Out On The Town

Today was to be a 'social event', visiting some of the sights, bars, restaurants, people and clubs of Tallinn City Center. On our was to town we stopped to admire the commemorative statue to one of Estonia's greatest authors Anton Hansen Tammsaare (1878 - 1940) writer of 'Truth & Justice'.

Enter the city via the old gateway.

The Peppersack, one of Tallinn's oldest buildings.

Ille in the Main Square.

A little traditional Russian

Music before lunch.

Clockwise from me, Ille, her youngest son Herkko and his Austrian friend Stefan on a brief visit from Vienna. The duck was excellent!

Later in the day, Pierre awaited us at singularly my favourite location in the town. The Josephine Koffeek is renowned for all things chocolate especially the 'port cakes' and the hot chocolate itself. Washed down with a large Jamison's, what could be better?

An array of chocolate goodies to please the eye!

The plush interior and light Jazz make this THE place to relax.

Tea is served.

Ready for a bite to eat.

Yes, OK Bagsy back in your box!

A little further down the road, Restoran La Bottega features these 'walls of wine'.

Invited in to the Olde Hansad (c1400 AD) cucumber and a pot of Schnapps.

Auri Hakomaa, Tallinn's Mr Medieval, owner of many of the restaurants hereabouts welcomed us into his home and introduced us to his family. A memorable hour to say the least!

We visited one of his other establishments, The Restaurant Krambude which if Robin Hood himself had turned up we wouldn't have been surprised. A moment at the 'Guard Robe' to freshen up.

Some interior shots of Krambude.

At your service.

Ille by candlelight.

Good night!

A 'nightcap' at the Clazz Jazz Club, where Salsa was the order of the night, a couple of dances and beers before heading home.

With Cemetery Eyes - Marillion

Rook - an addition to the Estonia List.

Ille didn't really have much to say about the suppression of vital 'birding' information, in fact she was completely mute on the subject! She had said that just around the corner from her apartment there was a small park where I might find a few birds, but nothing about the adjoining Cemetery, which turned out to be an avian paradise.

Leaving home at the same time as she went to work, 08-00, I immediately stumbled upon c3 Rooks attempting to feed close to the market. One obligingly perched on a Car Park sign, just long enough to fire off one shot. Close by there were a small party of feeding Jackdaws, with the one in the photograph looking far paler around the nape and neck than those at home?

Jackdaw

The park was taken up with mainly the national football stadium, a series of 6 a side pitches and tennis courts, but the was a small stand of woodland where once again Fieldfare were predominant.

The Estonia National (Practice) Football Stadium

Other sports facilities, all of which were in use.

The Cemetery wall, and thoughts of what lay beyond.

I have no idea how to estimate acres or hectares, in fact both are simply just words, but by comparison to my local Melcombe Regis Cemetery this one is colossal. The problem seemed to be gaining access without a long walk, but consulting a couple of locals was soon shown a hole in the fence that even I could easily squeeze through. However, even before that I was miffed by yet another unfamiliar sweet bird song coming from high in an Ash tree.

It turned out to be this Spotted Flycatcher, which is another addition to the Estonia List and, had it been at home, would have been a year first.

While stood admiring this ornate gateway, complete with 2 fine bells, I noticed to my left what was the older section of the grave yard now overgrown, but passable. From this area came acacophony of bird song including what I thought to be Nightingale (which I will return to), Blackbird, Fieldfare, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and (just to catch up with Martin at the Obs) my very first singing Redwing - sensational! In addition I watched Lesser Whitethroatseveral times carrying food into a bramble thicket, another adult male Common Rosefinchperched out of camera shot, and my first fledged Fieldfare being fed out of the nest, it was simply getting better and better.

Male and

female Blackbird tending to their young nesting in a tree cleft.

A recently fledged Fieldfare waiting patiently.

The wait is over as Mum returns with the victuals.

Leaving the totally neglected section of the cemetery, the woodland opens up to an easier accessible area where just a few of the graves seem cared for.

By now, having watched Fieldfare feeding young, discarding recently hatched egg shells and collectively coping with marauding Hooded Crows, I was estimating the breeding population as being in the region of 30 pairs. By the time my day was over I considered that to be a gross miscalculation, and without sensationalising numbers thought it much more likely to have been 50 pairs plus!

Further down the track there was a more familiar song, but it took me a while to come to the conclusion that it was a Wood Warbler. Again perched high in a tree it did allow a couple of reasonable shots, unlike a pair of Pied Flycatcher close by which as well as being at altitude where so mobile even seeing them was difficult.

and so, back to the 'Nightingale'? Heinzel, Fitter & Parslow (Fieldguide) tells me that this species shouldn't occur anywhere near Estonia and that the local Luscinia would be Thrush Nightingale, also called Sprosser. I was lucky enough to see several such birds today but even with decent views of the breast couldn't see how they could be the latter. Unfortunately, the only really obliging one (photo) only presented itself 'back towards' but even this shows a fairlyrufous tail and overall a more brown back? Maybe someone can cast a second eye over this photo as I have only ever seen one Sprosser in my life and the difference in song (all birds were vocal) is well beyond my capabilities. Thanks in anticipation.

Wood Pigeon

Arriving at the more recent section of the area, there was more human activity but all were busying themselves tending graves or silent vigil so didn't bother me. This is where I encountered the first Wood Pigeon of the trip plus another vocal Icterine Warbler and a Serin also in good voice, with the latter being an Estonian tick.

As I reached the gate, 2 ladies football teams were taking the field so I sat talking to a most amiable, young Mexican man whose lady-friend was playing a 'blinder' on the left wing. He was himself off to London next week to watch his national side (slaughter, his word not mine) England in a friendly at Wembley - may the best man win! On the way back I had seen another game in progress, and while not an aficionado, did think the skills excellent from what looked like about 10 year olds. I was accurate in this guess but what I hadn't noticed was they were mixed sex teams, and they were good. So, a message for Mr Rooney and his pals "watch your step if you come to Estonia".

My visit was now over, but there were two thoughts going through my mind. From what I had seen, this place is an overflowing larder for Raptors but I didn't see a single bird of prey, while with all this birdsong I was constantly reminded of Emily Bronte's final words from the immortalWuthering Heights - What Could Disturb the Slumbers for the Sleepers, In That Quiet Earth!

Reservoir Dog

Since first landing at Tallinn Airport I thought the adjacent lake worth some investigation, and today was the day. Ille had told me of men angling there, indicating a pathway of sorts, so 4 stops later on the No2 bus I was there. Surrounded by a high, chain-link fence, there was no obvious sign of access and later, having asked two passers-bye, it seemed there wasn't one at least not to the public. It turned out that this was not in fact a 'lake' but a 'reservoir' for the cities main water supply and was supposedly fairly well guarded. Within minutes I had added Nightingale to the Estonian list as 2 clearly distinct birds were singing from the dense cover. 

Now, any No Entry in England is like a red rag to a bull, believing that somewhere, somehow one should be able to get in (ask those who robbed Fort Knox). Even then 'trespass' is worth a try, pleading ignorance if one gets caught, and of course there's always the attitude formulated by graffiti artist Banksy "it's easier to get forgiven than to get permission"!

Well, in the event none of that was needed as I tried the subtle approach. The Collie at the gate of the big house up ahead was not only the biggest mother I had ever seen, but by far the loudest. The idea had been to give the door a knock and then see how the land lay. Luckily the owner was on hand and the charm valve was wound wide open. I got my drift of being a 'birder' and was quite happy to take me into his back garden, but needed to consult with the 2 lady gardeners as to whether he should let me go further. Their 2 garden gates led to the bank-side, and while the fella wasn't going to let me out of his sight at least we were on the water's edge. There, over 2 dozen Hooded Crows were feeding on something as c2 unseen Pink-footed Geese headed for safer water, to the accompaniment of Chaffinch, Willow Warbler and Blackcap in nearby trees.    

There was a limit to how far we could walk, and as we approached the main pumping station, mine host turn to head back. I considered I'd done alright and after a few 'thank-you's' and a photo call I got back outside of the perimeter fence and continued the walk.

My escort along the bank.

One of 2 Pink-footed Geese beating a hasty retreat!

At the garden gate.

My mate, the 2 lady gardeners and the Reservoir Dog.

Reservoir to the south.

Reservoir to the north.

The third lady (on the right) who spoke good English, told me that if we had been caught by the security we might have been arrested?

The security fence followed the course of the main road, while a mile further on there was a turning into an apartment and office complex where once again I asked if entry was permitted. A lady told me that she walked her dog there every day, and while there are security guards none had ever bothered her. Game on! 

The first thing I heard in this mixed woodland was the Yellowhammer, above, but took a full 15 minutes to locate it. I was at one point distracted from the search by the beautifully fluid song of a Golden Oriole, but access to the thick Willow cover was impossible due to marshy ground, so it remained unseen. Both the Geese and the Bunting were additions to the country list, but not so the Oriole as they breed on Ille's farm.

A little further up the track, I though I heard Goldcrest (which would have been another addition) but without clapping eyes on it, it remained off the list. However, what I did see was the security man, in his little white Lada, heading towards me and as it was obvious that I had seen him there was little point in evasive action. He was pleasant as the day is long, but also insistent that I 'beat a retreat' but with a couple of good birds under my belt, I was happy to do so. Thus far the most numerous Warbler had been Lesser Whitethroat of which there were several, but not counted. Now, Willow Warblers were starting to make their presence felt and soon overtook in numbers about five to one.   

This Willow Warbler was perched high on the ladder 'back-scratcher' of a tower crane,

singing it's little heart out.

and if the security guard hadn't kicked me out, I never would have found the 'bird of the day' this beautiful and text book, male Common Rosefinch. The last one i saw was at Portland, Dorset, England.

As the day was drawing to an end, and walking along a redundant railway line, this Yellow wagtail alighted on a nearby wall and commenced preening.

One of its preening postures is shown here, while in the background a less obliging Northern Wheatear was also flitting about. All of the last 3 are additions to the Estonia list.

I have seen this plastic cuboid before, and hear that by some it is considered one of the most important architectural addition to the Tallinn skyline. I don't quite get it myself, but people who live in glass houses shouldn't vote Conservative. Peace be with you and your Architect.

The Trip List now stands at 53, with the total Estonia List reaching 98.

A Pictorial of 'Old Town' Tallinn

Much like the modern usage of the terms 'superstar' or 'legend' the word 'quaint' is often misrepresented. Elsewhere maybe, but here in Tallinn that just seems to sum up the Old Town perfectly. Having spent many hours discovering one of Europe's truly unspoiled capitals, it was no toil to get out there and see what else there was to be found among the cobbled streets and brightly painted buildings. An ancient city, much of it Medieval, has by and large avoided the damages of war and occupation. The Russians retreated from the country with little distress to the infrastructure, unlike Outer Mongolia where they even took with them the windows of government buildings. The Germans did destroy some of the historic buildings but by and large most remained intact, with city walls bearing witness to Estonia's forefathers.   

This plaque was a fortuitous find, close to the ferry terminal, commemorating our own Royal Navy.

I don't know what many of these buildings are, some being private dwellings while others are National Embassies.

Very few buildings are run down,

with most, like this one, absolutely pristine.

Decoration atop a church spire.

I could imagine this as some important 'merchants' house,

with the main door detail looking very fine!

Heading towards the Main Square.

Detail of a church clock.

A few shots looking around the Main Square.

Detail of an ornate but grotesque gargoyle on the same church.

Looking west across the square.

and a church beyond.

This beautiful Peacock Butterfly landed right at my feet as I crossed the square.

The old Russian Orthodox Church.