Kihnu Bird Survey: The day with the birds of prey

Today we had Dutch Robin Radar Systems team doing the maintenance and upgrading work for the bird radar. At the same time we have witnessed the interesting bird day with the some new species. The easterly and north-easterly wind has changed the regular bird situation – Margus have made several observations on birds coming from southward over the sea and reaching the island. There were at least three Pied Flycatchers / must-kärbsenäpp Ficedula hypoleuca landed close to the southern point of the island, one bird seemed to be particularly exhausted. In the mid morning he discovered another nice surprise – the juvenile/male Pallid harrier / välja-loorkull Circus macrourus coming over sea and passing western shore of the island. Our friend Kaido has asked me to rush out from the house to help Margus to confirm the observation of this rare bird and so I have got my lifer.

Was it because of the wind or because of the season, the raptors have been showing off for the first time in the autumn season. There was several Sparrowhawks /raudkull Accipiter nisus, couple of Kestrels / tuuletallaja Falco tinnunculus and Hobby / lõopistrik Falco subbuteo, visiting the spit and triggered the warning behaviour by swallows and martins. We have also spotted and Kaido have successfully photographed one juvenile Peregrine falcon / rabapistrik Falco peregrinus. This is the very early observation for this migratory species. We have seen the two juvenile Kestrels feeding on locusts in the central part of the island – in their parents breeding territory. We saw also one juvenile Cuckoo /kägu Cuculus canorus in the woodlands of the western part of the island.