2019

Get Closer to Nature and Connect to Live Broadcasts from the Forest!

Each season has its own enchantment, and spring allows us to observe awakening of nature and animals after the long and tiring winter. JSC "Latvia's State Forests" (LVM), within the framework of the environmental education and research project "Birds and Animals in Marsh and Forest" (Putni un zvēri purvā un mežā) gives everybody an opportunity to observe nature through four on-line cameras and experience many interesting and usually unnoticed events.

The high swamp of the north-eastern region of Latvia has turned from a snowy and icy field into a green-brown carpet of moss and fuzz. It is especially beautiful at sunset. Sometimes some geese and cranes can be seen crossing the swamp. "April will be a busy time in the swamp: the black-grouse nesting season, songs and dances of other birds, the vegetation of the swamp will wake up and start blooming," Uģis Bergmanis tells about the exciting events to take place in the currently quiet bog.

There is much going on also in the golden eagles' nest. The male eagle Virsis is still waiting for his real girlfriend, but has not lost hope and has been in the nest very often during the last week. The eagle carries pine and spruce tree branches to the nest every day, observes closely the surrounding area and, until late at night, eagerly calls for another eagle. Early in the morning, one can hear black-grouse and crane nesting cries, a good birdwatcher will also hear the common curlew, peewit, pluvialis, black-tailed godwit, great grey shrike and other bird species typical of the bog.

The waiting time for lesser spotted eagles has also begun, as they have already left their wintering spots in Africa, have crossed the Bosphorus Strait between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean and are approaching their nesting grounds. "We will wait for the lesser spotted eagles in two nests this year. One male and at least four different females stayed in the Betiņsala nest last year. The second webcam was set up in a new nest near Varakļāni, which was found in 2014, and there was an unfertilized egg in it," says Uģis Bergmanis, LVM Senior Environmental Expert.

In 2017, everybody could follow the successful nesting of lesser spotted eagles and the development of the young birds. Just like in Betiņsala, a micro-reserve has been created for the protection of this nest in Latvia’s state forests.

Songs of wild pigeons can be heard in the early hours of the morning. These protected birds nest in the cavities in the nearby aspen tree trunks.

LVM ON-LINE CAMERAS

Share your impressions and we will be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Get closer to nature, and good luck with watching!