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Birdwatching tourism in Latvia (1 Viewer)

alexagin

New member
Hello, everyone. My name is Alexa and I'm doing a research about birdwatching tourism opportunities in Latvia. I'd like to hear your thoughts and comments on visiting Latvia for birdwatching. Would you go to Latvia for birdwatching? Yes or No? Would you organize your holiday by yourself or via a travel agency? Also what could improve birdwatching tourism situation in Latvia. Please visit the links below and get acquainted with the information regarding birds in Latvia and birdwatching tourism, before you leave your comments and ideas. Thanks for you help.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Latvia
http://www.ornitofaunistika.com/kur/wtw.htm
http://www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/europe/latvia.html
 
Hello!
I must admit that I have not really thought much about Latvia, probably because it's so close to Sweden and when I've looked at countries to go birding in I've looked further abroad! But it does seem like a great place, and I would certainly like to go there. Birds like White Stork, White-backed Woodpecker and Middle Spotted Woodpecker are either very rare here or have gone extinct altogether, so maybe Latvia is a bit like Sweden was 100-200 years ago? Would be very interesting to see.
I'm not one for traveling agencies, I like to travel on my own. That said, I have actually never been abroad to bird, only for holidays, but I think I'd do the same.

Maybe one day I'll come, after all it can't be very expensive getting there from Sweden, can it? :)
 
Would you go to Latvia for birdwatching? Yes or No?

Living next door in Lithuania, the answer is exceptionally rarely (basically the same birds, some a little easier in Latvia, many easier in Lithuania). If I lived in western Europe, sadly my answer would be almost certainly no - for the simple reasons being it is sandwiched between the far better known Eastern Poland (where most East European specialities are easier seen, the sites better known and has an existing birding infrastructure) and Estonia to the north (where the remaining specialites are also better known and easier, with wintering seaduck also far better).

This is not to say Latvia cannot be an excellent destination, but it needs work to promote itself, the main one being a greater promotion of the bird riches of the country and, most importantly, specific sites for some of the more desired species (at localities that can cope with visiting birders without causing disturbance, ie great care at leks, etc). There are many localities where all the woodpeckers, always much desired, and owls can be seen, but the wider birding community has very little knowledge of this.

Would you organize your holiday by yourself or via a travel agency?

Personally, whether to Latvia or worldwide, I always organise everything myself, but there are a limited number of companies already doing tours to Latvia. I think the greatest problem in attracting more visiting birders is again the proximity of Poland and Estonia that currently offer birders greater chances of seeing all the key species they want. As a company, I think you would need to either produce an itinerary that near guarantees many of the species that these other countries offer, undercut their prices or offer trips for a different segment of the birding community.


Also what could improve birdwatching tourism situation in Latvia.

Information, sites, sites, sites.

Google 'trip reports' and see how well Poland is known, do the same for our Baltic states and the results speak or themselves - despite their abundance of birds, the Baltic countries, especially Lithuania and Latvia, but also Estonia, are poorly known and specific localites, with access details, etc, almost totally absent.

In my opinion, Latvia could probably be better promoted as an excellent general birding/wildlife destination than a destination to ensure scoring on all the East European specialities.



PS. with natural bias, Lithuania is much better than Latvia ;)
 
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I think you`ve pretty much covered it all here Jos, what with "the neighbours" & the lack of info. Witness the response to my request for info back in December. Last spring i had a fabulous week in eastern Poland & fancied another trip this year with a similar set of birds but also the added attraction of some good vis. mig at Cape Kolka. In the end it never happened but i was surprised by the lack of response.
 
it can be promising tourism acitivity

hey! I have been to Latvia once but that was my business trip. my thrilling nature inside; demands me and i am up ready for brand new tours. By imagining; birdwatching can be an awesome experience. I visited those links and found that i can avail that opportunity. But my recent tours suggest that there must be some other tourism activities to further enrich the tourism experience. I can say so, why??? because most recently extreme weather in UK caught me during the tour but some spots like Jack the Ripper Tours save the day! i am expecting a mix kind of tourism activities back there in Latvia. B :)
 
Hi everybody, I can agree in some parts to Jos (lack of information) but not to all the things he`s telling/writing. Sorry, Jos, I`m a local and professional ornithologist and I totaly dissagree with you. I think, that I know the situation much, much better as you (I mean about Latvia) and about birding here.

I understand, that it`s you privat opinion, but it`s not really good to say in public - no, don`t go to there for birding... try to be a bit correct! Please, choose expresions! Try to be more diplomatic. I`m not saying that Baltoji Voke s...!

About key species and some other things - as you are in LT, you ofcourse can have a problems with key species here... and not only with them. But in total you are completely wrong. I understand that before my replay there were no LV birders replay. And as you are in LT it`s forgivable that you wrote wrong things. So, please, don`t make so loud announcements about the places and species witch are not familiar to you.

If there are somebody who are interested about birding in Latvia, please let me know here in forum or directly via [email protected]

With best greetings,
Mg.biol. Karlis Millers
www.birdinglatvia.lv
leading birdwatcer in Latvia
 
I think you misunderstood Jos's post. He didn't say "don't go to Latvia" and he did say that it could be an excellent destination, with some work on infrastructure, planning and publicity.

I have been to Latvia myself and found it an amazing place for wildlife in general and birds in particular.

Mike
 
Hi, just come across this thread. Went about 6 years ago in early April and had one of my most enjoyable and fruitful birding trips ever. The whole thing was unbelievably cheap too. Found White Backed, Black, 3 Toed, Middle Spotted, and Grey Headed Woodpeckers, L S and W T Eagles, Rough Legged Buzzard, Goshawk, G W Egrets, white-headed L T Tits, Crane, and some truly awe-inspiring vis mig on the coast. I'd contacted a local birder who's email address was on his photos on the net. He was a really top bloke, and took us to stay at his parents house in the eastern forests where we enjoyed their sauna and a dip through the ice hole into the frozen pond in the field. They had a nesting Ural Owl in a low tree hole by their driveway which could be seen, and he took us out for stunning views of Pygmy Owl, only dipping Hazel Hen.
There are indeed some spp which you don't get until further north into eg Finland, but then you won't see eg Middle Spotted Woodpecker there, (which was a lifer for me). In fact that applies to any country, it's a matter of getting a good selection, which Latvia undoubtedly has at a very very affordable price. You may be able to see the same spp in Poland, not certain about the more northern ones, or whether car hire is as cheap (it may be).
Cheers.
 
Sorry, Jos, I`m a local and professional ornithologist and I totaly dissagree with you. I think, that I know the situation much, much better as you (I mean about Latvia) and about birding here.

I understand, that it`s you privat opinion, but it`s not really good to say in public - no, don`t go to there for birding... try to be a bit correct! Please, choose expresions! Try to be more diplomatic.

Hi Karlis,

With all due respect, you have totally failed to understand my post.

I did not say 'do not go to Latvia', but instead said that it is an excellent general birding/wildlife destination. What I did say however is that there is a serious lack of information to outside birders as to where to see birds, a situation very different to the picture in Finland and Poland - thus birders are unlikely to choose Latvia (do you disagree?). If the country was promoted and sites made better known, I believe many more people would go to Latvia and see the country's riches - but as said in the original post, as things currently stand, it is far easier to go to Poland and Finland, etc.



So, please, don`t make so loud announcements about the places and species witch are not familiar to you.

And sorry Karlis, this was on a public forum answering a question posted by Latvian conducting research on opinions relating to the question "Would you go to Latvia for birdwatching? Yes or No? I'd like to hear your thoughts and comments on visiting Latvia for birdwatching." Now, perhaps you are offended by the answer, and I apologise for that, but my answer was honest and truthful to the question asked. Furthermore, if you consider Latvia to be a land of "places and species which are not familiar" to me, that kind of supports the point I was making - in comparison to neighbouring countries, birding sites in Latvia remain largely unknown.


And as you are in LT it`s forgivable that you wrote wrong things.

I have re-read my post, sorry I honestly can not see where i wrote 'wrong things'. Do please point out the specific points where you feel I was wrong and I will happily try to elaborate (please remember the question was 'would you go...?', thus requesting personal opinions).
 
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And PS, as this is your first post on Bird Forum, may I be the first to welcome you.

I hope you find time to post things about the birding situation in Latvia and the sites that people might want to visit (probably more beneficial to opening up Latvian birding than a post that merely criticises my replies to the original poster).
 
Yes guys, it was misunderstanding!!! I beg pardon to Jos! I wrote already to him personally.
OK! Right now I`m working on my website www.birdinglatvia.lv Its "on air" from Sep`2010. But it takes a long time to make a site good. Anyway, at least all the actual obs appears there and also in English. Cause for more than 4 or 5 years, all the actual info was only in Latvian. So the site still developing and if you have an interest, you can check it time to time. Quite soon there will be also some birding site description in English. We also offer a guided tours around the country most interesting birding places. But as I`m only one who develops this page, it goes (I mean developing) not so fast as I want. (lack of time and ... money)

Yes, if somebody have some ideas, comments or suggestions, please let me know! I`ll appreciate it!

P.S. Jos, don`t be angry to me, but the first impression was like here is nothing to do. But as I wrote already - misunderstanding! I beg you a public pardon!!! Hope, you are not angry to me no more! Lets keep in touch.

Cheers,
carlo
 
No worries Karlis, I wish you well in Latvia and am always most willing to talk about how good the birding is in the Baltic, both Lithuania and Latvia.

Best wishes Jos
 
Thanks Jos!!! Lets keep in touch!

Did you get something interesting this weekend in Latvia? If yes, please, let me know!

P.S. Do you have some news about STRNEB in Birzai? Will you try to twitch?

-carlo
 
I know about Estonia. Thanks, man!

But, when you see them plenty... let me know!!! By the way, we try to make some research trip to find some here in LV again.

When STRNEB is most active/vocalizing? First/second decade of March is more or less ok? Do you have any experience with this species?

-c
 
Oh yee, ... police! S..t happens sometimes! I know how it is, especially when you go to twitch... faster, faster and then - stop for a longer while!!! Police!
 
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