Estonia for Oriole Birding - 5th October 2025

An enforced late breakfast due to it being Sunday saw us queuing with two coach loads of Latvians but we all eventually got fed and met at the vans where 20 Swallows and some White Wagtails were already foraging around the hotel. We then headed along the coast and down the long Sõrve peninsular beyond Sääre.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the landscape with its scattered Juniper scrub, grasslands, mixed trees, ponds, bays and stoney beaches.  A few Tits were on the move when we arrived and after a quick look around near the lighthouse we followed the trails towards the ringing station where holidaying Finnish birders were manning the observatory but it was a bit breezy so no nets were out.  The fairly recent history of the island is a violent one with German occupation ending late in the war with the emphatic return of the Russians.  Remnants of the occupation still lay around with discarded German helmets, piles of horseshoes and rusting machinery both inside and outside of the various out buildings.

A Russian S-125 anti aircraft rocket from the 1960s

Everyone loves an old Bulldozer!

German helmets that had seen better days

We picked up a few Goldcrests, Robins, a Redstart, our first Blackcaps, moving finches and a scattering of the regular Thrushes.  Single Tree and Rock Pipits were both new to the trip list and there were a few Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and a Treecreeper.  

Blue Tit - last minute refuel on a Robin's Pin Cushion

Great Tit

Yellowhammers

Robin

Robin

Mullein

Toadflax

Spiked Speedwell

Sea Radish

As the cloud lifted and the sky brightened Tits started to move and as we walked back to the car park it was obvious that they were going to make a dash for the Latvia coast just across the sea.

Tits were streaming past us

Latvia beyond

Tarvo and I were now in full count mode and the crew got be amongst some full in your face passerine migration with waves of mostly Northern Long-tailed and Great Tit passing around us at all heights.  There were many Blue Tit too and quite a few Coal Tits and Goldcrests while Siskin reached almost a 1000 birds!   It was amazing how our experience on the first morning at Puise which was the best vis migging any of us had ever seen was suddenly eclipsed. 

Tseee, Tseee, Tseee... Volume up...

Northern Long-tailed Tits

Last chance to turn back

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

Not every Goldcrest even made it to the start gate

Chunky Coal Tit

Almost the last trees

Roman Snail - not migrating

And there were not just passerines.  Large flocks of Tundra Bean Geese dropped in throughout the day and there was a good sprinkling of Russian White-fronts, Barnacles and a single tardy Greylag amongst them while Mergansers, Goosanders and dabblers were in the bay where we also found eight Grey and 17 Golden Plover and a flight of four Snipe.  Sparrowhawks were a constant presence harrying the Tits and Finches which were probably easy pickings and the most I could see at one time was four.  White-tailed Eagles periodically came down to poke the Goose flocks and Buzzards circled over the trees and gave the Hooded Crows something to have a go at.  A slightly injured Fox lolloped down the road and through the car park.

mixed Geese

argentatus Herring Gull

A delightfully marked 1w Common Gull.  Will make enquiries as to whether this is L c heinei as I suspect.

Mute Swan

With weather closing in off shore and the breeze strengthening passage dwindled and some flocks of Long-tails even turned round and come back in high overhead.

Red Fox

Suddenly it was gone 4pm and time to go and by then we had counted nearly 2000 Northern Long-tails and 1300 Great Tits!  Tales of the previous day when 13,000 Great Tits were counted seemed unthinkable given how mad our afternoon had been.  Little did we know…

Back at Kaaressaare some of us had a much calmer walk to look at the Smew before a lovely dinner in town where the rain did not dampen spirits.

Smew