Do you know what the sowing bird or the lark chicken is? These are ancient Latvian names for the protected species of September - the European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria). We encourage you to be observant, and you might spot this species, as thousands of them are currently migrating through Latvia.
The European Golden Plover is a medium-sized bird, with a body length of 26-29 cm, a wingspan of 67–76 cm, and a weight ranging from 157 to 312 g. The average lifespan of this bird is 4 years, but it can live up to 10 years.
Adult birds in breeding plumage have a black upper body with bright yellow spots, while the lower part of the head, throat, chest, and belly are black. The undertail coverts are pale. The tail feathers are greenish-black with light cross stripes. A white stripe stretches from the base of the beak, passing through the eye and down the neck.
In the fall, the yellow spots are inconspicuous, and the neck is greenish-yellow with gray or black spots. Young birds have a brownish upper body with greenish-yellow spots. The beak is short and black.
The bird mainly feeds on insects, such as beetles and caterpillars. However, its diet can also include other invertebrates, seeds, berries, and even worms. The European Golden Plover often searches for food at night.
European Golden Plovers form monogamous pairs that stay together for life. Each breeding season, they produce only one brood. Although they usually nest separately, their nests can sometimes be found less than 100m apart.
Each pair is closely attached to a specific nesting site and defends it from other birds, but they often search for food outside their nesting territory.
The nest of the European Golden Plover is a shallow depression in the ground, lined with moss and various other plants. Each clutch contains 2-5 eggs, recognizable by their light brown color adorned with black spots.
The incubation period for the eggs lasts from 28 to 31 days, and both parents care for both the eggs and the hatched chicks. The chicks are precocial and soon after hatching, they actively follow their parents and start searching for food on their own. Their feathers fully develop at the age of 25-33 days, and soon after, the chicks become independent. European Golden Plovers reach sexual maturity at the age of 2.
The European Golden Plover is a migratory bird that winters in Western Europe and the Mediterranean region. A small number also winter in Latvia. They typically winter in agricultural fields, freshwater pond shores, and wet meadows. The species' breeding range extends from Greenland across the northern part of Europe to the northern parts of Siberia. Latvia's breeding population consists of 260–550 pairs.
Within the framework of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project (Endangered Species in Latvia: Improved Knowledge and Capacity, Information Flow, and Understanding), from 2021 to September 2023, proposals for a new list of protected species in Latvia has been developed.
The work was carried out as part of the project's A.1 activity "Development of Criteria for National Importance Protected Species Lists."
To introduce stakeholders to the project's proposed additions to the list of protected species for birds, mammals, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, a public meeting is planned for October 11th at 10:00 AM (on Zoom platform).
The event program is available here.
The project's proposed additions for birds, mammals, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and fish are available [here].
Guidelines or basic principles for criteria development and category distribution for the list of protected species are available here.
To participate in the meeting, please fill out the application by October 8th here.
A link to the meeting will be sent to the email address you provide before the meeting.
We invite stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the project's proposed additions and send comments and questions by October 5th by writing to the email madara.eihe@lu.lv.
Additional information: second meeting about the project's proposed additions to the list of protected species for vascular plants, fungi, lichen, mosses, and mushrooms will be organized on October 12th, 2023 (on the Zoom platform). More information will be sent out in the coming days.
Within the framework of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project (Endangered Species in Latvia: Improved Knowledge and Capacity, Information Flow, and Understanding), from 2021 to July 2023, an evaluation of the endangered species of fish and determination of their extinction risk level was conducted. This was done using the methodology and criteria developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, https://www.iucnredlist.org/; a summary in Latvian is available here). The work was carried out as part of the project's B.1 activity "Re-evaluation of species protection status and preparation of the endangered species list using IUCN criteria."
To introduce stakeholders to the results of the fish species evaluation, a public meeting is planned for August 31st at 10:00 AM (on Zoom platform).
The agenda includes:
The expected duration of the meeting is up to two hours.
To participate in the meeting, please fill out the application by August 29th here.
A link to the meeting will be sent to the email address you provide before the meeting.
51 fish species were selected and evaluated in the project. The results are available here.
We invite stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the results of the fish species evaluation and send comments and questions before the meeting by writing to the email madara.eihe@lu.lv.
As autumn approaches, we increasingly venture into the forest in search of one of nature's treasures dear to Latvians - mushrooms. We urge mushroom pickers to be cautious and keep an eye out for this month's protected species - the Wrinkled Peach (Rhodotus palmatus).
Foto: Stu's Images
The Wrinkled Peach stands out for its colour, with the mushroom's hue ranging from pale pink to apricot-red, featuring a translucent, slimy, and wrinkled surface. The flesh of the mushroom has a fruity aroma and a bitter taste, making it inedible (also due to its rubbery texture).
Foto: Stu's Images
The gills of the mushroom are initially white, turning pink later on, and are sparse and free. The stem is typically 2-5 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm thick, matching the cap's colour and having a silky fibrous texture. The spores are ferruginous, almost round, and colourless.
Map by Jānis Ukass.
In Latvia, this beautiful species is rare, mostly found in deciduous forests on beech or alder wood, either singly or in clusters. They can also be spotted in sawmills and on stacks of logs intended for transport by the roadside. Almost all of the sightings of this mushroom in Latvia have so far been in the Gauja National Park.
Foto: Dan Molter
Any forest walker who carefully observes their surroundings and occasionally looks upward won't miss this brightly pink mushroom with its wrinkled, slimy surface. In online images, sometimes its wrinkled texture is very pronounced and the colour very vivid – however, the specimens found in Latvia so far haven't been as vibrant. In English, this mushroom is called the "Wrinkled Peach," which aptly describes its appearance.
Within the framework of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project (Endangered Species in Latvia: Improved Knowledge and Capacity, Information Flow, and Understanding), an evaluation of the endangered species of linchen and determination of their extinction risk level was conducted from 2021 to July 2023. This was done using the methodology and criteria developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, https://www.iucnredlist.org/; a summary in Latvian is available here). The work was carried out as part of the project's B.1 activity "Re-evaluation of species protection status and preparation of the endangered species list using IUCN criteria."
To introduce stakeholders to the provisional results of the linchen species evaluation, a public meeting is planned for August 17th at 10:00 AM (on the Zoom platform).
The agenda includes:
The expected duration of the meeting is up to two hours.
To participate in the meeting, please fill out the application by August 15th here.
A link to the meeting will be sent to the email address you provide before the meeting.
More than 80 linchen species were selected and evaluated in the project. The results are available here.
We invite stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the results of the linchen species evaluation.
Similar to the previous year, this summer as well, the Nature Conservation Agency extends an invitation to all nature enthusiasts to participate in a range of thrilling nature exploration events that are organized as part of the LIFE for Species project. While some events have already concluded, there are still opportunities this summer to attend many other.
We encourage you to keep an eye out for updates on the project's social media channels and the Nature Conservation Agencies Facebook page.
Currently, registration is open for the second Bat event, which will take place on July 29th in the vicinity of Slītere National Park, near Dundaga. In August, there will be events dedicated to moths in Slītere, butterflies in Gauja National Park, caterpillars in Līgatne Nature Trails, and many more.
Stay tuned for updates and see you at the nature exploration events!
In mid-July, a successful nature expert seminar on the identification and conservation of endangered vascular plant species was held, organized jointly by the Nature Conservation Agency and Daugavpils University as part of the LIFE for Species project.
Throughout the training, lecturers from the LIFE FOR SPECIES project and Daugavpils University provided theoretical lectures on identifying and conserving rare plant species. They also led practical sessions in the natural habitats of these species and at the Daugavpils University's Study and Research Center in Ilgas.
During the sessions, participants had the opportunity to work with the university herbarium materials, allowing them to learn to recognize over 30 endangered species discussed during the seminar.
Many of the species showcased during the seminar are found only in specific and often remote locations in Latvia. As such, the use of the herbarium in the training provides a unique opportunity to view and study these species collectively.
Jēkabs Dzenis, the coordinator of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project, pointed out: "Improving the skills for identifying endangered and protected species not only enhances the expertise of nature experts but also facilitates obtaining more accurate information about the distribution of these species."
Venturing into summer adventures, nature can become our guide, introducing us to its treasures and wonders. One such marvel is our featured species this month - the Shingled Gladiolus (Gladiolus imbricatus L.).
Observant nature enthusiasts may have already noticed the blooming of these protected gladiolus plants in the "Eglone" nature reserve in Jēkabpils district this year. Thanks to the management efforts by the Latvian State Forests, a favorable environment was created for the rare gladiolus habitat, resulting in a resurgence of numerous gladiolus findings.
The Shingled Gladiolus is a perennial plant from the iris family, capable of reaching a height of up to 70 cm. Its flowers are beautifully adorned in various shades of violet-red. Despite their decorative allure, we strongly urge people to treat these plants with care, refraining from plucking them and avoiding any attempts to transplant these beautiful specimens into private gardens.
The Shingled Gladiolus blooms in June and July, and it can be found in moist and marshy meadows, grasslands, and occasionally in moderately moist meadows, shrubs, forest edges, and ditches along forest paths, and very rarely in drier areas.
Plant enthusiasts and philatelists may recognize this striking species, as it was honored with a Latvian postage stamp in 2021.
If you happen to come across the Shingled Gladiolus during your nature excursions, please report your observation to the Nature Conservation Agency or the website Dabasdati.lv. We would be delighted to receive news and photographs of sightings on our Facebook page as well.
In the month of July, the LIFE for Species projects traveling photo exhibition "Green Treasures" is on display at the VEF Culture Palace. This exhibition showcases various rare, endangered, and protected species through photographs. It will be open for viewing in the VEF Culture Palace's mirror hall until July 30th.
The traveling exhibition presents 60 photographs of different rare, endangered, and protected species, along with information on how each of us can contribute to species conservation.
We express our sincere gratitude to VEF Culture Palace for their prompt responsiveness and collaborative efforts.
Interested parties who wish to host the traveling photo exhibition are invited to contact madara.eihe@lu.lv.
On June 28th and 29th, a training session on insect diversity was held as part of the LIFE for Species project. The training seminar was organized to educate experts on invertebrate diversity and conservation.
During the training, the experts in invertebrate biology from the LIFE FOR SPECIES project, Nikolajs Savenkovs and Uģis Piterāns, provided insights into the diversity, identification, and conservation of invertebrates. They introduced various freely accessible resources used for insect identification and research.
The participants had the opportunity to explore and try out different terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate research methods during practical sessions. They also learned the principles of invertebrate species identification in an improvised laboratory setting.
Using pheromone traps, the participants made a significant discovery during the practical sessions - the glass-winged moth Sesia bembeciformis. This finding marked only the second time this species has been recorded in Latvia and the first time in the Vidzeme region.
Invertebrates represent the most diverse group of living organisms in terms of species count. One of the major challenges in their conservation is the lack of data on their distribution and a shortage of specialists. Therefore, the goal of this seminar was to enhance the knowledge of naturalists in invertebrate biology, thus improving the content of nature exploration events and fostering greater public interest and involvement in invertebrate conservation.
Photos: Andris Soms, Jēkabs Dzenis
The participants in the training represented various nature centers and institutions, including the Nature Conservation Agencies nature centers, the National Botanic Garden, the Latvian State Forests, the Liepāja Science and Education Innovation Center's Nature House, the Latvian National Museum of Natural History, and the nature technology park URDA. They also collaborated on an idea workshop to brainstorm and develop new nature exploration events centered around invertebrate conservation and diversity.
Photos: Andris Soms