Matsalu Webcam – Watch Migrating Birds in Estonia

The Matsalu Webcam looks out over the Tuulingu coastal meadow at Haeska, a village on the north shore of Matsalu Bay in western Estonia. Short grass runs flat to the horizon, broken by shallow pools of standing water and a few grey boulders, with a line of trees on the left and the open water of the bay at the far right edge of the frame. RMK, Estonia’s State Forest Management Centre, runs it as a migration camera, and meadows like this one are where geese, swans and cranes come down to feed and rest on their journeys between Arctic breeding grounds and winter quarters further south and west. In spring and autumn the grass and pools can fill with grazing flocks. On a quiet day the scene is wind, cloud and slowly changing light over open coast.

About Matsalu

Matsalu Bay is a shallow inlet of the Baltic Sea, 18 kilometers (11 miles) long and 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) wide, with an average depth of only 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) and nowhere deeper than 3.5 meters (11.5 feet). The Kasari River, the largest of the rivers that feed it, drains more than 3,500 square kilometers (1,350 square miles), and the alluvial meadow of its delta at the head of the bay covers 40 square kilometers (15 square miles) on its own. The reed beds keep advancing west, by up to 100 meters (330 feet) a year. The bay and its shores were protected as Matsalu Nature Reserve in 1957 and became Matsalu National Park in 2004, now more than 480 square kilometers (185 square miles) of water, reeds, coastal meadow and islets.

Matsalu is best known for its birds. 282 species have been recorded in the park, 175 of them nesting. In spring more than 2 million waterfowl pass through, about 1.6 million of them long-tailed ducks, along with 10,000 to 20,000 Bewick’s swans and up to 20,000 barnacle geese. Autumn brings around 300,000 migrating waterfowl and one of the largest common crane stopovers in Europe, with a peak count of 23,000 birds. The cranes come from Finland, Sweden and Estonia itself, the same northern population whose route south is traced on our bird migration map.

Haeska lies about 17 kilometers (11 miles) south-southeast of Haapsalu. Its birdwatching tower is one of seven in the park, alongside Penijoe, Kloostri, Suitsu, Jugasaare, Kudeva and Keemu, and Finnish birdwatchers once logged 128 species from it in a single day, a European record.

Weather and Climate in Matsalu

Winter afternoons stay close to freezing from December to February. February is the coldest month, with highs around -1 C (30 F) and nights near -5 C (23 F). Daylight is short: in late December the sun rises after 9 am and sets around 3:30 pm, and at noon it climbs only about 8 degrees above the horizon, so the meadow stays in low, flat light all day. In cold winters the bay freezes hard enough for guided kicksled trips across the ice. Spring warms slowly, with April highs near 8 C (46 F), and March and April bring the biggest waterfowl movements of the year.

Summer is mild, with July afternoons around 21 C (70 F), and around midsummer the sun is up for more than 18 hours, rising just after 4 am and setting after 10:30 pm. Autumn cools steadily, from September highs of about 16 C (60 F) to October highs near 10 C (49 F), and September and October are the second great migration season, when cranes and geese gather on the fields around the bay. On an overcast October day the frame turns to muted green and brown grass under a pale sky, with the pools reflecting the cloud.

Things to Do Near Matsalu

The Haeska birdwatching tower is reached on foot along a paved road over flat ground. It stands on private land, and visitors are welcome from sunrise to sunset. Tuulingu Guest House, about 25 meters (82 feet) from the tower, has four twin rooms and one larger room with breakfast included. In winter it runs kicksled hikes in a part of the reserve where they are allowed until the end of February, with a 6 to 8 kilometer (4 to 5 mile) loop around the Haeska islets when the ice allows. Penijoe Manor, the park’s headquarters, and the six other towers make a full day of birding around the bay.

Haapsalu is the nearest town, home to 9,812 people in 2024. It received its town charter in 1279, and its episcopal castle is among the buildings that survive from those early centuries. The town also has a seaside promenade, a former railway station known for the length of its platform canopy, and the White Lady Days festival in summer. For a walk inland, the Marimetsa Bog Hiking Trail elsewhere in Laane County runs 9 kilometers (5.6 miles), including a 2 kilometer (1.2 mile) boardwalk walked out and back, and ends at a 7.6 meter (25 foot) viewing tower. Allow four to five hours and bring rubber boots, since parts of it are wet.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More cameras from Estonia and the birds of the north:

• Karula National Park Webcam
• Kuressaare Webcam
• Norway Osprey Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Matsalu located?

Matsalu is on the west coast of Estonia in Laane County, where Matsalu Bay opens to the Baltic Sea. The camera is at Haeska on the bay’s north shore, about 17 kilometers (11 miles) south-southeast of Haapsalu.

What can you see on the Matsalu Webcam?

A wide, flat coastal meadow with shallow pools, scattered boulders and a tree line on the left, running out toward the open water of Matsalu Bay on the right. During migration the grass and pools can hold geese, swans, cranes, ducks and waders.

What is the weather like in Matsalu?

Summers are mild, with July afternoons around 21 C (70 F). Winters hover near freezing, with February highs about -1 C (30 F). Daylight ranges from more than 18 hours at midsummer to just over 6 hours in late December.

When is the best time to see bird migration at Matsalu?

The biggest waterfowl movements come in March and April and again in September and October. Spring is the peak for long-tailed ducks, Bewick’s swans and barnacle geese, while autumn brings the crane gatherings.

Who runs the Matsalu Webcam?

RMK, Estonia’s State Forest Management Centre, streams it on its Riigimets YouTube channel, which also carries a bear camera at the RMK Elistvere animal park and a badger camera.

Can you visit the Haeska birdwatching tower?

Yes, from sunrise to sunset. The tower is on private land next to Tuulingu Guest House, and its birding season runs from the end of March to the beginning of November.

What birds can you see from Haeska?

Caspian tern, white-tailed eagle, ruff, common crane and Eurasian oystercatcher are among the highlights, and large flocks of barnacle geese graze the fields on the north side of Matsalu Bay.

Source: Riigimets (RMK)