Estonia 2006

Trip Reports

BOC Holiday Estonia May 20th - 30th 2006 ■ Author: Charles Stapleton

Seventeen members set off on a very wet and breezy night to catch their flight from Stansted Airport to Tallinn. Our Finnature guide Mika Bruun was waiting for us in the arrivals area with the two red Renault mini-buses which were to provide our transport. From the airport car park we heard our first Thrush Nightingale singing out loudly in a nearby bush. These were to be commonplace during our stay - it is the national bird of Estonia and is even featured on the back of a 100 Kroon note. A Caspian Tern flew in off the sea and circled over the airport buildings and an Osprey slowly patrolled along the shore.

We left Tallinn in the rain and headed south-west to the Baltic coast at Paldiski where we had fantastic views of Black Guillemot, Common Eider and large numbers of Goldeneye. A few Swallows, but House Martins in profusion swooped and dived just above the cliff-top. A Red-throated Pipit was located on call by our guide and seen by some, as was a Bluethroat which was flitting around the bottom of a fence a short distance from us. Journeying on towards Haapsalu we stopped briefly to observe a pair of Wryneck, which were first heard and then seen by all. At an old monastery at Padise, Tree Sparrows were nesting in the walls and we had our first good views of Icterine Warbler and Pied Flycatcher.

The next morning was dry and sunny. After breakfast we headed north out of Haapsalu to Poosaspea Neem, site of a former lighthouse located on a headland near Dirhami. The main species of note here were Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck and Black-throated Diver on the sea. We saw our first Temminck's Stints with Grey Plover and Common Sandpiper on the shoreline and flyovers of Cuckoo and Hobby. We drove on to a reed-bed tower at Uuojoe where our guide pointed out six Parrot Crossbills that flew out of the nearby Scots Pines over our heads. One of our group saw a movement in the reed-bed and said, "What's that donkey doing in the marsh?" On closer examination from the observation tower, the donkey turned out to be a very large ELK which we had disturbed on his morning constitutional; as he moved off he gave good views to all. A White-tailed Eagle was soaring high above us. Other birds of note seen that morning were Rough-legged Buzzard, Crested Tit and what Roy Curber called "gripping views" of Nutcracker.

During the lunch stop at Simla we noted large numbers of Little Gull and a Red-necked Grebe. Bittern was heard booming and we had our first views of Common Rosefinch. A Lesser Spotted Eagle flew low enough for us all to get good views; but the highlight of the stop was being able to view at very close range a Penduline Tit entering and leaving its beautifully made suspended nest located in a stand of dense Willow. We headed back towards Haapsalu stopping en route to view Ruff, another couple of White-tailed Eagles and for a limited few a brief glimpse of Corncrake - the rest of us just had to make do with hearing it call. At Haapsalu Harbour we found a number of common duck species as well as Goosander. Other birders told us that a Terek Sandpiper had been located on the shoreline at noon that day, but not since and we had no luck with it.

The next morning was a game and moorland bird day with a few exceptions. The weather was a bit misty and grey but it was dry. We headed south towards the Matsalu Nature Reserve, where in fields nearby we watched nine male Black Grouse and a male Capercaillie. Whilst watching the birds a movement behind the flock drew our attention to a lone Grey Wolf circling around. It sensed our presence and moved off, loping slowly across two pastures to allow us prolonged views. Mika said it was the first time he had seen a Wolf in the wild: "What a bonus!" We moved on to Roude where we all had stunning views of a River Warbler which sat up singing and showed very well. The smallholder who lived in the area pointed out the nest of a Hazel Grouse some 4-5 feet in from the edge of a dense tree-lined lane. The female bird was sitting on the nest and we got very good views of her. We moved on to the coast at Haeska where we noted approx 24,500 Barnacle Geese at rest. Good views were had of a male Montagu's Harrier, further views of White-tailed Eagle, more Temminck's Stints and some Wigeon and Garganey. Puisenina, a Baltic coastal watchpoint, provided us with Brent Goose, Avocets feeding along the shoreline creeks and, for a few, a male Barred Warbler which was summoned by our guide's tape recorder and put in two brief but good appearances before moving into deeper undergrowth.

Day four started off very grey and overcast with rain threatening. We had stopped to see a White Stork's nest when Mika picked up the song of an Ortolan Bunting close by. The bird moved slowly towards us and eventually showed itself when it landed in a nearby arable field. Further along the track we stopped to view a male Montagu's Harrier quartering the field. It came closer and closer. What a sight! At the Oadnere Forest, Grey-Headed and White-backed Woodpeckers were the two target species and we were not to be disappointed. The White-backed Woodpecker nest site was located in a Silver Birch stump and we had uninterrupted views of both the male and female birds entering and leaving the nest. The Grey-headed Woodpecker flew around, eventually landing in a large Willow tree where it showed well. Next we stopped at a small pond where there was a nesting pair of Slavonian Grebe. The very colourful male showed well, but we only stayed briefly to keep disturbance to a minimum. After lunch the sun came out as we drove to a marshy shoreline bog at Haversi. We stopped to overlook a large saltwater pool which had an extensive reed-bed at one end and some smaller water-filled scrapes with large areas of exposed mud. Up to 30 Red-necked Phalarope in summer plumage were observed spinning around in one of the smaller pools. Several Broad-billed Sandpiper together with Temminck's and Little Stint, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover were all showing well. Three Caspian Terns hovered over the water and a pair of Whooper Swans swam by. On the way back to the hotel we stopped briefly at Poosaspea again to note Common Scoter, Eider, Goldeneye and a small number of Red-breasted Merganser.

Wednesday early morning is breezy and cold and it looks like rain. We stop at Ridala to see Greylag Goose and then drive on for a last look at the headland at Puisenina. We had hoped to try for Barred Warbler, but it was far too windy for it to show. A short sea-watch produced Red- and Black-throated Diver, a large raft of Scaup and two small flocks of Brent Geese passing north up the Baltic Sea; a Black Redstart was observed on the outlying buildings near the point. Along the coast we had White-tailed Eagle and Avocet, and a small number of Temminck's Stint were noted as was Corncrake - heard but not seen. After breakfast we set off for Parnu, stopping for a short break at the Velise River where Marsh Harrier and Goosander were noted. We arrived at the Hotel Lepanina in Haademeeste, just south of Parnu on the coast. This hotel, only opened in 2002, was very modern and comfortable, located in its own mixed woodland grounds right on the edge of the Gulf of Riga.

The next day started early; we drove south to Kabli and had good views of Woodlark, Treecreeper and a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. From here we headed east into the Nigula Looduskaitseala (Nature Reserve) and bog. Driving deep into the mixed Scots Pine and Silver Birch forest, we noted a pair of Green Sandpiper in a water-filled ditch at the side of the track. Further on our guide mimicked the laughing whistle of the Black Woodpecker and after 2-3 minutes a pair of them turned up. They flew around and one eventually landed on a nearby tree where we could 'scope it. A Grey-headed Woodpecker put in a brief appearance as did a male Cuckoo, and we had the best view of Honey Buzzard yet. Tree Pipit were performing their parachute act and even a Red-backed Shrike put in an appearance - and this was all before breakfast!!!

After breakfast we returned to the Kabli area and followed the boardwalk through a large reed-bed towards the Pulgoca Marsh and the main marshland pools. We observed a Lesser Whitethroat, a flyover of Siskin, and Great Reed Warbler were calling from deep within the reeds. While we were on the viewing platform overlooking the main marsh, a White-tailed Eagle took off close behind us and flew towards the shoreline. A pair of Whooper Swans was located on one of the pools and a number of Sandwich Tern flew by close to the shore. A large dark Herring Gull was identified as being of the race cachinnans (Steppe Gull), a separate species in Estonia but only recognised as a sub-species in the UK. We returned to our vehicles stopping en route to listen to Corncrake, alas not seen. After some heavy lunchtime rain the weather improved again, and a short walk around the hotel grounds produced Marsh Tit, and Willow Tit of the northern Borealis race, a much more greyish-white bird. A Marsh Warbler was singing at the edge of the wood and an Icterine Warbler put in a brief appearance. Woodlark were singing and Pied Flycatcher were noted in the lower branches of the pines. We decided to try for Ural Owl after dinner and set off at 8.00pm to drive deep into the main forest area of the Nigula Nature Reserve. We stopped in a dense area of woodland and our guide mimicked the call of the Ural Owl several times but although an owl called back it did not show itself. However, two Woodcock flew out over us and we could hear the reeling song of a River Warbler close by.

Day seven started early at the Pikla Marshes. It was a cold, windy, overcast morning when we got to the marshes and started to walk out to the viewing platforms. It reminded me of Titchwell or Cley in February! We had stunning views of a pair of Bearded Tit only a very short distance from the main track, and later whilst on the viewing platform both Savi`s and Great Reed showed themselves well to us all before dropping back down into the dense reed-bed. We left the marshes and drove to the Luitemah Nature Reserve; here we had our first Goldcrest for the trip, a "bogey bird" up till then. Good views of Red-Breasted Flycatcher and Wood Warbler rounded off the morning.

A short drive south to Treimani produced fantastic views of a male Serin together with a rather grey-looking Nuthatch (northern form). In a small area of trees near the shoreline we observed Tawny Pipit and on the exposed mud we had a Knot in summer plumage and Little Ringed Plover. More Sandwich Tern were noted flying past. Close to the Latvian border, at the Nigula Looduskaitseala Black-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover and Lapwing with chicks were noted on the nearby fields. We had more sightings of Lesser Spotted Eagle soaring high in the sky. A pair of Golden Oriole came out from cover and flew along the tree-line of a nearby wood and a Black Grouse flew across an open field. Another Nutcracker perched briefly on top of a distant pine. After another very satisfying day birding we returned to our hotel for dinner.

Saturday, day eight, began with a short walk around the hotel's surrounding woodland and marsh which produced two Red Squirrels, a Marsh Warbler, four crossbills of indeterminate species, Thrush Nightingale, and Mika found a Blyth's Reed Warbler singing in some dense undergrowth but it did not show itself.

Today we left the Parnu area to travel east across Estonia to Tartu stopping on the way. We took side-roads to Soomaa Rahvuspark for good views of Lesser Spotted Eagle and typical sightings of White Stork and Common Crane for good measure. We stopped again at the Halliste River where we had Long-tailed Tit (northern form), heard another White-backed Woodpecker drumming, and a River Warbler was reeling away in a nearby reed-bed. A small group of Hawfinch flew over, and Ravens patrolled the fields giving out their distinctive call. We stopped for lunch by a lake on the Raudna Reserve, observing House Martins and a few Sand Martins swooping low over the water. Curlew and a Black Stork flew low over the lake giving us all good views.

Arriving at Tartu we drove south and stopped at a large lake located on the Aadla Marsh area. Breeding Black Terns were here in numbers, a Red-necked Grebe in full summer plumage showed very well on the far side of the lake, and we all got stunning views of several Citrine Wagtails which obliged us by coming within a few feet of us. With them were Blue-headed Wagtails and it was good to be able to compare the two species side by side. After dinner Mika took us to a Great Snipe lek. The sight of these birds performing their amazing displays is something very special. As the light started to fade we left the lek and a Grasshopper Warbler showed itself in some scrub, its whole body shaking as it gave out its continuous reeling song.

It's day eight and the last full day's birding; we returned to the Aardla Marsh for more sightings of Citrine Wagtail and Black Terns, good views of Marsh Harrier, and a Marsh Tit put in a short appearance. We moved over to the Puki River on the other side of the marsh for Grey Heron, Blue-headed Wagtails and fantastic views of Golden Oriole perched out in the open and then seen moving along the edge of the tree-line. A Cuckoo landed in a riverside tree, and Red-breasted Flycatcher and Icterine Warbler could be heard calling from a nearby wood. We drove on through open farmland with dandelion fields and grassy tussocks, and stopped at a high point near a sand quarry at Laeva which held a very large Sand Martin colony. This was a regular raptor watch point and our guide set up and scanned the sky. Unfortunately Spotted Eagle eluded us but we did have Lesser Spotted Eagle, White-tailed Eagle and both Honey and Common Buzzard. Distant Black-tailed Godwit were observed with scopes and a White Stork moved majestically along a dividing hedgerow.

At another farmland site our attention was drawn to a small brown bunting singing on the telegraph wires near the farm buildings. Our guide moved quickly, long lens camera in hand, saying excitedly "Corn Bunting". This is a very rare bird in Estonia; Mika told us it was a first for Estonia as far he was aware, and he had to photograph it. A really good view of a Marsh Warbler out in the open concluded our short stop, and we then moved on to a forested area on the edge of the Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve. This was to be the icing on the cake; only a few hundred yards off the main road we observed a pair of White-backed Woodpecker feeding their young at the nest on an old Silver Birch stump. A Rosefinch sat high in a bush singing its now familiar song, and in the bottom of a swampy hedge were a pair of nesting Blyth's Reed Warbler which eventually showed well, sitting out in the open for all to see. What a sight! What memories!

Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and the next morning we left Tartu for Tallinn. We stopped near the Pedja River to observe a group of fledgling Fieldfare and had really good views of three Hobbies, and a Great Reed Warbler showed briefly in a swampy pool. At Advere a last look around produced Icterine Warbler, Nuthatch and Sedge Warbler. Arriving at the Hotel Susi in Tallinn by mid-morning, we spent the afternoon exploring the old town area of the City and taking in all the sights. It was well worth it.

Next day after breakfast we left for the airport and our flight home. The ten days had been very successful and memorable. Our thanks go to Jane for organising the trip; to Mika Bruun, our Finnature guide whose local knowledge and uncanny knack for finding birds deserves recognition; and to Charles and Geoff for driving the second minibus around the country. They covered a total of 1,250 miles on roads that were on occasions rough tracks or sometimes virtually non-existent. We calculated that the group had seen 187 different species and everybody knocked off a few life-time firsts. Our further thanks go to Jane for making sure we stayed the extra day to explore the Old Town area of Tallinn.

Home Page

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws