Text and photos  Aare Lindt, www.loodusmuuseum.ee

Translation Liis

Yellow horned moth   Kevad-udeselg          Achlya flavicornis

The yellow horned moth is one of the commonest moths in April and they cam be encountered everywhere in Estonia.

By vibrating its wings in a cold spring night the moth boosts its body temperature and is able to fly even at 0 ⁰C.

Image from webcam captured by  Maggy, LK forum

Photo Veljo Runnel, https://runnel.smugmug.com/

Translation Liis

What little black pieces of rubbish are lying around on the nest bottom?

Tawny owl     Kodukakk        Strix aluco

Male Klaus brings Klaara 5-6 little rodents that he has caught during the evening and night. Klaara hears Klaus’ arrival from far away and the conversation of the tawny owl pair on passing the prey sounds quite loudly. What would the talk be about translated into human language – here we are all free to imagine ...

Image from web camera captured by  Lussi, LK forum

Translation Liis

Buzzard; Common buzzard     Hiireviu     Buteo buteo

On Saturday evening female Mari laid her second egg. Reminder: the first egg was laid three days ago, on April 6th.

Video recorded by  Urmas Lett, www.eenet.ee

Translation Liis

White-tailed eagle, Sea eagle       Merikotkas      Haliaeëtus albicilla

For recapitulation, WTE pair  Anna and Uku had their first egg on Women’s day, the second on March 11 and the third on March 14th. Incubation time for the large and powerful birds is calculated to be 38 days, thus we may see WTE chicks hatching already this week.

Video recorded by  Urmas Lett, www.eenet.ee

Photo Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Goshawk nest in Riga city

Goshawk, Northern goshawk    Kanakull     Accipiter gentilis

Goshawk numbers have declined significantly as compared to a couple of decades ago. This year nesters are less than half a thousand pairs. Reasons differ of course but goshawks do not tolerate intensive forest managing, their habitats have always been held to be the oldest and largest mixed forest areas. In recent years, a few individuals have been active in cities, even  Tallinn. Our “birds of prey men” have promised to write about this soon.