Kihnu Bird Survey: Cranes are leaving and Swans are coming

Nice Crane/sookurg Grus grus migration in the morning between 9.00-11.30. In total 1 019 Cranes has been counted today flying over the Kihnu island. Most of the flocks passed our observatory along western side of the island, about 3km off the shoreline. Considering migration times those should be Cranes making stopover in Estonia and now continue their journey to the wintering areas (mostly in France and Spain). This is possible that this will be the best day of Crane migration on Kihnu island because flocks flying over the water are spreading on the sea and not concentrating around Kihnu island. Together with migrating Cranes, 16 Bewick Swans/ väikeluik Cygnus columbianus has encountered on migration.

Also other bigger landbirds showed nice movement today - Wood Pigeon/ kaelustuvi Columba palumbus 1 160m (best for the autumn season), Sparrowhawk/ raudkull Accipiter nisus 86m, Hen Harrier/välja-loorkull Circus cyaneus 5m (best for the autumn season), Merlin/ väikepistrik Falco columbarius 5m, Peregrine Falcon/ rabapistrik Falco peregrinus 2 adult migrating (+2 local birds - adult and juvenile) and Hobby/ lõopistrik Falco subbuteo 1 migrating and 1 local individual flying around.

Passerine migration in the morning has been very quiet, but due to weather change during the late morning (wind slightly turned from west to south) passerines had nice migration from mid-day until darkness. So it has been another day (fourth for the autumn season) with over 100 000 passing passerines! Among passerines today - Chaffinches/metsvint Fringilla coelebs 71 000m, Brambling/põhjavint Fringilla montifringilla 1 125m (best for the autumn season), Siskin/siisike Carduelis spinus 12 350m, Meadow Pipit/sookiur Anthus pratensis 1 615m (best for the autumn season), Reed Bunting/ rootsiitsitaja Emberiza schoeniclus 55m (best for the autumn season), Parrot Crossbill/männi-käbilind Loxia pytyopsittacus 3m (first for the autumn season) and Passeriformes/ määramata värvuline 18 750 m. No doubt - the bird of the day has been migrating Short-toed Lark/välja-väikelõoke Calandrella brachydactyla. Unfortunately I had to make some tehnical work at the same time inside so I missed the bird myself and chance to get photos of the bird. But Timo saw bird flying rather low and calling two times before going to the sea trip. But hopefully already tommorrow will be even better day! :)

/T.V./