April 10th :- An early flight into Riga Airport will hopefully give us a chance to do some birdwatching that afternoon at the nearby Dunduru Meadows and it's surrounding area. This is a mixture of water meadow and scattered woodland where we hope to find Common Cranes, White Stork, Rough legged & Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Great Grey Shrike, Raven & Hooded Crow. After a long day we will finally head for our hotel, the excellent Jaunmokas Castle* where we stay for all four nights.
April 11th :- A pre-breakfast visit to Kemeri National Park looking for woodpeckers as this is when they are most active and vocal. The main target is Three toed Woodpecker, but could also include White backed, Grey headed, Great, Middle & Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. Then after breakfast we again return to Kemeri N P for the rest of the day spending several hours walking through the extensive mixed woodland at a relaxed and easy pace. Our targets are Pygmy Owl, more woodpeckers, Hazel Hen, White tailed Eagles, Goshawk, Nuthatch, Common Redpoll, Marsh & Borealis Willow Tits. Mammals could feature with Fox, Roe Deer and Beaver all occuring in good numbers.
April 12th :- Another early start we shall drive north along the Baltic coastline to Cape Kolka to catch the best of the day's migration. At Kolka Point we should see Red throated Divers, Velvet & Common Scoters, Goldeneye, Long tailed Ducks, Great Black backed & Herring Gulls offshore. However it's the visible migration that will be the highlight of the visit with flocks of finches, pipits, tits, and pigeons passing overhead and out to sea. If the weather is calm then raptor migration could also be impressive with good numbers of Sparrowhawks, Kestrels, and Common Buzzards, but also chance of a Lesser Spotted Eagle, Rough legged Buzzard, and Goshawk. The return journey will be puntuated with another stop on the coast at Emgures where it is possible to find Bewick's & Mute Swans, more seaduck, and waders. If time allows we may to head for Svete a converging of two rivers where we should find Whooper Swans, White fronted, Taiga Bean & Greylag Geese, Pintail, Teal, Wigeon, Goosanders, and Marsh Harriers.
April 13th :- An optional pre-breakfast walk around the grounds of Jaunmokas Castle could prove productive with a chance of seeing Hawfinches, Great Spotted & Grey headed Woodpeckers, Fieldfare, Redwing, Tree Sparrows, and Yellowhammer. In the morning we may take a good walk through the a 'raised bog' full of White & Black Alder to the Sumragu Peninsular. This trail can be good for finding woodpeckers, Hazel Hen, White tailed Eagles, Goshawk, northern Long tailed Tits, Eurasian Treecreeper evidence of the scarcer mammals such as Wolf, Elk, and Red Deer. In the afternoon we may try Sliteres N.P. another small reserve that can produce more woodland species such as the very scarce Nutcracker, Black & Grey headed Woodpeckers, Woodcock, and Green Sandpiper. We will return to the hotel in good time for dinner because tonight we will listen for the elusive Tengmalm's Owl but this will depend on the local weather conditions.
April 14th :- Due to the previous evening's late finish breakfast will be taken at a normal time with again the option of a stroll round the grounds looking for birds. Today's itinerary will be based on the target species we may still require but it is highly likely to involve more areas within the Kemeri N P. However should the weather conditions be favourable we may decide to return to Cape Kolka to witness more spectacular raptor and passerine migration.
April 15th :- After breakfast we shall load the mini-bus in preparation for the airport. Depending on flight times we may have a little time to do some sight-seeing and present-buying around Riga before heading for the airport and our flight back to Britain.
*
Jaunmokas Castle is an excellent base due to
the fantastic rural accommodation and cuisine, and grounds ideal for a
birdwatching stroll.