 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. If there was a short gap in migrating woodpeckers it was filled with passerines and jays. We also spotted a young Hen Harrier and a Peregrine Falcon. Around lunch time we visited several spots in the northern coast of Matsalu bay, where the highlights were 5000 Barnacle Geese and 3800 Lapwings. In the evening we took a boat trip on Suitsu and Kasari rivers. The beavers did not make an appearance but we got to stare a drinking elk in the eye from 4 meters. Photographers were complaining it was too close for their telephoto lenses.

Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

In the morning of the third day we did some forest birding picking up a singing Pygmy Owl, that we did not manage to get views of. We then headed to Cape Põõsaspea for some seabird migration. Hundreds of Common Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Goldeneyes, Brent Geese and Wigeon passed by. We also spotted some Velvet Scoters, Red-necked Grebes, Black- and Red -throated Divers and Scaups. Hike on the meadow of the peninsula produced Great Grey Shrike and an unexpected highlight of the trip, lifer for everybody – the Great Snipe. We spent our evening at Saunja bay watching 1700 cranes flying over to their nighttime roosting sites. From raptors we spotted two Ospreys and two Hen Harriers.

Brent Geese (Branta bernicla) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

In the fourth day we transfered to Central Estonia. We did quite a few stops along the way and were awarded with one Goshawk, couple of Nutcrackers, two White-tailed Eagles and one Merlin. We stayed at Toosikannu guesthouse, where they have a huge fenced area with semi-wild Red Deer, Elk and Wild Boars. We saw plenty of those on an evening safari. In the fifth day we did a lot of forest birding. The birds proved hard to find but with some hard work we managed to locate a Kingfisher, some Grey-headed Woodpeckers, a very late White Stork and a flock of Black Grouse. On the night time spotlighting drive we spotted a Ural Owl sitting in a tree at the roadside. As we admired it another one started calling somewhere nearby.

Merlin (Falco columbarius) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

In the sixth day we drove to NE Estonia, settled into our guesthouse and went to the bear hide in the evening. There were lots of Raccoon Dogs and Red Foxes about. Willow and Crested Tits were common on the bird feeders. But no bears around. As it got dark people started to nod off in the bunks. Luckily some stayed up and spotted a mother Bear with two cubs arriving around midnight. Everyone were quietly woken up and we were lucky to admire their activity for 45 minutes or so. We left the hide in the morning and on our hike out spotted a Badger crossing the trail. Driving around in the forests we spotted quite a few Black Grouse, one male Capercaillie and heard a Hazel Grouse calling. In the afternoon we had a look at the 4th largest lake in Europe - Peipsi and Russia behind it. There was a good number of birds at Vasknarva with 900 Goldeneyes, 50 Cormorants, 300 Mallards, 40 Tufted Ducks and 3 Smews. An Otter was fishing in the river. Last night we spent driving around forest roads and spotted 6 Woodcocks and another Ural Owl hunting on the road.

Crested Tit (Parus cristatus) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

Elk (Alces alces) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

Red Deer (Servus elaphus) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) / Photo: Kaarel Võhandu

Remarkable 121 bird and 11 mammal species have been seen during the 8-day Mammals and Birds tour in Autumn 2015!