Penijõe observation tower
The Penijõe hiking trail starts near the visitor centre of Matsalu National Park. The hiking trail’s main advantage is the ability to choose between routes of varying lengths. The length of the trail can be 3–7 km; you can choose.
For bird enthusiasts, the Penijõe hiking trail is the most exciting to visit in April and May. Here you can observe various beach meadows, reed beds and bird species associated with Matsalu Bay. Since many birds are quite secretive, it is worthwhile for the hiker to stop and listen from time to time. On the Penijõe hiking trail in spring, you can hear the call of a hidden reed bird and the winnowing sound of a common snipe.
- Kõik
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The Northern lapwing is a pigeon-sized wader with a stout body and a unique long thin tuft on its nape. The dark top part of the plumage looks slightly green and purple with a metallic sheen, while the underside is white. The wing tips are impressively wide with white feathers below and dark above. In the summer, male birds can be recognised by their longer tufts and pure black throats and faces, while females have shorter tufts and a smaller black mark on the front of their necks that is slightly mixed with white. In the winter, the feathers of adult birds at the front of the neck and beneath the chin are white, while the top part and covert feathers are slightly cream-coloured at the tips.