Latvia Day 10

My final day in Latvia; with just the morning to finish off some surveys. It was my final chance at Hazel Grouse, and as such Gaidis chose a survey site that had a high density of the species. It did not begin promising, with fog setting in overnight and shrouding the forest in the thick layer. Overall the woods were quiet, and there was not a great deal of activity from any species. But then, about half way round, using tapes as per the survey method, I finally got lucky when a cracking male Hazel Grouse appeared out of the mist and perched above me in a dead pine. It perched for some thirty seconds before dropping down into the bushes not to be seen (Although it continued to be heard) again. Alas my camera was in my bag, and by the time I had retrieved it had disappeared.

Once our surveys were done, we headed round some final nearby sites where we had a number of goodies. Peak among them was a pair of Common Rosefinch with a proper dazzler for a male. At the same site we also had crazy views of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a very nice Little Tern. And I finally saw a Thrush Nightingale at a nearby park, as well as a very wet Tawny Owl.

The rest of my day was spent travelling to Riga, and then flying back to Hamburg for two weeks of work. It’s been an awesome ten days, with some cracking birds. Can’t wait to go back!

-Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

-Common Rosefinch

Species List:

Daugava Forest: Whooper Swan, Mallard, Gadwall, Hazel Grouse, Woodpigeon, Cuckoo, Crane, White Stork, Grey Heron, Wood Sandpiper, Black Tern, Little Tern, Black-headed Gull, Common Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tawny Owl, Hooded Crow, Northern Raven, Magpie, Nuthatch, Barn Swallow, Goldcrest, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Thrush Nightingale, Robin, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Blackbird, White Wagtail, Common Rosefinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting,