Limosa Holidays & Travelling Naturalist Trip Report Estonia: Autumn Migration in the Baltic Sun 20th Sun 27th Sept 2015 Photos, clockwise from top left: A Eurasian Pygmy Owl was a really great find A male Bearded Tit in the hand at Kabli Bird Observatory A continental Coal Tit with a bluer grey back Migrating raptors were in evidence with this male Eurasian Sparrowhawk......and a Eurasian Hobby A tired ball of a Goldcrest Barrie Cooper report compiled by tour leader: Barrie Cooper 1 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist
Estonia Autumn migration in the Baltic Leaders: Barrie Cooper & Tarvo Valker with Gordon & Alison Caw, Jo Rooney, John & Nadine Shearman, Len & Gill Waterworth and John & Veronica Woodward Estonia is always a pleasurable country to visit. The autumn 2015 tour certainly lived up to expectations with some very good autumn weather contributing to a fantastic spectacle of bird migration. The visible migration at Sorve on Thursday 24 September was quite remarkable with the sky continually holding wave after wave of migrating birds. We watched this staggering spectacle for five hours and on some occasions we just put our binoculars down to marvel at this natural wonder. In addition to the migration of passerines, the sight and sound of Common Cranes was another memory that will live with the group members for many years. Wonderful migration, interesting wildlife, beautiful countryside, comfortable hotels and very good food Estonia never fails to provide a brilliant trip. Daily Diary Sunday 20 September The group departed Gatwick Airport and arrived at Tallinn late afternoon. The 90-minute evening drive to our hotel was uneventful apart from Common Buzzard and two Roe Deer. Monday 21 September Cloudy, rain from mid morning. Overcast but dry in the afternoon. Approximately 15 C. Puise Peninsula & Haapsalu Bay The sight and sound of Cranes greeted us as we left the hotel at dawn. Chaffinches, Dunnocks and other passerines were already flying over; it was a marvellous start to the day. It was just a ten-minute drive to the Puise Peninsula and migration was well under way. We enjoyed several hours of wonderful visible migration. Good numbers passed us: Jay, Blue and Great Tits, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Swallow, Crane and Great Spotted Woodpecker (at least 50 of the latter). Other migrants included Spotted and Red-breasted Flycatcher, Blackcap, Garden Warbler and Yellow Wagtail. A lovely Yellow-browed Warbler and a Nutcracker were the pick of an excellent range of migrants. Shorebirds too were noted and included Temminck s & Little Stints, Dunlin, Ringed and Grey Plovers and Lapwing. Some fine raptors seen were Kestrel, White-tailed Eagle, Hobby, Marsh Harrier and Sparrowhawk. Brief and exciting views of a Pine Marten were had as we walked back to the minibuses prior to lunch. It was a good way to finish an excellent morning. The afternoon began very well with a flock of c. 1000 Cranes in a roadside field and soon after a ringtail Hen Harrier quartered another field. An observation tower over looking Haapsalu Bay proved to be an excellent vantage point for the next couple of hours. Large numbers of Barnacle Geese were grazing and approximately 50 Bean Geese were doing similar along with Greylags. A fine pair of White-tailed Eagles was the first of at least five seen from the tower. Other raptors seemed to be continually spooking the wildfowl and Lapwings with at least two Peregrines, one or two Merlins, three more Hen Harriers including a splendid ghostly male. Over 70 Great Egrets, a few Whooper Swans and several species of duck added to the mass of birds seen from the tower. The icing on the cake was a male Elk with a magnificent set of antlers. It seemed a shame to leave such a brilliant place but we needed to move to another site to witness the marvellous spectacle of 5000+ Cranes coming in to roost. A spectacular way to end a wonderful day of watching nature in this lovely, and yet underrated, country. Tuesday 22 September Sunny, 18 C Poosaspea Peninsula, Nova Forests & Haapsalu There were greater numbers of Cranes flying out from their roost site this morning. Many of them were flying close to us, but we had to drag ourselves away from the dawn spectacle, but not before a couple of Hawfinches flew over. 2 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist
The first part of the morning was scheduled for seawatching and we were fortunate that the wind was relatively light, the morning sun was illuminating the birds over the sea and the temperature was mild. We also had some very close views of species such as Velvet and Common Scoters, Red-breasted Merganser, Scaup and Long-tailed Duck. Black-throated Divers outnumbered Red-throateds and we even had some of the former flying overhead. Raptors seen were White-tailed Eagle, Sparrowhawk, Hen Harrier, Hobby, Kestrel and Buzzard. Gill was the first to see a Black Woodpecker that was heading north, but when it reached the sea it turned back and gave us another flypast. A Nutcracker gave brief views to some of the group. After another splendid lunch we headed for a small harbour where a solitary Grey Seal showed well. A large forest nearby gave us more views of another Black Woodpecker and a few Nutcrackers. A small flock of Bean Geese followed by a similar number of Barnacles kept the migration theme in our minds. The warm sunshine had brought out many butterflies with Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Peacock being particularly noticeable. A short evening session in the forest found us Woodcock but sadly no owls. Wednesday 23 September Sunny, occasional cloud, 17 C 1. Puise Peninsula, Lihula & Saaremaa Island A return to the Puise Peninsula would let us see how this morning s migration compared to that of Monday. Over 50 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were one of the more notable migrants, but there was also a good passage of Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, House Martin and Swallow. One or two Serins were a new bird for the trip as was a covey of Grey Partridge. A few Woodlark and Common Redpolls added variety but a close flyover of a White-tailed Eagle quickly got everyone s attention. A short drive to a tower overlooking a floodplain gave us good views of at least nine Roe Deer, male and female Hen Harrier plus Marsh Harrier. On return to the vehicles Tarvo heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and after a couple of minutes it was located in the adjacent forest. Just prior to lunch a good number of Bean Geese flew over. A beautiful Red Fox showed well in a roadside meadow and a small stand of trees in a village had Marsh Tit and Nuthatch. The 25-minute ferry trip to the island was eventful with 15 Red-throated Diver, 26 Velvet Scoter and 25 Scaup. Soon after checking into our coastal hotel a female Sparrowhawk was seen patrolling the local pines. Thursday 24 September Sunny, 19 C Sorve Peninsula My words cannot really do justice to the spectacle that we experienced this morning. If there is a better place in Europe for visible migration of passerines then I would like to go there. For the five hours we were there, wave after wave of migrating birds continued to dazzle our senses. Every time we lifted our binoculars the field of view was full of little feathered dots heading our way. The urge to migrate must be incredibly powerful, witnessed by the oldcrests that sometimes flew past our heads as they fought for height to cross the sea. Approximately 235,000 Chaffinches flew over while we were there. Hundreds of Coal, Blue and Great Tits were also regular. 250 Jays, at least 80 Sparrowhawks, five Honey-buzzards, a few Hobby and Merlin were additional highlights. Nobody in the group had experienced anything like it and, although I have been there a few times at this time of year, today s migration was exceptional. What an incredible privilege to witness the spectacle of these tiny creatures making their journeys for survival. Perhaps we need to take EU commissioners and government representatives to places like this to make them realise how essential it is to protect the sites and species that are continually subjected to abuse. Tarvo had been making regular counts of the birds and this information is added to a central database that helps to build up understanding and awareness of how important these sites are for migratory birds. Another interesting feature of this morning s migration was the passage of at least 100 Red Admiral butterflies, it was probably many more because it was easy to overlook them because our eyes were regularly focussed on the sky. Predictably, the migration had abated when we returned after lunch and the stronger southwesterly wind may have contributed to that. Nevertheless we still managed good views of Brambling and Wheatear, and Nadine found the first Black Redstart that everybody could see. It had been an incredible day, one to live in the memory of those fortunate to experience it. 3 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist
Friday 26 September Sunny, 18 C Sorve Peninsula It was another beautiful morning on the Sorve Peninsula. One of the buses had three Wild Boar running across the road right in front of us. For those who didn t see them, two more conveniently showed well at the edge of the reedbed at Sorve. Six Roe Deer were also seen by one vehicle on the drive to the peninsula. Migration was very good again, but without the huge numbers of Chaffinches. Tits seemed to be more numerous than yesterday with good numbers of Coal, Great and Blue. Sparrowhawks were definitely more numerous and it was interesting to see them either drift out for their sea crossing while others were eager for a quick meal before departing Estonia. Jays, Hen Harrier, Common Crossbill and Siskin were other notable species. Although quieter than yesterday there was still a continuous wave of migrating birds to keep us entertained in the warm autumn sunshine. There was still time to drive to Kuivastu to have a walk around the mediaeval castle before lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon was taken up by the drive to the ferry and then onto Parnu. A post-dinner visit to a local forest provided us with two Tawny Owls. Saturday 26 September Sunny, 19 C Kabli Bird Observatory, Haademeeste Meadows & Soometsa Forest Things were relatively quiet when we first arrived at the ringing station, however the morning ended very well indeed. Two Red Squirrels showed well in the forest and Crested Tits were quite numerous with Nuthatch and Treecreeper adding to the tally for the day. The numbers of Goldcrests and tits in the forest started to build up and we didn t have to wait long for the first birds to be ringed. Seven Bewick s Swans flying along the coast were the first for the trip. In the late morning, Len and Gill found a Pygmy Owl in the forest and Gill kindly ran back to tell the group. After a few minutes of struggle, everyone had excellent views of the Pygmy Owl as it perched on top of a tree and was mobbed for several minutes by Goldcrests, Willow, Crested, Blue and Great Tits. It was excellent to get such good views in wonderful sunshine. It would have been a fitting end to the morning but there were more delights to come. On returning to the ringing station we discovered that some Bearded Tits had been caught in a mist net near a reedbed. Six were ringed in total giving us handheld views of males and females. Willow Tit and Reed Bunting were also ringed at that time. We left the observatory bathed in warm autumn sunshine to have an excellent lunch prepared by a women s group in a local village. A brief visit to some coastal meadows produced several Snipe and Grey Partridge plus White-tailed Eagle. On our way back to Parnu we visited a forest for woodpeckers and Elk Fly the latter a most unwelcome and numerous species. Great Spotted and Black Woodpeckers were seen, plus the many Elk Flies. Sunday 27 September Sunny, 16 C Parno & Tallinn A brief stop at a park just outside Parnu enabled us to see a few more Fieldfare and a flock of c. 100 Bean Geese flew over to give us one final reminder of the excellent migration that can be seen in Estonia. A guided walk around the beautiful mediaeval old town of Tallinn followed by an excellent lunch at a traditional restaurant was a fitting way to end our visit to this beautiful country. It had been an excellent week of amazing bird migration, one to live in the memory for a very long time. We arrived back in England where the migration was also happening however it could not compare to the magnificence of what we had experienced in Estonia during the last week. Barrie Cooper 4 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist
Annotated Bird Species list (127 species recorded) Mute Swan seen on 6 days Bewick s Swan 7 adults migrating north at Kabli Bird Station on 26.9 Whooper Swan recorded on 3 days largest group of 28 ind. from Haeska Tower on 21.9 Tundra Bean Goose recorded on 4 days. Greylag Goose recorded on 3 days around Matsalu National Park Barnacle Goose seen on 5 days, including several thousand at Matsalu NP on 21.9 Brent Goose 100 Dark-bellied Brents migrating at Spithami on 22.9 Eurasian Wigeon seen on 6 days Gadwall seen on 4 days Eurasian Teal seen on 6 days Mallard seen on 6 days Northern Pintail seen on 5 days Northern Shoveler seen on 4 days Tufted Duck see on 2 days Greater Scaup 66 migrating at Spithami on 22.9, a flock of 35 on migration from the ferry on 23.9. Common Eider 3 males migrating at Spithami on 22.9, 3 eclipse males at Sõrve Peninsula on 24.9 Long-tailed Duck 20 migrating in 4 different groups at Spithami on 22.9. Mostly adult males in breeding plumage. Common Scoter 145 migrating at Spithami on 22.9, small group seen also from the ferry on 23.9 Velvet Scoter 81 migrating at Spithami on 22.9, a flock of 26 from the ferry on 23.9 Common Goldeneye seen on 5 days Red-breasted Merganser 130 migrating at Spithami on 22.9, small numbers at Sõrve Peninsula on 24.9 Goosander recorded on 3 days Grey Partridge 18 at Puise Peninsula on 23.9, 8 near Pikla Fishponds on 26.9 Red-throated Diver 20 migrating at Spithami on 22.9, 15 from the ferry on 23.9, 10 migrating at Sõrve Peninsula on 24.9 Black-throated Diver 25 migrating at Spithami on 22.9 Little Grebe 1 juvenile at Pikla Fishponds on 26.9 Great Crested Grebe recorded on 5 days Slavonian Grebe 1 migrating at Spithami on 22.9 Great Cormorant recorded on 6 days Great Egret recorded on 5days, 100+ around Matsalu Bay on 21.9 Grey Heron seen on 6 days European Honey-buzzard 5 birds migrating at Sõrve Peninsula on 24.9 White-tailed Eagle seen on 6 days, total count over 20 birds Marsh Harrier seen on 5 days Hen Harrier seen on 5 days, total count 13 birds Eurasian Sparrowhawk seen on 6 days, 80 migrating at Sõrve on 24.9, 60+ migrating at Sõrve on 25.9 Common Buzzard seen on 8 days Western Osprey 1 migrating at Leidissoo Forests on 22.9 Common Kestrel seen on 6 days Merlin seen on 3 days: 1-2 at Haeska Tower on 21.9, 3 at Sõrve Peninsula on 24.9, 2 at Sõrve on 25.9 Eurasian Hobby seen on 3 days: 1 at Puise on 21.9, 2-3 at Spithami on 22.9, 6-7 at Sõrve on 24.9 Peregrine Falcon at least 2 birds at Haeska on 21.9 Common Moorhen 3 birds at Võnnu on 22.9 Eurasian Coot recorded on 3 days Common Crane recorded on 4 days, including 6,500 around Matsalu NP on 21.9 Ringed Plover recorded on 4 days Grey Plover seen on 4 days Northern Lapwing seen on 6 days Little Stint 1 at Puise Peninsula on 21.9 Temminck s Stint 1 at Puise Peninsula 21.9 Dunlin 23 at Puise Peninsula on 21.9, 30 at Sõrve on 25.9 Ruff 1 at Sõrve on 24.9 5 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist
Common Snipe seen on 5 days Woodcock 1 near Leidissoo Forests on 22.9 Common Greenshank seen on 3 days Black-headed Gull seen on 6 days Common Gull seen on 6 days Herring Gull seen on 6 days Great Black-backed Gull seen on 6 days Sandwich Tern 7 birds migrating at Sõrve on 24.9 Feral Pigeon recorded on 4 days Wood Pigeon seen on 4 days Stock Dove seen on 4 days Collared Dove 1 migrating at Sõrve on 25.9 Eurasian Pygmy Owl outstanding views in full daylight at Kabli on 26.9 Tawny Owl 2 actively calling and briefly seen at Soometsa Forests on 25.9 Grey-headed Woodpecker heard only at Soometsa Forests on 26.9 Black Woodpecker 1 at Spithami and 1 at Leidissoo Forests on 22.9, 2 at Soometsa Forests on 26.9 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen on 5 days, 50 migrating at Puise on 21.9, 35 migrating at Puise on 23.9 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker one male near Rannajõe Tower on 23.9 Wood Lark seen on 3 days Eurasian Skylark recorded on 6 days Barn Swallow seen on 6 days House Martin 4 birds at Puise Peninsula on 21.9 and 23.9 Tree Pipit recorded on 4 days Meadow Pipit recorded on 5 days Yellow Wagtail 1 at Puise on 21.9, 2-3 at Sõrve on 24.9 and 25.9 White Wagtail seen on 6 days Eurasian Wren recorded on 4 days Dunnock recorded on 4 days Eurasian Robin seen on 6 days Black Redstart 1 near Virtsu on 23.9, 1 at Sõrve on 24.9 Northern Wheatear seen on 5 days Common Blackbird seen on 7 days Fieldfare seen on 5 days Song Thrush seen on 4 days Redwing 1 at Puise on 21.9 Mistle Thurush seen on 4 days Reed Warbler 1 at Haapsalu on 22.9 Blackcap 1 male at Puise on 21.9 Garden Warbler 1 at Puise on 21.9 Lesser Whitethroat 1-2 at Puise on 21.9, 1 at Sõrve on 24.9 Common Chiffchaff seen on 6 days Yellow-browed Warbler 1 at Puise on 21.9 Goldcrest seen on 6 days, 800+ migrating at Sõrve on 24.9 Spotted Flycatcher 3 at Puise on 21.9, 1 at Sõrve on 24.9 Red-breasted Flycatcher 1 at Puise on 21.9 Bearded Tit 6 seen in the hand at Kabli and at Pikla Fishponds on 26.9, heard only at Haapsalu on 22.9 Marsh Tit seen on 3 days Willow Tit seen on 2 days Crested Tit recorded on 3 days Coal Tit recorded on 6 days, 2300 migrating at Sõrve on 24.9, 2700 migrating at Sõrve on 25.9 Eurasian Blue Tit seen on 6 days, including 600 migrating at Puise on 21.9, 300+ migrating at Sõrve on 25.9 Great Tit seen on 7 days Eurasian Nuthatch seen on 3 days Eurasian Treeceeper seen on 2 days Eurasian Jay seen on 8 days, including 250 migrating at Sõrve on 24.9, 150 migrating at Sõrve on 25.9 6 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist
Eurasian Magpie seen on 5 days Nutcracker 1 migrating at Puise on 21.9, 4-5 at Leidissoo Forests on 22.9, 1 en route on 23.9 Western Jackdaw seen on 6 days Rook seen on 4 days Hooded Crow seen on 7 days Northern Raven seen on 7 days Eurasian Starling seen on 7 days House Sparrow seen on 3 days Tree Sparrow seen on 2 days Eurasian Chaffinch seen on 6 days, including 230 000 (!) migrating at Sõrve on 24.9 Brambling recorded on 4 days, 5-20 birds per day among migrating chaffinch flocks Serin 1 at Puise on 23.9 Eurasian Greenfinch seen on 5 days Eurasian Goldfinch seen on 5 days Eurasian Siskin seen on 6 days Common Redpoll a few seen on the Puise Peninsula on 23.9 Linnet seen on 5 days Common Crossbill recorded on 2 days Bullfinch seen only at Puise on 21.9 Hawfinch recorded on 4 days, including a flock of 15 migrating at Sõrve on 24.9 Yellowhammer recorded on 6 days Reed Bunting recorded on 4 days Mammals Red Squirrel 2 at Kabli on 26.9 Red Fox seen on 3 days Grey Seal 1 at Dirhami Harbour on 22.9 Wild Boar a group en route + 3 at Sõrve on 25.9 Roe Deer seen on 3 days, 10 at Matsalu NP on 23.9 Elk 1 at Haeska on 21.9 Pine Marten 1 at Puise on 21.9 Butterflies Red Admiral Brimstone Large White Peacock Small Tortoiseshell 7 Limosa Holidays & The Travelling Naturalist