We didn't have a lot of time on this return visit and that was made less by the fact that if we were spending the first three nights in a bear hide. We had to be in there by 17.30pm and couldn't really leave until 7.30am, just to make sure the bears had left the area ! By the time we'd walked to the car, driven to the nearest petrol filling station for coffee, pastries and general ablutions it was probably getting on for 10.00am. What would we do with our time? Where would we go?
Well, I'd read a trip report that suggested the Palmse Hotel had some decent grounds and would be worth a visit so that's were we headed. About an hour's drive away.
Large grounds complete with ornamental lakes and one or two decent birds too.
Yellowhammer
and Icterine Warbler
Our attention was grabbed by a female Goldeneye along with three ducklings.
but no sign of the male. Neither was there any sign of our hoped for target species...Rosefinch. No new birds for the year then but we did have a splendid late lunch and a beer before heading back for our first visit to the "new" bear hide.
We wasted about an hour searching for the supermarket we'd used last time but eventually found a much, much better one and so , stocked up with provisions for the night's meal we set off to find the hide and meet our guide who'd show us the way.
The hide was set deep in the forest this time and we got a lift for half the distance in his 4x4 pick up, our Opel astra wasn't up for the forest track. Even then we still had a fair walk but having learnt from past experience we were now travelling much lighter. No need for extra clothes, I left my laptop in the car but not knowing the layout I took my 100-400 as we'll as my 500mm f4 lenses along with two bodies, my Canon 1DX2 and 5D4. So much of the gear I'd brought to Estonia on the first trip had been left at home!
The new hide was impressive, in fact there are two of them as there are in the other site and like the previous night we had the site to ourselves again.
We were soon setting up to get ready for the evenings shoot and taking stock of our new surrounds.
This new hide is pretty spacious and can accommodate 10 people comfortably, the area split in to three more private sleeping areas curtained off from the main viewing area, well the viewing area from one side anyway. The advantage of this hide is you can look out on both sides.
To the one side a forest clearing.
to the other a view over what I presume is an an Ox-bow lake formed by a slow moving river.
Our guide put down some food in the baited areas and left. We'd have to walk the full distance back to the cars in the morning!
Within minutes we had a Racoon Dog at the furthers point in the clearing helping itself to a free meal but the baited spot was so far away we didn't bother taking any shots. Within what seemed like only minutes the first Bear made a rather nervous appearance on the fringe of the woods, after some deliberation he(?) came out to feed.
The view from my spot was partially obscured particularly if the bear moved position.
The image is "cropable" but even with a clear view those logs are not desirable in your shot.
The bear later came back and headed to another baited area out in the open, again some distance away and you need a good telephoto lens to get the shots.
A closer crop reveals the number of mosquitos around at this time of year too!
One thing we had taken was a can of fly spray so we could fumigate the hides in case any got in!
There were nearer baited areas but the bears kept away until it was almost dark and by then the Racoon Dogs appeared to have eaten the lot.
Out on the other side though it was definitely lighter without the surrounding forest but again, after checking out one side the young three year old bear arrived too late to find food on that side too. The Racoon Dogs had got there several hours ago.
So the bear went hungry and we went to bed!
We we're beyond the point of needing to see anything if it was dark but we had been told that Elk visit on occasion at around 4.00am. By then it was light again and despite checking several times over the dawn we didn't get lucky on that score.
Our overall view was that the "Old hide" was a much better venue from a photography point of view but we were later told that although other photographers agree with us, 'wildlife watchers" prefer the new hide.
Anyway, we have sent in some suggestions, also mentioning that the bird life could be attracted and made a photo opportunity if they create some natural looking shots. The following morning I took a grab shot of a Willow Tit on a feeder, purely for my Big Photo Year count as I wouldn't normally bother with birds on a feeder.
TBC
Well, I'd read a trip report that suggested the Palmse Hotel had some decent grounds and would be worth a visit so that's were we headed. About an hour's drive away.
Large grounds complete with ornamental lakes and one or two decent birds too.
Yellowhammer
and Icterine Warbler
Our attention was grabbed by a female Goldeneye along with three ducklings.
but no sign of the male. Neither was there any sign of our hoped for target species...Rosefinch. No new birds for the year then but we did have a splendid late lunch and a beer before heading back for our first visit to the "new" bear hide.
We wasted about an hour searching for the supermarket we'd used last time but eventually found a much, much better one and so , stocked up with provisions for the night's meal we set off to find the hide and meet our guide who'd show us the way.
The hide was set deep in the forest this time and we got a lift for half the distance in his 4x4 pick up, our Opel astra wasn't up for the forest track. Even then we still had a fair walk but having learnt from past experience we were now travelling much lighter. No need for extra clothes, I left my laptop in the car but not knowing the layout I took my 100-400 as we'll as my 500mm f4 lenses along with two bodies, my Canon 1DX2 and 5D4. So much of the gear I'd brought to Estonia on the first trip had been left at home!
The new hide was impressive, in fact there are two of them as there are in the other site and like the previous night we had the site to ourselves again.
We were soon setting up to get ready for the evenings shoot and taking stock of our new surrounds.
This new hide is pretty spacious and can accommodate 10 people comfortably, the area split in to three more private sleeping areas curtained off from the main viewing area, well the viewing area from one side anyway. The advantage of this hide is you can look out on both sides.
To the one side a forest clearing.
to the other a view over what I presume is an an Ox-bow lake formed by a slow moving river.
Our guide put down some food in the baited areas and left. We'd have to walk the full distance back to the cars in the morning!
Within minutes we had a Racoon Dog at the furthers point in the clearing helping itself to a free meal but the baited spot was so far away we didn't bother taking any shots. Within what seemed like only minutes the first Bear made a rather nervous appearance on the fringe of the woods, after some deliberation he(?) came out to feed.
The view from my spot was partially obscured particularly if the bear moved position.
The image is "cropable" but even with a clear view those logs are not desirable in your shot.
The bear later came back and headed to another baited area out in the open, again some distance away and you need a good telephoto lens to get the shots.
A closer crop reveals the number of mosquitos around at this time of year too!
One thing we had taken was a can of fly spray so we could fumigate the hides in case any got in!
There were nearer baited areas but the bears kept away until it was almost dark and by then the Racoon Dogs appeared to have eaten the lot.
Out on the other side though it was definitely lighter without the surrounding forest but again, after checking out one side the young three year old bear arrived too late to find food on that side too. The Racoon Dogs had got there several hours ago.
So the bear went hungry and we went to bed!
We we're beyond the point of needing to see anything if it was dark but we had been told that Elk visit on occasion at around 4.00am. By then it was light again and despite checking several times over the dawn we didn't get lucky on that score.
Our overall view was that the "Old hide" was a much better venue from a photography point of view but we were later told that although other photographers agree with us, 'wildlife watchers" prefer the new hide.
Anyway, we have sent in some suggestions, also mentioning that the bird life could be attracted and made a photo opportunity if they create some natural looking shots. The following morning I took a grab shot of a Willow Tit on a feeder, purely for my Big Photo Year count as I wouldn't normally bother with birds on a feeder.
TBC
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