COMENIUS 2013-2015POW

AN EDUCATIONAL HIKE TO KAKERDAJA BOG IN ESTONIA

The origin of the nameKakerdaja bog is a part of Krvemaa Nature Park. There are many bog pools and lakes. In the middle of Kakerdaja bog there is Kakerdi lake (6,7h) which is a nesting or resting place for a large number of waterbirds.The bog got its name after the black-throated loon. Old people used to call the bird as the waddler (kakerdaja). Waddle to walk with short steps that make your body move from side to side like a ducks body does when it walks

Black- throated Loon Jrvekaur

http://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/birds/birds-of-switzerland/black-throated-loon.html

Theloons(North America) ordivers(UK/Ireland) are a group of aquaticbirdsfound in many parts ofNorth Americaand northern Eurasia.The loon, the size of a largeduckor smallgoose, resembles these birds in shape when swimming. Like ducks and geese the loon's toes are connected by webbing. Loons are excellent swimmers, using their feet to propel themselves above and under water while their wings provide assistance. Because their feet are far back on the body, loons are poorly adapted to moving on land, and usually avoid going onto land, except when nesting.All loons are decent fliers, though the larger species have some difficulty taking off and thus must swim into the wind to pick up enough velocity to become airborne. Once airborne, their considerable stamina allows them to migrate long distances southwards in winter, where they reside in coastal waters. Loons can live as long as 30 years and can hold their breath for as long as 90 seconds while underwater.

What is a bog?

A bog is a mire that accumulates peat, a deposit of dead plant materialoften mosses, and in a majority of cases, sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, quagmire and muskeg; alkaline mires are called fens. Bogs occur where the water at the ground surface is acidic and low in nutrients. In some cases, the water is derived entirely from precipitation (rain-fed). Water flowing out of bogs has a characteristic brown colour, which comes from dissolved peat tannins. In general the low fertility and cool climate results in relatively slow plant growth, but decay is even slower owing to the saturated soil. Hence peat accumulates. Large areas of landscape can be covered many metres deep in peat.

Peat (turf) is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter that is unique to natural areas called peatlands or mires (bogs). Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world. Peat is not generally regarded as a renewable source of energy, as its extraction rate in industrialized countries far exceeds its slow regrowth rate of 1 mm per year. Some organisations (like UNFCCC) classifies peat as a fossil fuel. However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has begun to classify peat as a "slow-renewable" fuel. Bogs have distinctive assemblages of plant and animal species and are of high importance for biodiversity, particularly in landscapes that are otherwise settled and farmed.There are many highly specialised animals and plants associated with bog habitat. Most are capable of tolerating the combination of low nutrient levels and waterlogging. Bogs are recognised as a significant/specific habitat type by a number of governmental and conservation agencies. They can provide habitat for mammals, such as elk, wolves, bears, foxes, wild boar, roe deer and beavers.

Hare's-tail cottongrass -Tupp-villpead

Hare's-tail cottongrass (tussock cottongrass, sheathed cottonsedge) is native tobogsand other acidic wetlands throughout theHolarctic Kingdom. It is a 3060cm high tussock-forming plant with erect solitaryspikelets.

Marsh Labrador Tea or wild rosemary - sookail

Marsh Labrador tea has traditionally been used as a gruit (is an old-fashioned herb mixture used for bittering and flavoring beer) in brewing beer in the Middle Ages. Due to its strong fragrance, it has also formerly been used as a natural anti-moth (for Clothing Moth) in Scandinavia.

Drosera- huulhein

Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Dorseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surfaces. The insects are used to supplement the poor mineral nutrition of the soil in which they grow. Various species, which vary greatly in size and form, can be found growing natively on every continent except Antarctica.

Common Crane sookurg The Common Crane, also known as the Eurasian Crane, a medium-sized species.It is the only crane commonly found in Europe besides the Demoiselle Crane. It is also one of only four crane species not currently classified as threatened with extinction or conservation dependent at the species level. The cranes are birds that vary in their sociality by season. During the breeding season they are territorial and usually remain on their territory all the time. In contrast in the non-breeding season they tend to be gregarious, forming large flocks to roost, socialise and in some species feed. Large aggregations of cranes are important for safety when resting and also as places for young unmated birds to meet others.

A pair of common cranes showing the specific mating behavior:https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ABaltsende_en_parende_kraanvogels-Stichting_Natuurbeelden-170687.webm

Whooper swan laululuik

Whooper swans require large areas of water to live in, especially when they are still growing, because their body weight cannot be supported by their legs for extended periods of time. The whooper swan spends much of its time swimming, straining the water for food, or eating plants that grow on the bottom.Whooper swans have a deep honking call and, despite their size, are powerful fliers. Whooper swans can migrate hundreds or even thousands of miles to their wintering sites in southern Europe and eastern Asia.Whooper swans pair for life, and their cygnets stay with them all winter; they are sometimes joined by offspring from previous years. Their preferred breeding habitat iswetland, but semi-domesticated birds will build a nest anywhere close to water. Both the male and female help build the nest, and the male will stand guard over the nest while the female incubates. The female will usually lay 47 eggs (exceptionally 12). The cygnets hatch after about 36 days and have a grey or brown plumage. The cygnets can fly at an age of 120 to 150 days.

Reference:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boghttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Drosera-rotundifolia.jpg/220px-Drosera-rotundifolia.jpg

WORKSHEET KAKERDAJA BOG

Work in a group and answer to the questions.

1. What is a bog?........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2. Can you drink the water from the bog? ExplainYES / NO.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3. Why are there usually no fish in bogs?........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

4. How did Kakerdaja bog get its name?........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

5. Who is the biggest mammal in the bog (in Estonia)?........................................................................................................................6. Are there any meat eating plants in Estonia?........................................................................................................................

7. Match the photos and the names of plants:

Hare's-tail cottongrass, Drosera, Wild rosemary

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8. For what and why did the Vikings in the Middle Ages use Wild rosemary?........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

9. In which season is it possible to meet a bear in the bog or forest in Estonia? Why?................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

10. For what is peat (turf) mainly used for?................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

11. How much does peat (turf) grow in a year?........................................................................................................................

12. Match the photos and the bird names:Common crane, Black-throated loon, Whooper swan

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The guide in the bog: Kristel Kook-AljasThe author of the worksheet: Kristel Kook-Aljas