Latvian Osprey Nest ~ 2014 ~ Pērkons & Lauma

Osprey nest that we can watch in our computer screens, is located in the south-eastern part of Latvia in surroundings of town of Viesīte. It is known since 2008 but was built most probably already couple of years before that. Breeding success in this breeding territory has been quite good - only one year (in 2009) breeding was not successful, in other years at least one youngster has left the nest. In 2013 Ospreys in the nest raised three chicks, it should be noted that both of the adults were not ringed.

Webcam system at the nest was built in the 21st of March 2014, before the birds returned from their wintering areas. During the camera installation it was noticed that nest has partly collapsed during the winter, so it was decided to strengthen it with artificial support. The first Osprey (supposedly female) at the nest was observed on 3rd of April (this year it was the earliest known record of this species in Latvia), on coming week it was waiting for the arriving of its mate. While the real partner delayed, nest was visited by strangers, most probably the migrating birds - on 5th of April came color-ringed bird (on left leg red plastic ring with white numerals 083) – this eagle was ringed as a chick in the nest in year 2010, some 40 km SE from its recent observation place. On 7th of April another bird came, it has a metal ring on the left leg), while on 9th of April bird with a metal ring on right leg visited the nest. Later in the same day a non-ringed bird arrived (most probably the original partner) and both birds begun intensively to work on nest reconstruction.

The Forum users at looduskalender.ee have named the birds Lauma (female) and Pērkons (male).

The building of surveillance system was supported by the VAS LVRTC (JSC "Latvian State Radio and Television Centre ") and e – Paraksts (e-Signature), as well as "Apavi 40+" and guest house "Zvejnieki” in Īdeņa. Valuable assistance in building and maintenance of system was provided by Jānis Rudzītis, Aina Everte, Aldis Veinštoks, Jānis Paegļkalns and Vigonts Kuklis. System was partly built by the use of hardware that was obtained in frames of project “Eagles cross borders” (Estonian-Latvian cross border programme ESTLAT).

Seasonal updates


3. April - first Osprey at the nest

17. April - Egg #1
20. April - Egg #2
23. April - Egg #3

24. May - Egg #1 hatched (14:41)
26. May - Egg #2 hatched (15:27)
28. May - Egg #3 hatched (~09:24)