Latvia Day 7

After two days of slow northerlies, today the wind turned more east and as a result there was a nice scattering of migrants in the bushes. I enjoyed a really nice walk round with birds such as Red-breasted Flycatcher, Ortolan Bunting, Hoopoe, Waxwing, Ring Ouzel and commoner species like Redstart and Whinchat. It was really enjoyable birding compared to the hard work of the previous two days. I explored the beaches looking for Dune Tiger Beetle, and got lucky with two individuals sitting rather ominously in the dunes, waiting for a passing victim. This is the third species of Tiger Beetle I have seen.

There was also a few birds on the move; Citrine Wagtail, Peregrine, Little Gull and a steady trickle of Sparrowhawks. We had a couple of Harriers; Montagu’s and another which we were unable to identify, as well as three Red Kites. And whilst we were waiting for the raptors, a Sand Lizard stopped by our watchpoint, less than a foot away from where I was sitting.

In the evening we left Kolka and drove back to Riga. Along the way we made a few stops in the hope of finding racoon dog, but with no success. We did manage to find two Eagle Owls perched out in the fields, as well as a couple of Muskrats along the edges of waterways.

-Ortolan Bunting

-Red-breasted Flycatcher

-Black Redstart

-Pied Flycatcher

-Hobby

-Dune Tiger Beetle

Species List:

Kolka: Long-tailed Duck, Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter, Eider, Hobby, Merlin, Peregrine, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Starling, White Wagtail, Goosander, Ruff, Greenshank, Red-breasted Merganser, Chaffinch, Brambling, Hooded Crow, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Siskin, Jackdaw, Black-throated Diver, Wryneck, Hoopoe, Ring Ouzel, Hawfinch, Crossbill, Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Black Redstart, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Little Gull, Barn Swallow, Raven, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare, Jay, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Greenfinch, Linnet, Grey-headed Wagtail, Blue-headed Wagtail, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whinchat, Wheatear, Woodlark, House Martin, Wren, White Stork, Mute Swan, Ortolan Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red Kite, Black Kite, Montagu’s Harrier, Waxwing, Citrine Wagtail, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Green Hairstreak,