We had originally planned to visit Estonia in March 2010. Then came the winter of 2009/10 – the coldest and snowiest for over 30 years. We decided to postpone our visit till the following year. In autumn 2010 we booked our flights from Edinburgh to Tallin with Ryanair. Prior to our visit we booked accommodation for the first two nights and also car hire with NU car rentals.
29th March. We arrived in Tallin around 1425. It was obvious as we flew in that there was a lot of deep snow. Infact we were soon to find out that Estonia had had yet another very long, very cold and very snowy winter. After collecting our car we headed south west along route 9 and then route 10 towards Matsalu Laht. We then turned west along route 31.There was 100% snow cover everywhere and the snow was over a metre deep in the fields, to make matters worse it was cloudy with frequent heavy snow showers. Only small patches along the road verges were clear of snow and these held a few Woodlark, Linnet and Yellowhammer, with some larger groups of Skylarks. We turned down the road to Puice on the north side of the bay. The laht was completely frozen and the only wildfowl were five Greylag Geese in a roadside field. We retreated and drove to Haapsalu. In the town in the few snow free areas we located a few Rook and Jackdaws with the Hooded Crows, a large flock of Starling and a House Sparrow. The sea surrounding the town was completely frozen and birdless. We checked in to the rather comfortable Spa Hotel Laine.
30th March. We were relieved to see the weather had changed overnight and it was a bright sunny, though cold day. After a substantial buffet breakfast we checked out and drove down the somewhat icy road to Virtsu to get the 0905 ferry over to Saaremaa. The straights were completely frozen and the ferry passed through a narrow channel of broken ice. Got good views of an immature White-tailed Eagle sitting on an ice flow. At the Muhu end of the channel there was open water which held over 100 Goldeneye (virtually all males), 25+ Goosander, a few Black-headed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls. We drove across Muhu and them over the causeway to Saaremaa and down the 10 to Kuressaare. The snow cover on the fields was not as deep as on the mainland so there were more small snow free patches. These held flocks of Skylark, Snow Buntings, a few Greylag Geese and the occasional Common Buzzard and Raven. From Kuressaare we followed the 78 north west to Tagamoisa. Here we turned left to Undva, then left to Kuralase (the tracks were well marked with signposts). We then took a right hand fork, which brought us up towards Undepanga Bay. When we could see the bay we followed a track to the left, which took us down to the shore. Immediately offshore were lots of Goldeneye and 20+ Red-breasted Mergansers. Further offshore was a large group of Long-tailed Duck and with them a dense compact group of 90+ Steller’s Eiders – excellent, we had found our number one target species. They were well offshore and in quite choppy water due to a NW wind. We soon got the scope on them and got reasonable views. They had spells of feeding when the whole group would all dive simultaneously. These were followed by bouts of sleeping. Occasionally the whole flock took off, flew round and re-landed. Some males started displaying, raising themselves in the water to show their apricot breast, stretching their neck and throwing their head forward and down in a ‘head butting’ sort of way. We walked along the shore of the bay. In one of the inlets we found a few Mallard, four Smew, some Mute Swan and a couple of pairs of Great Black-backed Gulls. Sitting on the beach was a first year White-tailed Eagle. The eiders had flown further offshore so we decided to move on.
We returned to Tagamoisa and followed the road round to Taga laht. We drove down and on to the pier at Veere. Just off the pier was a large group of 150+ noisy Long-tailed Duck, with 20+ Common Eider, a Tufted Duck and a few Coot. We drove south down the laht stopping from time to time to scan the sea. Good numbers of Common Scoter, with a few Velvet Scoter and lots of Goldeneye.
At the south end of the laht we followed the road south to Kihelkonna. In a roadside field with much snow free ground we found a group of 8 Common Crane and c20 Whooper Swan. There was also a Great Grey Shrike perched on a small pine. At Kihelkonna we took the cobbled track past the kirk down to Papisaare. Once again the laht was >90% ice covered. On the small open pools were a few duck, mainly Goldeneye and Goosander, but at least 15 Smew, including some smart drakes. We then continued cutting south east through the Viidumae National Park. A couple of pair of Willow Tit were the only birds of note. At Kogula we turned right on the road to Tehumardi. At the junction a flock of Greylag Geese, with two more Common Crane, a few Wood Pigeon and a Stock Dove. From Tehumardi we drove to Salme and down to the shore. Here there was open water. Offshore were lots of Mute Swan, a flock of 90 Coot and 2 Common Shelduck.
We then turned back heading for Kuressaare. At Nasva the road crossed a river. On the river were lots of Coot, Goosander and a Little Grebe, with several Common Gull. Arrived at Kuressaare and checked in to the Minesso Accommodation for the night.
31st March. After a substantial Estonian breakfast we headed off to catch the 0940 ferry back to Virtsu. It was another beautiful cold, sunny and now calm day. We drove down to Parnu and on to Haademeeste arriving about 1300. We tried to find local accommodation, but failed. We drove as far south as Kabli where we cut back east. By the roadside between Kabli and route 4 were a few open patches in the fields. These held lots of Skylarks and Yellowhammers, with a few Linnet, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting, as well as a single White Wagtail and Meadow Pipit. We continued on to Massiaru checking likely spots for woodpeckers. Eventually some drumming alerted us to a pair of Three-toed Woodpeckers, which gave good close views. From Massiaru we drove north up a forest gravel road and after Nepste cut right along a forest track to “Magic Corner” in Gosneys “Where to find birds in Estonia”. The forest tracks were covered in snow so we soon abandoned the car and started to walk through some very nice forest. It was, however, contrary to its name not very magic and virtually birdless. Walked for about an hour, till deep snow halted our progress and then returned to the car. Only birds we saw were a Great Tit, a Willow Tit and 2 Goldcrest. Tracks in the snow showed much evidence of Wild Boar and Elk, but we saw nothing.
We then followed the road from Laiksaare to Tali. By the road a few Woodlark, a few Snow Bunting, a pair of Stock Dove and some Magpies. We then drove down to Nigula field station. There were no bird feeders but we did see a small group of northern Long-Tailed Tits with some Blue Tit as well as a Pine Martin. The track out to the bog was covered in deep snow and impassable. We returned to Haademeeste and had a meal at the petrol station. We went back out in the evening to look for owls, but with no luck. Drove back to Parnu and checked into a roadside motel for the night.
1st April. A cloudy, windy day with rain from time to time. First thing in the morning we visited the cemetery on the southern outskirts of Parnu. Loud calls alerted us to two very pale europaea Nuthatch. We also found a Treecreeper, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a few Siskin and Greenfinch. We then drove south taking the forest track to Lepakula and Soomeste. We stopped from time to time to check out nice looking bits of woodland. Bird densities were once again fairly low. We found 4 Great Spotted and one Three-toed Woodpecker, another Nuthatch, a roadside flock of 13 Mistle Thrush, a few Willow, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, four Bullfinch and a nice flock of 20 Common Redpoll. The only common species was Blackbird which was present in small flocks round gardens, whilst others continually streamed south over the forest. A male Hen Harrier also drifted south above us.
We arrived at Haadameeste and followed the stream out onto the coastal marsh. Flushed about 40 Grey Heron from the burn. Out on the marshes were big groups of Lapwing and small flocks of geese. They were mostly Taiga Bean Geese, but there were also some Greylag Geese and a few Greater White-fronted Geese. A Sparrowhawk stirred up a large flock of Starlings and Skylarks. Walked back into the village seeing a nice mixed flock of Siskin and Common Redpoll.
We returned towards Parnu and took the 59 to Tori, where we crossed the partly frozen Parnu river and took the track north up the east bank of the river. Stopped en route to check suitable areas of woodland, though once again bird numbers were very low with just a few Great Tits and a pair of Jays. The fields between the woods were covered in deep snow. We did see a Common Kestrel, a Great Grey Shrike and quite a few Common Buzzard and Raven. We drove north up to Rapla then east to Kaiu where we stayed the night with friends.
2nd April. Another cloudy day, but it had dried up and the wind had dropped. We had a late breakfast and a Tree Sparrow was seen from the kitchen window. We said goodbye to Paivi and Avo and set off west. At Orgita near Marjamaa we had a White Stork on its nest – one of the first back? We continued west to Risti and then went along route 9. We turned off down the 103 (signed Vilkla) and drove down to Vonnu. Just beyond the village was a parkland area round some ruined buildings. Here in the old trees were several Nuthatch, a few Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch. We checked the roadside woodland to the south and located a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and finally a White-backed Woodpecker, which gave excellent views as it sat on the top of a tree. This was the highest density of woodpeckers we had found anywhere.
We drove back to Tallin and had time to take a wander round the old town before returning the hire car to the airport, having done about 1250km. Overall we saw 72 different species, lower than expected. This was mainly due to the late winter with the deep snow cover and most of the lahts still being frozen, so that many spring migrants had probably not returned. We also found the density of birds in the woodlands exceptionally low and wondered whether numbers had been greatly reduced as a result of two severe winters in a row. Despite this it had been a successful trip and we both intend to return to revisit Estonia but at a warmer time of year.
robert.swann@homecall.co.uk