Estonia - Day 5: 9th June 2024 for Oriole Birding

Up at 3am to a pink and lilac pre-sunrise complete with a Vixen with two cubs trotting down the road,  Thrush Nightingales, Fieldfares and Blackbirds before hitting the road to Soomaa NP at 4am.  

Between then and breakfast time we stopped numerous times on trails an small deserted road to search for some of our targets but the wind kept getting up and shaking the Poplars so much it sounded like waves on a beach.  Spells of rain did not help and the Woodpeckers refused to give them selves up properly with a drumming White-backed heard in the distance, several Great Spots and a Black Woodpecker that flew high over the road as we drove along. 

There were some quality finds with a singing Greenish Warbler a smidgen out of range, three reeling River Warblers with the first one being found at ten metres range within seconds of getting out; head held almost vertical to project that amazing song, and several Blyth’s Reed Warblers with one that showed especially well.  I am now very confident that I can not get this species in song confused with anything else.

River Warbler - Sean Moore

River Warbler

Blyth’s Reed Warbler - the light was poor but the views were my best ever

Blyth’s Reed Warbler with a bit of River Warbler behind

Blyth’s Reed Warbler - Sean Moore

Greenish Warbler - Sean Moore

We heard Goldcrests, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Wood Warblers and Bullfinches but actually seeing any of them was somewhat tricky and we returned from breakfast a little frustrated by our supremely early morning efforts.  Even more annoyingly I saw a Pygmy Owl from the van but it dropped off its perch as we got back to where it was and no one else saw it. Green Sandpipers tried to lure us away and performed noisy circuits and occasionally landed in the trees where they looked most odd.  I am not sure the others knew that they often even nest up there too.

Iris siberica

Meadow Rue

Marsh Tea - Rhododendron tomentosum - I had no idea at the time that this was a Rhody

With more rain forecast we all roosted for a couple of hours (although I did go on a short walk first and had a close encounter with three Crested Tits and three frosty Nuthatches) and headed back out at 12 into the only just arriving rain but a restorative collection of pastries at Pärnamäed bakery and café kept us going as we tackled a different selection of forest trail areas. 

Am I the only one who finds these Hare-mans frankly disturbing?  I walked around the corner and said 'Good morning' before realising something was amiss.

Crested Tit

Herb Paris

Fieldfare

Chaffinch

Starling

White Stork collecting worms for it's hungry youngster

And even at lunch the Hare-mans were out in force - so bloody cheery!

Our luck changed at Surju where after several fly through sightings, a pair of Three Toed Woodpeckers did the decent thing and actually perched up just long enough to have a proper look at. My first since 2009.  No more Woodpeckers or Owls were forthcoming.

The Midges and Mosquitos were somewhat numerous...

Three Toed Woodpecker

A un-red male Red-breasted Flycatcher was delivering his sweet refrain and was seen well but as is typical with this species he did not sit still for very long and trilling Wood Warblers, Dunnock were heard further back and a Common Snipe landed on a road side telegraph pole and firmly added itself to the list.

From here we tackled the area around Soometsa but again it was hard work in the now almost clear but windier conditions.  Pied Flycatchers were found and a Pygmy Owl called very briefly a long way off but only Tarvo and I heard it.  A few Black Veined Whites, Fritillaries and Chimney Sweeps were tempted out by the sunshine and a Brilliant Emerald was a new dragonfly for us as it circled a sheltered road junction.

Our final stop was the landfill near Parnu were several hundred Ravens were circling the surrounding fields with Hoodies and White Storks for company while 12 bugling Cranes flew low along the back but unfortunately we could not find the Black Kites that frequent the area and in fact only saw one White Tailed Eagle, three Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk all day.

A BBQ dinner and then back out once again at 8pm for the evening circuit.  There were now crystal clear blue skies and thankfully even the wind died down soon after as we worked our back into and around the Soomaa tracks (saying hello to the fine Tori horses on the way).

Tori horses in the village of Tori...

We had a more success that the early session and there was far more bird song in the woods and Robins and Redwings had found their voices.  A single poop was heard from a Pygmy Owl and whining Black Woodpeckers even gave themselves up and perched up from everyone to see.  

Several Corncrakes grated from the meadows and we heard Long-tailed and Coal Tits, Wood Warblers and Pied Flycatchers.  Woodcock were up early and roding birds were seen all evening with several in the warm evening light.  They were so close you could hear the huh-huh-huh as they ‘tiswicked’ overhead and we even had one perched up in the verge.

The best was to come as angry Blackbirds suggested an owl and eventually we got excellent views now and then of a pair of Ural Owls as they were harried around the Poplars. It was now just gone 11pm and a board walk onto a bog gave us the hoped for Nightjars with a wing clapping female and a churring male.

Ural Owl - Steve Saxton

I wonder what else was out there? - Sean Moore

We kept our eyes open on the way back and noted that several White Storks were still out feeding in front gardens and such like and to my delight a sinuous Pine Marten lolloped across the road while we were stopped to listen out for owls.  I have so wanted to see one of these before and I even had time to get my bins on it.  The next day had begun before we got back to the lodge.

We move on tomorrow and head north-east towards the Russian border where milky tea warblers and lekking waders await.