The author, Kristel Vilbaste, presents texts also in Vikerraadio

Translation into English by Maret

Photo Arne Ader

_{Estonian text posted 17.07.2018}

Wild Rose (or Dog Rose)

Our loudest song birds have lost their power. The cuckoo has “caught a barley awn in its throat” (an old Estonian saying - M.)  -  flying over a field it’s no longer chased by an angry flock of birds. Even the nightingale has gone quiet, only the oriole is still whistling.

Right now the bird population presents a totally different sound to the world. The ones singing are mainly hedge sparrows and warblers. In addition, we can often hear some young birds’ cries for help: herons at the lake, owlets in the night or the young ones among a huge flock of starlings. But the oriole keeps whistling away and quite often its shrill sounds predict rain  -  and now the rain showers do keep coming very frequently.

Screenshot from webcam  UteL, LK forum
English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 04.08.2018

Near the nest flying exercises go on in daytime too

¨Black stork      Must-toonekurg       Ciconia nigra

Female Kati has not been seen since the beginning of August but so quietly the departure of the black stork females proceeds.

Hunger is what sets the young birds in action because the couple of feedings in a day by male Karl is no longer enough for youths grown big. They have to start acting and occupying themselves as their instincts tell them.

Text and photos  Mairit
English translation Liis

Estonian text posted 30.07.2018

White stork        Valge-toonekurg         Ciconia ciconia

 

Kristel Vilbaste

Photo Arne Ader

English translation Maret

_{Estonian text posted 12.07.2018}

Cornflakes on wheat field

At some point in time, we start looking in the nature for cornflowers.

We probably don’t notice them much before the second week of July, but then all of a sudden every Estonian seems to need them. And there really are certain fields, where dicotyledonous plants are not abolished and where they bloom happily just then.

There are certainly many things to learn about our national flower. For instance, just when do cornflowers start to bloom in our fields. When you ask people, most of them think, that it must happen around the time for the Song Festivals (usually at the beginning of July - translator), because then just about everybody carries cornflowers, either in bouquets or in wreaths on the heads of girls.

Kristel Vilbaste

Photo Arne Ader

English translation Maret

_{Estonian text posted 11.07.2018}

Mole

You have most likely noticed in the past week, that occasionally on roadways (highways) you can see dead moles. Or maybe you have even happened to see some of these little animals aimlessly plodding along above ground, despite of their fear of light.

Right now is the time, when we are most often able to see them, because the mole families are chasing their offspring out of their underground tunnels. Maybe some eager youngsters are able to build a wall between themselves and their elders, but most of them have to get out into the open and find new soft ground suitable for tunnelling. And doing so, they often get caught in the beaks or teeth of their predatory enemies.