1. Eurasian Lynx - 3 sightings on 2 different tours, including one just at 60 meters.
2. Hawk Owl - prolonged views of the single bird perched just 25 meters from the group.
3. Tengmalm´s Owl - outstanding views on our last birding trip before lockdown. We found 6 more occupied breeding sites shortly after the tour. Sadly no birders to show them.
4. Steller´s Eiders - brilliant views on every single Steller´s Eider tour. Birds usually less than 100 meters from the shore. Another brilliant season!
5. Hazel Hen - good views of this rather shy grouse on most of our tour. On one occasion we watched the male on the forest track for 10 minutes while on a second tour perched individual was feeding on the silver birch just above us.
STELLER`S EIDER WINTER BREAK - in collaboration with Wise Birding Holidays.
Dates: 20-23 Feb 2020
Leader: Tarvo Valker
Cost: 625 pounds+ flights. Included in the cost: accommodation, all meals, ground transport and services of leader
Booking: chris@wisebirding.co.uk
This tour is specifically designed as a short break to see the wintering flocks of Steller’s Eiders that congregate off the Estonian island of Saaremaa. Numbers vary each winter but generally you can expect a minimum of 300 birds and as many as 1,000 birds. Of course, during the winter months the diversity of species will be low but the quality of species is excellent. We should see a good selection of other seaduck, White-tailed Eagles and a good chance of Eurasian Pygmy Owl. We also spend a night on the mainland near Soomaa NP where we will search for Capercaillie and Hazel Grouse as well as woodpeckers and with luck, the hugely impressive Ural Owl!
OUTLINE ITINERARY
Day 1- arrival to Tallinn, afternoon birding en route to Saaremaa island
Day 2 – Birding at Saaremaa island
Day 3- Birding at Soomaa NP
Day 4 - departure
Steller´s Eiders at Saaremaa island. Photo taken by tour leader Tarvo Valker during the same tour in 2019.
Hazel Hen near Haapsalu. Photo taken by tour leader Tarvo Valker during the same tour in 2019.
Spotted Nutcracker near Haapsalu. Photo taken by tour leader Tarvo Valker during the same tour in 2019.
SPRING MIGRATION AND FOREST BIRDS! (Tour cancelled due to Corona!)
Dates: 7 - 11 May 2020 (4 nights)
Leader: Tarvo Valker
Group size: 3-6 persons
Price: 820 euros plus flights.
Booking: birdinghaapsalu@gmail.com
This tour is the perfect
choice if you want to witness great visible migration in combination
with seeing some of your target forest birds! After the arrival
to Tallinn we will head to Hiiumaa island to witness some of the
Europe´s best spring migration! Our mornings will be filled with
stunning seawatching with tens of thousands of Common Scoters and
Long-tailed Ducks passsing the point mixed with many less numerous
seaducks, divers and grebes. With good luck we might even encounter
last flocks of the Steller´s Eiders or an annual vagrant –
Yellow-billed Diver! During the day we will check wonderful meadows
which hold good numbers of passing migrants, such as Red-backed
Shrikes, Whinchats and Wrynecks.
After two evening and
morning birding sessions at Hiiumaa island we will be heading to the
mainland to look for the breeding Grouse, Woodpeckers and Owls to
have a taste of the Estonian woodland birds.
OUTLINE ITINERARY
Day 1 – arrvial, evening birding at Hiiumaa island
Day 2 – Hiiumaa island
Day 3 – Hiiumaa island and Haapsalu
Day 4 – Leidisoo forests and Matsalu National Park
Day 5 - departure
Ural Owl at Leidissoo NR. Photo taken by tour leader Tarvo Valker during the same tour in May 2019.
AUTUMN MIGRATION in WEST-ESTONIA
Dates: 24-28 Sept 2020 (4 nights)
Group size: 4-6 people.
Price: 860 Euros + flights. Included in the cost: accommodation, all meals, ground transport and guiding
Booking: birdinghaapsalu@gmail.com
Expected
highlights:
thousands of Long-tailed Ducks, hundreds of Velvet Scoters,
Grey-headed, White-backed, Black and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Hazel Hen, Black
Grouse, Ural Owl, Pygmy Owl, Hen Harrier, thousands of Common Cranes, tens of thousands of
migrating passerines, Nutcracker.
This tour gives you the chance to witness the spectacular bird migration taking place in autumn in West-Estonia. We take you to some of the best places in Europe for seaduck and passerine migration. During the peak days up to half a million Chaffinches, tens of thousands of Siskins or continuous chains of Long-tailed Ducks pass through the observation points in West-Estonia..
On
this tour we will be based at Matsalu NP for the whole trip covering
different migration bottlenecks each morning. This allows us to
enjoy the migration of seaduck, raptors as well as tiny passerines.
Our evenings will be spent witnessing the amazing roosting flights of
the thousands of Common Cranes. The same areas are also perfect for
encountering the impressive Moose. There is always a good chance of
seeing tracks and signs of Estonia’s more elusive top predators
such as Lynx, Bear and Wolf, or if you are extremely lucky, actually
see them! The visit to the small Kihnu Island on our last full day
will be the cherry on the cake!
OUTLINE ITINERARY
Day 1 – Arrival to Tallinn, afternoon birding at Matsalu NP
Day 2 – Matsalu NP
Day 3 – Cape Põõsaspea and Leidissoo forests
Day 4 – Kihnu island
Day 5 - Departure