12 • 04 • 2016
Watch video streaming from Lesser Spotted Eagles nest
JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM) in collaboration with Uģis Bergmanis, LVM Senior Environmental Expert and eagle expert, invites all internet users to follow the events in the life of Lesser Spotted Eagles living in two nests. Thanks to the 4G internet connection, the high-quality live broadcast will not be disturbed by the surrounding treetops or changing weather conditions, or other unexpected nuisances.
"Lesser Spotted Eagles tend to return to their old nesting places. But it is a real luck and success that the eagles really inhabit the nests we had selected, instead of making a new nest nearby. The eagle couple settled down in the morning of 9 April, and are now busy with furnishing their dwelling with fresh spruce twigs. It is a safe sign that the couple will stay in this nest," says the LVM expert of Lesser Spotted Eagles. A female eagle arrived to the second nest on 10 April; currently she is still alone and waiting for her partner.
Both nests are located in micro-reserves of LVM Northern Latgale Forestry, and it ensures that the nesting site is undisturbed and peaceful. The cameras are located at a height of 12 to 18 metres in a spruce and aspen.
Latest information on 13 April shows that the bird in the spruce nest is still alone; therefore it practically does not spend any time in the nest. In turn, the second nest in the aspen is very busy and bustling, both birds are already mating, and Uģis Bergmanis assumes that the first egg is to be expected already at the end of April. The male bird is bringing feed to the female bird. "This is very important because it means that there is enough feed, the female bird feels good, and, if everything goes smoothly, the first egg can be expected very soon," says Uģis Bergmanis.
To see the bird bustle, it is best to connect to the video cameras early in the morning. Before laying an egg, Lesser Spotted Eagles stay in their nests only from twilight until early forenoon, namely, from 5 pm to 9-10 am. The birds spend the remainder of the day feeding in the nearby territories.
It is an unprecedented opportunity to follow the life of Lesser Spotted Eagles in such a high video quality, which is ensured via the mobile internet in 4G mode, as well as with the state-of-the-art cameras manufactured in Sweden. They provide high quality live image, colour and sound. The cameras are small, so they are installed in one and two metre distance from the nests, not scaring away the birds.
Solar panels are used to supply the camera, antennas and control unit with power supply. During daytime the solar panels recharge batteries, so that at night there is enough energy for continuous live video streaming.
In private forests Uģis Bergmanis has been implementing the Lesser Spotted Eagle video surveillance project already since 2008. Forestry activities, which are a priority for forest owners, hinder smooth implementation of the project, because the birds do not return to the selected places. In turn, in the micro-reserves of the above-mentioned LVM territories, where there is no economic activity, the environmental expert can ensure regular monitoring of Lesser Spotted Eagles and follow how the nests are inhabited. Knowledge on how eagle nests are populated over a longer period of time allowed the experts to choose the nests that are best suited for video surveillance.
"Here Lesser Spotted Eagles have an appropriate nesting environment, which is peaceful and quiet. There are also other birds around, as well as good feeding opportunities, namely, a sufficient quantity of frogs, voles and moles," says the expert.
The Lesser Spotted Eagle is among the most endangered species of birds of prey in Europe, and since the 20th century their population has been decreasing in some parts of the range. There are around 16 000 couples nesting worldwide. Besides, 95% of all Lesser Spotted Eagles nest in Europe.
Both - rare bird and other animal species, as well as their habitats and biotopes are protected in the areas managed by LVM. Forestry works are limited or terminated in the places of nesting of protected birds, like the Black Stork, all eagles nesting in Latvia, etc., and micro-reserves and territories for protection of habitats are created for ensuring protection of species. To preserve the specially protected forest habitats and protected animal and plant species, the status of a micro-reserve has been established in 32.2 thousand hectares of the area managed by LVM. Every year, the area of micro-reserves in the areas managed by LVM increases by two to three thousand hectares.
LVM apsaimniekotajās meža platībās tiek aizsargātas gan retās putnu un citu dzīvnieku sugas, gan to dzīvotnes un nozīmīgie biotopi. Vietās, kur ligzdo aizsargājamie putni – melnais stārķis, visi Latvijā ligzdojošie ērgļi u.c. sugas, tiek ierobežota vai pilnībā pārtraukta mežsaimnieciskā darbība, un sugas aizsardzības nolūkos tiek veidoti mikroliegumi un teritorijas dzīvotņu aizsardzībai. Lai saglabātu īpaši aizsargājamos meža biotopus un aizsargājamās dzīvnieku un augu sugas, LVM apsaimniekotajos mežos 32,2 tūkstošu hektāru platībā ir noteikts mikrolieguma statuss. Ik gadu LVM apsaimniekotajos mežos mikroliegumu platība pieaug par diviem līdz trīs tūkstošiem hektāru.
