Latvia
has
a
very
rich
nature
and
interesting
birds
are
found
everywhere.
My
own
garden
list
is
a
proof
thereof.
Two
areas
stands
out
however,
Kolka
Cape
in
the
north-western
part
of
the
country
and
the
Lubans
area
in
the
south-eastern
part.
While
Kolka
Cape
can
rightly
be
regarded
as
a
spring
equivalent
to
Falsterbo,
the
Lubans
area
is
unique
with
no
counterpart
in
Europe
.
Lubans
Wetland
Complex
with
a
total
area
of
51,032
ha
was
established
as
a
nature
reserve
in
2009
by
merging
together
12
protected
territories.
Besides
Lake
Lubans
(8,240
ha),
this
reserve
is
a
mixture
of
small
lakes,
fish-pond
complexes,
rivers,
canals,
grassland,
pastures,
farmland,
marshes,
bogs, shrub and forest (broad-leaved, coniferous and mixed).
It
is
a
bird
area
of
large
international
importance.
No
less
than
188
species
breed
here,
51
of
them
included
in
the
Latvian
Red
Data
Book.
The
number
of
breeding
pairs
for
a
selection
of
species
gives
an
idea
of
what
one
can
find
here:
Hazel
Grouse
(50-240),
Willow
Grouse
(?),
Black
Grouse
(55-150),
Capercaillie
(16-48),
Black-necked
Grebe
(20-30),
Bittern
(10-30),
Little
Bittern
(2-5),
Black
Stork
(5-12),
Honey-Buzzard
(4-13),
White-tailed
Eagle
(5),
Short-toed
Eagle
(0-1),
Marsh
Harrier
(9-38),
Hen
Harrier
(0-1),
Montagu’s
Harrier
(0-2),
Lesser
Spotted
Eagle
(13-29),
Greater
Spotted
Eagle
(0-2),
Golden
Eagle
(1),
Osprey
(6-10),
Spotted
Crake
(1-10),
Little
Crake
(2-10),
Corn
Crake
(300-500),
Crane
(21-60),
Golden
Plover
(18-28),
Ruff
(0-10),
Great
Snipe
(110-150),
Whimbrel
(10-20),
Marsh
Sandpiper
(8-
10),
Wood
Sandpiper
(22-40),
Little
Gull
(10-2,000),
Whiskered
Tern
(0-5),
Black
Tern
(50-2,000),
White-winged
Tern
(10-200),
Eagle
Owl
(1),
Pygmy
Owl
(1-5),
Ural
Owl
(18-27),
Short-eared
Owl
(0-2),
Tengmalm’s
Owl
(2-6),
Nightjar
(21-135),
Kingfisher
(3-15),
Grey-headed
Woodpecker
(8-30),
Black
Woodpecker
(13-37),
Middle
Spotted
Woodpecker
(21-54),
White-
backed
Woodpecker
(11-30),
Three-toed
Woodpecker
(6-13),
Citrine
Wagtail
(?),
Bluethroat
(0-5),
River
Warbler
(?),
Blyth’s
Reed
Warbler
(?),
Booted
Warbler
(recorded
for
the
first
time
in
2012),
Barred
Warbler
(1-
5), Red-breasted Flycatcher (58-180) and Red-backed Shrike (48-150).
The
melting
snow
regularly
results
in
a
large
spring
flooding.
Then,
the
area
attracts
large
numbers
of
waterfowl.
Count
data
from
Lake
Lubans
for
some
selected
species
give
an
indication
of
what
the
area
houses
at
this
time
of
the
year:
Mute
Swan
(253),
Whooper
Swan
(2,433),
Bewick’s
Swan
(940),
Tundra
Bean
Goose
(7,500),
White-fronted
Goose
(13,000),
Wigeon
(8,560),
Teal
(1,866),
Mallard
(2,542),
Pintail
(3,527),
Pochard
(810),
Tufted Duck (1,006), Goldeneye (137) and Smew (364).
This
nature
reserve
is
also
rich
in
red-listed
species
of
higher
plants
and
invertebrates.
It
is
also
the
home
for
a
large
number
of
mammals,
including
Wolf, Lynx, Brown Bear and Otter.
The
spring
comes
late
at
this
inland
site.
For
instance,
the
number
of
staging
geese
at
Lake
Lubans
still
exceeds
20,000
in
early
May.
The
optimal
time
for
bird-watching
in
this
area
is
very
likely
the
third
and
fourth
week
of May.
Lubans
Wetland
Complex
is
not
the
only
bird
area
of
importance
in
this
area.
Three
other
Important
Bird
Areas
are
situated
closer
to
Madona
than
Lubans:
Teici
and
Pelecare
bogs
(26,263
ha),
Kuja
(10,834
ha)
and
Aiviekste
flood-plain
(1,156
ha).
Also
Gaizinkalns,
the
highest
point
in
Latvia
(312
metres above sea-level), is situated close to Madona.