Kickspark Trips on Frozen Rivers

Kicksparking is fun winter activity, in Soomaa national park frozen rivers provide great conditions for it. Kicksled are traditional means of transport on icy and snowy winter roads both in Estonia, as well in Scandinavia.

Kickspark Trip In Soomaa National Park

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Wild Gallery – Spring Geese

The results of the annual Easter bird survey, organised by the Estonian Ornithological Society, revealed that more than half of the almost 42,000 birds sighted over the weekend were from the Branta or Ansa goose genus.

White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons)

Eight species of goose can be typically seen in Estonia, either stopping here in early spring on their north/eastern migration or breeding here over spring and summer. Now is one of the best times to see migrating geese en masse as they continue to arrive or rest here during the first few weeks of May.

Below is a gallery of these beautiful birds

The Original Easter Eggs

With daytime temperatures consistently in the double figures and a few weeks of warm sunshine beginning to warm and green the fields and forests, we are certainly well into spring. There are many celebrations around the world that are connected with this time of year, such as Easter, Passover, Holi and the Sinhalese New Year. Often these traditions speak of the awakening of new life, whether it be in the fields, forests or in people’s personal and spiritual lives.

You can watch this creation of new life for yourself on the Looduskalendar Black Stork webcam nest. Two recently arrived black storks, recently named Tiit and Tiina by the Looduskalendar web forum, have made Estonia their home for spring and summer.

A big weekend of ‘big water’ in Soomaa

It’s been very busy in Soomaa National Park this week, with hundreds of people drawn there over the weekend to experience for themselves the annual spring floods known as the ‘fifth season’ or sometimes as ‘suur vesi’ which clumsily translates into english as ‘big water’.

Visiting a house at Karukose, Soomaa National Park. Photo by Kati Grauberg-Longhurst.

Soomaa is a natural lowland that receives meltwater from the adjacent Sakala uplands, leading to an annual period of flooding. The highest recorded flood level was in 1931, but with large amounts of snow falling over both the 2009/10 and 2010/11 winters, spring flood levels in 2010 and 2011 have been the second and third highest on record. The flooded area covers around 150km²  and can reach 7-8 km at its widest point.

Welcome back to Estonia! The snow is already gone!

When driving from Viljandi to Tartu yesterday, Geoff was very pleased to see hundreds of geese, in flocks both small and large, flying overhead in their classic V-formations. Welcome back to Estonia!

Migrating geese. Photo by Willemvdk

It was also a surprise to see that only after about a week of gentle spring warmth, almost all of the snow cover has melted away and that the fields have already taken on a faint shade of green.

Snow Cover Map by EMHI (www.emhi.ee)

In the heart of the ‘spring action’

It’s an exciting time of the year!

Thousands of birds are arriving from their southern wintering grounds and spring flowers are sprouting where thick snow had recently blanketed the land.

'Spring Snowflakes' or 'March Bells' (Leucojum vernum) sprouted this week. Photo by Geoff Longhurst

Rivers, bogs, lakes and fields are also brimming over with spring meltwater, turning lowlands like Soomaa National Park, in south-eastern Estonia, into playgrounds for canoeists and kayakers.

The 'Fifth Season' in Soomaa, Estonia. Photo by Lauri Väin

If you’re planning on spending some time exploring Estonia this spring, one of the best ways to discover the country’s wild side is to spend time away from cities and towns and stay in a rural guesthouse or B&B.

The Estonian Rural Tourism website is a great place to find accomodation across the country as well as ‘active tourism’, ‘catering’ and other services.

Estonian Rural Tourism homepage

Their ‘corn flower’ quality system is designed to highlight and rank quality accommodation and service providers, although not all providers participate in this ranking program.

Using their website, we found some of the places and companies that will allow you to get away from it all, while keeping you in the heart of the ‘spring action’.

• Altmõisa Guesthouse
  This cosy guesthouse is on the shores of Matsalu Bay and borders with Matsalu National Park, one of the top coastal birdwatching areas in Estonia.

• Estonian Nature Tours
  Based within Matsalu National Park, Estonian Nature Tours have a range of tours and services available for bird watchers throughout the year, as well as special botanical and mammal watching tours.

• Põnka Holiday Farm (Estonian: Põnka Puhketalu)
  This lovely renovated farmhouse is located very close to Soomaa National Park and is a certified partner of Pan Parks, Europe’s own wilderness protection organisation.

• Soomaa.com
  Specialist tour operator in Soomaa National Park and also a certified partner of Pan Parks. Soomaa.com will help you to discover Soomaa’s fascinating flooded landscapes during the spring floods, known locally as the ‘Fifth Season’.

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