Friday, August 31, 2012

The first day with the real migration!

It was so far the best and first good migration day in autumn season of Kihnu. The last day of August have sent to the swallows a signal for departure - Altogether over 5000 swallows has been migrating: 3341 Barn Swallows / suitsupääsuke (Hirundo rustica) and 1681 House Martins / räästapääsuke (Delichon urbica). The raptors migration is also going up. The 74 individuals of Sparrowhawk / raudkull (Accipiter nisus) is the best number counted and 14 migrating Kestrels / tuuletallaja (Falco tinnunculus) is new mark as well. The new migratory raptor is Hobby / lõopistrik (Falco subbuteo) – 3 birds have seen by Margus. Additionally small numbers of other raptors have seen: Marsh Harrier / roo-loorkull (Circus aeruginosus) 3, Honey Buzzard / herilaseviu (Pernis apivorus) 2, Osprey / kalakotkas (Pandion haliaetus) 1 and mighty Peregrine Falcon / rabapistrik (Falco peregrinus) 1 individual. From long distant migrants the 2 Golden Orioles / peoleo (Oriolus oriolus) and one Cuckoo / kägu (Cuculus canorus) has been recorded. The several new landbird species has been appeared today – 5 Fieldfares / hallrästas (Turdus pilaris), 4 Common Crossbills / kuuse-käbilind (Loxia curvirostra), 2 Bramblings / põhjavint (Fringila montfringilla) and 1 Treecreeper / porr (Certhia familiaris).

From the seabirds – first 19 individuals of Scaups / merivart (Aythya marila) has been observed. The staging Cormorants / kormoran (Phalacrocorax carbo) are still present in good numbers 2592 ind. At the same time most of the local terns are already gone. 

The adult male Honey Buzzard / herilaseviu in migration. /Photo M. Ellermaa/

The Peregrine Falcon / rabapistrik. /Photo M.Ellermaa/

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Even more pipits and weird duck




Today, the migrating Tree Pipits / metskiur (Anthus trivalis) have shifted in the next gear - a whopping 3458 migrating birds has been counted by Margus and Andrea. This is new record for the species outside the Sõrve bird observatory in Saaremaa! The most of the local swallows and Martins congregations are now gone, and birds are clearly heading out to the migration over the sea.

After the hunters attack to the South-Easterly cape Risitnä and Aasalaiu islets at 20 th., about half of the pre-hunting dabbing duck gathering (1200 ducks) is regrouping. Among others, Margus have spotted weird-looking hybrid between Goldeneye and Smew /sõtka ja väikekoskla hübriid (Bucephala clangula x Mergus albellus).  


The hybrid between Goldeneye and Smew left in the center. The Goldeneye right gives good comparison. The hybrid individual shows bulky rounded head of the Goldeneye, but have white cheeks and sharp and curved bill from the Smew. /Phto M. Ellermaa/

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The songbirds are starting!

Today, the mild south-westerly winds have probably initiated the songbirds migration. Although the nocturnal migrants there are very few in numbers around our base (I have heard couple of Goldcrests / pöialpoiss (Regulus regulus)), the day-time migrants have started notable migration. The most numerous migrant was Tree Pipit / metskiur (Anthus trivialis) with 1221 individuals. This is according the observations database e-elurikkus (elurikkus.ut.ee) the biggest number ever counted (except Sõrve bird observatory in Saaremaa)! The Yellow Wagtail / lambahänilane (Motacilla flava) has also surprisingly numerous in passage - 759 individuals. This is according the same database again the top number recorded for the country except Sõrve! The House Martin / räästapääsuke (Delichon urbica) has also started departure - 425 birds have recorded.

Tree Pipit - hero of the day. 1220 + this bird have been counted in migration


But not all the House Martins are lucky enough to grow up and start migrate. I have found this 5 old nestling fallen dead with the nest from atop of the 34 m lighthouse. The Martins use wet sea algae and mud for nest-building, but this seems to be not very good construction material. Although this was very late breeding pair, without this fatal incident, the nestlings still had fairly good chances to survive and able to migrate away. Now this was not the case. I have to bring some good clay for nest-building in the next year. 

We had rare guest during the bird counting - local regional police officer. She was filling the forms and questioned Margus, who has bad incident in the spring - his camera was stolen.

Nice sky above the vertical (left) and horizontal (right) radars 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

The Cuckoos are coming

The sea and waterbird migration is pretty weak during the last days with easterly winds or just these birds are blown far off to the sea. Only juvenile Common Terns / jõgitiir Sterna hirundo and Sandwitch Terns / tutt-tiir Sterna sandvicensis have passed in last evening. The quite noisy juvenile Common terns 180 in total have flew in loose flocks and went to the sea at west side.

But the raptors and other land-birds migration is turning on gradually. Yesterday me and Andrea Meier had to visit Munalaiu harbor to receive our new laser rangefinder binocular. During the 10
11:00 ferry trip to the mainland over the Kihnu strait we saw some interesting daytime raptor movement. On male Sparrowhawk / raudkull Accipiter nisus has flew low over water into sw toward Kihnu just in the halfway from mainland to island. One female/juvenile Montagu's Harrier / soo-loorkull Circus pygargus have went off couple of km to the sea from the Lao peninsula, but then returned and flew back to the coast. 3 Common Buzzards /hiireviu Buteo buteo have used the thermals to climb in altitude, made a small circle over the straight and Manilaid island near the coast and then returned and gaining height and finally departed back northwards. One adult White-tailed Eagle / merikotkas Halliaetus akbicilla has sitting on the gravel spit in the middle of bay next to some 90 Cormornats / Kormoran Phalacrocorax carbo (usually there are resting appr 1500 individuals). Another eagle has sitting on the rock close to the Munalaid island and third on we discoverd flying in medium altitude over the wide sea area. Finally this bird has reached to the on of the islands in the Kihnu archipelago, north from the main island.

Today I have watched migration shortly since 10-11 in the most NE spit of the island. The fresh westerly wind with medium speed seems to encourage some migrants to cross the water. Most surprisingly, I have seen at least one Cuckoo (juvenile male)/ kägu Cuculus canorus have flew in following the spit. There was at least two staging birds in this area as well, those made time-to time occasional flight tests over the area and maneuvered smartly in the wind. There was one Hobby /lõopistrik Falco subbuteo flew in from NE as well and he become play fight with Hooded Crow / hallvares Corvus corone. Later the crow was chasing and guiding the falcon as well and I managed to get few frames from this action. At least one Sparrowhawk flew in during this period as well and two individuals circled in the air and has fight with each other.

The juvenile Male Cuckoo with yellow eye-ring and striped and bluish underpart 

The juvenile with brown upper part plumage

The swallows resting on the electric pole near the field station

The adult male Barn Swallow is about stopping in the air for sharp turn during the feeding

Thursday, August 16, 2012

The calm day

The bird migrational activity was very weak in the morning. weather was quite overcast, quite warm and very slight breeze from the north-west.  It was evident, that some songbirds have dropped down form night migration - Margus have seen the first Red-breasted Flycatcher / väike-kärbsenäpp Ficedula parva for this year. Also the first Chiffchaff /väike-lehelind Phylloscopus collybita was visiting the southernmost bushes of the cape.

Margus and Andrea are counting birds and tag the radar tracks with species information

The calm and warm day attracted myriads of insects from small flies and mosquitoes up to dragonflies to fill the air around our base. This surplus of food was not used only by night-migratory insectivorous songbirds, but also by appr 200 House Martins / räästapääsuke Delichon urbica. Although there was about dozen breeding pairs altogether under the lighthouse and our filed station, its seems that martins from the whole village or even from island are gathering. If the swallows use electric wires for sitting in groups and socializing, the martins use the same constructions for sitting there they built their nests. The space is tight and often there are more birds than space and often there are screaming of the competing birds could be heard. If some birds detect small raptors approaching, the all the flock is bursting into air and nervous alarm calls are filling the air. Now we have our vertical radar functional again and we can track the martins and other passing birds above our airspace.



The Kihnu lighthouse - the house of the martins

All Martins are looking for the sitting place under the platform of the lighthouse

Some land- and some waterbirds

Today, the easterly winds has continued to blow, but day had a bit different character than previous one. The raptor movement was almost over, only occasional sparrowhawk / raudkull Accipiter nisus and  the Kestrel / tuuletallaja Falco tinnunculus  was seen on feeding flights. But among landbirds, there was some songbirds migration in the morning. Margus have counted 121 Tree pipits /metskiur Anthus trivalis, which is remarkable number for this species. Also the 98 migrating Yellow Wagtails / lambahänilane  Motacilla flava, is remarkable number for the autumn season. On the rare species side, Margus have observed one Tawny Pipit / nõmmekiur Anthus campestris walking on the sandy beach, north-west from our field station.

Among staging birds, there was first Smew /väikekoskel Mergus albellus appeared. The numbers of local Goldeneyes /sõtkas Bucephala clangula are increasing day by day and reaching today to the 129 individuls, whic is still 20 times less, than in the June. among goldeneyes, also the 6 individuals flock of Common Scoters / mustvaeras Melanitta nigra appeared close to the coast.

In the coastal waters around the southern point, one Ringed seal / viigerhüljes Phoca hispida have made nice show in the afternoon. This individual have tried to climb up to his/her usual resting spot, the big flat bolder in the sea. The seal has tried 4-5 times and already half way up was still slipping back to the water, until finally gave up. Then I have realized, that easterly winds have blown the water levels so low, that seal could not reach its favored resting spot anymore!

In the evening, I have counted the Mute Swan / kühmnokk-luik Cygnus olor flocks in the coastal waters and island archipelago north from Kihnu. I have counted as many as 978 individuals in total, which is mine biggest ever count on this species. It is seems, that low seawater may attract more swans over wider territory to enjoy the perfect feeding conditions around Kihnu.

The Sparrowhawk is resting on the fishing boat /Photo M. Kose/

These guys are not a Robinsons with the laptops, but hard working engineers from the Robin Radar Systems, fine-turning our bird radars. /Photo M. Kose/

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

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.

Robin team working on the vertical radar. /Photo M. Kose/


The juvenile Sparrowhawk has landed next to the our radar station. /Photo Kaido Kärner/

The juvenile Kestrel. /Photo M. Kose/

The juvenile Peregrine falcon /Photo Kaido Kärner/


Friday, August 10, 2012

The mind-blowing morning


Sometimes the bad things could be turn into good ones: as my ferry trip to mainland was cancelled due to storm in yesterday, I had to stay into Kihnu for another night. Waking just before the sunrise at 5:20 for catching early ferry, already the first sight toward sea was mind-blowing. The rising sun have painted the fancy looking cumulus clouds with orangey cast and intense dark blue underside was promising rain and pictures as well! I have had privilege to see many sunrises and sunsets in seaside in many different places, but today’s sunrise seascape was something really extraordinary.  And the whole scenery wasn’t perfect without completely flat sea with sky reflections. What a contrast in change of the sea state within 24h!

Our field station, lighthouse and bird radars in the morning scenery. Photo Mati Kose

Fantastic sunrise seascape scenery. Photo Mati Kose



In a hurry to the harbour, I have just noticed the gulls, terns and cormorants are very active and flying around in all sea sectors to find some storm-shaken fish for a food. But the calm night was also good for the night migrating songbirds and probably some of them have dropped down to the woodland around our field station as well. So I heard calls of the first Robin / punarind Erithacus rubecula for the autumn season.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

The day with the flying water

The strong wind has become full storm in the morning, reaching over 15 m/s average and gusts over 20 m/s. The first westerly storm to witness and I saw first time how the breaking cross-waves crushed into whitish clouds of flying water. Well, I could be nice to watch storm, but my ferry trip back to mainland was cancelled due to strong wind.

The flying water

Splash alarm! Common Sandpiper (vihitaja)


Margus Ellermaa has been in easternmost point of island in this morning. The Common Gull / kalakajakas Larus canus was top migrant again. Over 2000 individuals, made the new mark for the season and this kind of strong migration despite of the storm and early season have surprised even him as one of our most experienced sea-watcher. He counted also 2400 satging individuals of this species in the south-eastern spit and islets. Two Black Terns / mustviires Chlidonias niger, have passed as well. Since the early evening, the wind was pretty much retreating. So, these good conditions have been used by appr 300 Common Gulls and 2 Gray Herons / hallhaigur Ardea cinerea, for migratory start. The fresh mud means fresh food for the waders. So we will check the situation in next days. Today I saw 2 Bar-tailed Godwits / vöötsaba-vigle Limosa lapponica and one  late Oystercatcher / merisk Haematopus ostralegus as new species for the week.

This bloody wind will blow my wings away! Juvenile Common Tern (jõgitiir)

We must rest from the fight with the storm. Juvenile Common terns (jõgitiirud)

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The night with the light(ing)


The new day came at the midnight with the dark blue clouds from south and has brought in warm and wet weather. Soon the thunders started to roll over the area and lightening’s illuminated sky with the violent flashes. Usually the most of the thunder clouds passing the island from western or eastern side because of the island’s local weather pattern, but this time it was came right over. Although I have expected, that lightening will hit the 100 m high tower of the ship surveillance radar or cause problems in our bird radar systems, fortunately this was not happened. A single call of the Curlew/suurkoovitaja Numenius arquata was heard just after the passing of the thunder – some waders are moving in the night.

The morning has started with fresh blow of westerly wind, which has been rising in speed constantly and blowing strong with the average speed 12,3 m/s now. From the bird’s side there some subtle changes are going on. The numbers of migratory birds is not very remarkable, but composition of the staging bird population has changed: The number of cormorants, resting in islets and rocks and making back and forth feeding flights has been reduced to the 500-800 individuals, which is much less than before. From the Terns, it seems that big proportion of the Arctic Terns/randtiir Sterna paradisae have gone, and Common Terns/jõgitiir Sterna hirundo become dominating. It seems, that big numbers of a tern families have been departed their breeding islets north form Kihnu and now first time around half of them are juveniles. Most likely the youngsters rest and enjoy the adult’s effort to feed them fat before departure. So I have counted roughly 500 terns sitting in the islets and sand banks at yesterday. From gulls, the Black-headed Gulls/naerukajakas Larus ridibundus becoming less numerous than previously and influx of the Common Gulls/kalakajakas Larus canus appeared. Margus Ellermaa have counted around 1000 of them passing the east coast watching point in the morning and spotted 2 Black Terns/mustviires Chlidonias niger heading south as well.







Friday, August 3, 2012

Evening with Swifts

Last two mornings has been very few migration again. Seems that main migration of adult waders is almost over for now and juveniles hasn`t started their journey yet. 
But today evening has been calm and sunny with nice bird movement. I did evening sitewatching at the southern tip between 19.30-21.30 and during those two hours I counted 250 migrating Swifts Apus apus (best for the autumn season). Late July and early August is main migration time for the south rushing Swifts. The best count in Estonia has been 24.07.2007 at Sõrve bird station when unusual 34,000 Swifts were counted in one day. Other migrants in the evening - Grey Heron Ardea cinerea - 14, Greenshank Tringa nebularia - 6, Curlew Numenius arquata - 4, Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola - 4. Five Tree Sparrows Passer montanus in the garden today morning- first sightning at the southern tip during the autumn bird survey.

Adult Sanderling Calidris alba. One of the four most arctic distributed wader species. Photo by Tarvo Valker.