Estonian Birds and Mammals – Self-Guided Tour

Arrival to Tallinn, drive to Haapsalu. You could look around in Haapsalu which is known as the birding capital of Estonia. There is everything – reedbeds, lagoons, a promenade, a watching tower, small islets perfect for nesting, an old castle ruin, and town parks. The most famous breeder of Haapsalu is the Slavonian Grebe. You could also drive to Matsalu NP and look for owls or elk. Night in Haapsalu

Start the morning with Black Grouse lek, while also hoping to spot elk and other mammals on the way to lekking area. Later, heading to Nõva forests, drive slowly through a good area for spotting Capercaillies. And check out Dirhami, the best bird migration peninsula in Northern Europe.

Silma reserve is a huge area of coastal meadows, lagoons and reed beds with lots of diving ducks, Red-necked Grebes, geese, cranes, terns, Little Hulls, Penduline- and Bearded Tits. Head out early towards Silma nature reserve. Roadsides could produce views of Roe Deer, Red Fox, Raccoon Dog, hare, Elk, and, if you’re lucky, Golden Jackal. You could spend the second part of the evening in Leidissoo forest, which is great for woodpeckers (White-backed WP, Grey-headed WP, and Black WP) and owls (Pygmy Owl, Ural Owl and Tengmalm’s Owl).

Whole day in Matsalu NP. The park has several towers which give you a great view over the flooded meadows, as well as to the coastal meadows. The habitats here are good for birds – ducks, waders. Also for elks: in springtime, young calves can be seen among the cows. In autumn during the rut time, bulls are running around the meadow hoping to get the cows’ attention.

An evening boat tour on the river takes you to the beavers’ world. Reed beds are good habitat for bats – you’ll see them hunting in the sunset’s glow.

Drive to N-E of Estonia to Alutaguse area with its huge bogs and forests. It is also a core area of brown bears in Estonia. The night will be spent in the brown bear hide. There’s also active bird life around the hide, as well as mammals: raccoon dogs, foxes, brown bears are quite easy to see; sometimes wild boars are visible.

Come out from the brown bear hide in the morning, make a little circle on the surrounding forest roads to look for Capercaillies and other wildlife.

Day in Lahemaa NP, with its wealth of peninsulas and beaches – stony, sandy, reed beds, open sea; both old-growth and young forests are great habitats for birds and mammals. Lahemaa is probably the best location is Estonia for spotting the Three-toed Woodpecker and Hazel Grouse.  Walk around on one of Lahemaa´s several trails or drive along small forest roads.

Day 7: Lahemaa NP

Early morning drive in Lahemaa forest roads to look for mammals and birds: Black Grouse, Capercaillie, Hazel Grouse or walk in one of the several manor parks Lahemaa has to offer. Lahemaa is also a great place for coastal birding. There are some migration hotspots for passing divers, geese, and, ducks, but also some great resting and feeding places for the birds. In the evening, look for owls in the vast coniferous forests. Night in Lahemaa

Night in the brown bear hide.

The drive from the Brown Bear hide to Tallinn takes about 2 hours. If you have enough time, you can visit some of the walking trails in the Alutaguse region, the Kõrvemaa nature reserve, or the Viidumäe nature reserve.