Kühmnokk-luik, Cygnus olor

Saaremaal viibides vaatlesime ka talvituvaid luiki, kes rahulikult ujusid madalas vees ning otsisid endale põhjast toitu. Meile ei pööratud vähimatki tähelepanu.
In Saaremaa we also observed Mute Swans who peacefully swam in low water and searched for food from the bottom of the sea. They paid no attention to us.

Jääkoskel, Mergus merganser

Saaremaa loodeosas olid mõned kohad jäävabad. Need olid kõik paksult veelinde täis, kuigi kahjuks peamiselt kohalikud talvitajad. Pildil jääkosklaparv startimas.
In the NW of Saaremaa island there were some ice free spots and these were filled with water birds. Mainly the birds that stayed here for winter though. On the picture you can see a flock of Goosanders taking off.

Sabatihane, Aegithalos caudatus

Kusagil keset Saaremaa kadakaseid metsasid avastasime tillukeste sabatihaste parve. Olime neid paari pöidla suurusi lindusid varem näinud, kuid pildile saada polnud õnnestunud. Nüüd jäime passima ja peagi lendasid nad meie suunas.
Somewhere in the middle of the forests of Saaremaa island we discovered a small flock of Long-tailed Tits. We had seen these tiny birds but never photographed. We took in a position and soon they started to fly towards us.

Sabatihane kontravalguses.
Long-tailed Tit in contra light.

Jäine Saaremaa

Aasta tagasi samal ajal käisime Saaremaal lindude kevadrännet vaatamas, mis oli siis täies hoos. Sellel aastal avanes merele vaadates selline pilt :) Selle eest nägime palju muud huvitavat, mida järgmise 1-2 nädala jooksul ka presenteerime.
Exactly a year ago we went to Saaremaa island to see the spring migration of the birds that was at its peak. This year was different :) Instead we saw other interesting things which we will show in the coming 1-2 weeks.

Siidisaba, Bombycilla garrulus

Siidisabad ehk kadakapüüd ehk kadakakullid maiustamas Saaremaal kadakamarjade kallal.

Waxwings (a.ka. Juniper Hawk in estonian) are feasting on juniper berries in Saaremaa, Estonia.

Händkakk, Strix uralensis

See oli meie fotoamatöörluse ajaloo kõige õnnelikum päev. Me nägime ja suutsime hästi kaadrisse saada kaku, iga kohaliku loodusfotograafi ühe unistuse. Alguses istus ta meie poole seljaga, mis lubas meil positsiooni rahulikult sisse võtta...

This was the luckiest photo day of our photographing history. We saw and were able to make a decent photo of the owl, Ural Owl. It's a "dream catch" of every estonian nature photographer. At first it showed us only its' back, which allowed us to take in the position...

...kuid siis lõpuks näitas meile ka oma unist, keskpäevast nägu. Tegime oma pildid ära ja meist ta sinna tukkuma jäi. Järgmine eesmärk on siis tabada kakk paremas valguses, kuid patt on ka praegu nuriseda. Pärnumaa.

...but at the end it showed us also its sleepy, midday face. We made our pictures and left it there. The next goal is to catch the owl in the better light but there is nothing to complain even now. Pärnumaa, Estonia.

Metskits, Capreolus capreolus

Me jäime kahjuks pildistamisele hiljaks...
Unfortunately we were late to fotoshoot...

...ning saime peale ainult välkuvad tagumikud :)
...and we only got a picture of flashing bottoms :)

Rohevint, Carduelis chloris

Ühel päikeselisel hommikul oli õhk rohevintide siristamisest tiine. Poseeriti ka piltnikele. Nii eest...
In one sunny morning the air was filled with the chirping of the Greenfinches. They also posed to the photographers. They showed their faces...

...kui tagant. Peamiselt siiski tagant. Põlvamaa.
...and also the backs. Mainly the backs. Põlvamaa, Estonia

Ehk läheb...

Täna kell 17.32 algas kevad. Loodetavasti hakkab ka lumi ära minema. Selleks talveks aitab juba, ootame pikisilmi sula...
Today at 17.32 started spring. Hopefully this means that there will be no more snow. It's quite enough already for this winter, we wait for a thaw...

Sinitihane, Blue Tit

Mõnikord on kõik masendavalt hall. Isegi värvipommist Sinitihane ümbruse kõige valgemas kohas paistab igavana.
Sometimes everything is depressingly grey. Even a color-bomb like Blue Tit on the brightest spot of the area seems dull .

Talvike, Emberiza citrinella

Lahe karvapall ehavalguses.
Puffy Yellowhammer in the evening light.

Lehvitav kuuseke

Jah, tänavune talv oli harukordne. Sellist härmarallit näeb väga harva.
Waving fir. This year's winter was exceptional. You cannot see this kind of "frost rally" very often.

Ohakalind, Carduelis carduelis

Osad vapramad ohakalinnud jäävad Eestisse ka külmaks talveks. Enamik lendab siiski ära soojematesse tingimustesse.
Some brave Goldfinches stay in Estonia for a winter. Most of them will still fly away to the south for more moderate climate.

Külmanäpistused

Frostbites.

Põhjatihane, Parus montanus

Valjuhäälsed ja sõbralikud Põhjatihased on igavesti vahvad sellid. Tulevad tihti uudistama, et mis tüübid need seal puu all passivad.
Loud and friendly Willow Tits are cool customers. They often come and take a look that what are these guys doing under the tree.

On ka nii juhtunud, et nad lendavad käeulatusse ja siis ei jää muud üle kui lihtsalt silmadega mälupilte teha, sest fotokas ju hakkab teravustama alles 1,5m pealt.
It has happened that they come so close that you can reach out and touch them. If this is the case you just have to make pictures in your mind as the telephoto lens does not focus if the object is closer than 1,5m.

Hiireviu, Buteo buteo

Nägime veebruari keskel autoga sõites ühes kohas hiireviud puu otsas istumas. Kuna oli kiire, siis pilti ei saanud. Mõni nädal hiljem samast kohast mööda sõites, tegime nalja, et ei tea kas viu on veel alles. Oligi! Seekord jäädvustasime hetke ära, järgmisel korral, kui aega on, tuleb üritada vist lähemale hiilida. Harjumaa.
Sometime in the middle of the February we saw a Buzzard sitting on a tree. As we were driving a car and were in a hurry, we did not get a photo. Several weeks later, passing the same place, we made a joke that perhaps the Buzzard is still there. And it was! This time we got a picture, next time there is plan to sneak a bit closer. Harjumaa, Estonia.

Mänsak, Nucifraga caryocatactes

Pärast pikka meetrisügavuses lumes sumpamist jõudsime kohta, kus nägime pähklimänsakut. Tegelikult isegi mitut - kokku oli neid seal vähemalt 5-6. Kuigi valgusolud seda ei soosinud, tegime ka mõned klõpsud. Mänsakud ei teinud selle peale muud kui...

After a long walk in a 1-meter-thick snow we found a place where there were Nutcrackers. Actually many of them - we saw at least 5-6 of them. Although the light conditions were poor, we took some photos. The nutcrackers did not say anything on that matter but...

..."Kraaks!"

..."Croak!"

Kuldne kuma II

Ahne rasvatihane pähklit kugistamas.

Golden glow II. Voracious Great Tit gulping a nut.

Kuldne kuma I

Toredat Naistepäeva!
Golden Glow I. Happy Women's Day!

Pasknäär, Garrulus Glandarius, Eurasian Jay

Punk on lahe!
Punk is not dead!

Karge õhtu, crispy evening

Tänaseks on sellised pildid ajalugu. Kevad tuleb ja linnud on juba ärksad. Harjumaa.

By today this kind of pictures are history. The spring is coming and the birds are awake. Harjumaa.

Talvike, Emberiza citrinella

Kui on talv, siis on talvikesed. See aasta on neid eriti palju juhtunud objektiivi ette jääma. Küll niisama lumes piilumas...
When there is winter there are Yellowhammers. This year especially they have happened to be on the other end of our telephoto lens. Either just peeking from the snow...

...küll sädistamas...
...either twitting...

...ja küll oksa peal aega parajaks tegemas.
...or either hanging on the tree branch.