Goshawk Nests in Riga 2024

[Bea]

☼ ☼

Both Goshawk nests (Accipiter gentilis) are located in Riga, in the territory of the Children's Clinical University Hospital

In case one of the live streams is not working, please visit YouTube channel of Latvijas Dabas fonds to check for new links
https://www.youtube.com/@LatvijasDabasf ... ne/streams

Info text is copied from YouTube

Goshawk Nest #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuiVUhxPojo



Link to Latvian forum topic: https://forums.dabasdati.lv/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4365

Nesting of goshawks in the territory of the Children's Clinical University Hospital in Rīga (Latvia) has been known since 2015. Currently, there are two nests close to each other, both of which are in good condition. Historically there was a third one as well, but it has already fallen down. Nests are built in old pine trees.

In previous years, the pair of goshawks has alternated nesting in one of those three nests. It is interesting that until now nesting has been successful every single year.

In Latvia, the goshawk is considered as an endangered bird species. Although it is not yet included in the list of specially protected species (this is to be changed soon), it is included in the list of species whose nesting sites require the establishing of micro-reserves.

Thanks to Children's Clinical University Hospital (https://www.bkus.lv) for cooperation!
Thanks to "Riekstu kalns" (https://riekstukalns.lv/) and Rewind for the support!
Discussion forums in English: https://www.looduskalender.ee/forum/
Discussion Forum in Latvian: https://forums.dabasdati.lv/
The camera system was installed by Jānis Rudzītis, Ģirts Strazdiņš and Arnis Zacmanis.

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Goshawk Nest #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Culkof-YIcw



In case one of the live streams is not working, please visit YouTube channel of Latvijas Dabas fonds to check for new links
https://www.youtube.com/@LatvijasDabasf ... ne/streams

Link to Latvian forum topic: https://forums.dabasdati.lv/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4366


Info text is copied from YouTube

Nesting of goshawks in the territory of the Children's Clinical University Hospital in Rīga (Latvia) has been known since 2015. Currently, there are two nests close to each other, both of which are in good condition. Historically there was a third one as well, but it has already fallen down. Nests are built in old pine trees.

In previous years, the pair of goshawks has alternated nesting in one of those three nests. It is interesting that until now nesting has been successful every single year.

In Latvia, the goshawk is considered as an endangered bird species. Although it is not yet included in the list of specially protected species (this is to be changed soon), it is included in the list of species whose nesting sites require the establishing of micro-reserves.

Thanks to Children's Clinical University Hospital (https://www.bkus.lv) for cooperation!
Thanks to "Riekstu kalns" (https://riekstukalns.lv/) and Rewind for the support!
Discussion forums in English: https://www.looduskalender.ee/forum/
Discussion Forum in Latvian: https://forums.dabasdati.lv/
The camera system was installed by Jānis Rudzītis, Ģirts Strazdiņš and Arnis Zacmanis.

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The first documenting posts for these both nests can be found in Goshawk nest topic 2023 from here on
viewtopic.php?p=916931#p916931

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For special wish of Polly both nests in one topic, not separated

[Bea]

reserved

[Bea]

reserved

[Bea]

reserved

[Bea]

☼ ☼

Infos from tringa, quoted over from Goshawk topic 2023

Hello!

The number of hatchlings in previous years is summarized below (data provided by Imants Jakovļevs and Aigars Kalvāns).

Nesting Season - Nest - Number of hatchlings
2015 - 3rd nest - 3
2016 - 2nd nest - 2
2017 - 2nd nest - 2
2018 - 2nd nest - 2
2019 - 1st nest - 1
2020 - 2nd nest - 1
2021 - 1st nest - 1
2022 - 2nd nest - 4
2023 - 1st nest - 3

The 3rd nest is fallen down now. There are approximatelly 90 m between the 1st and the 2nd nest.

The female carries a ring starting with DT 34..
We hope to read 2 final numbers.

Sorry for long break, we had to adjust the view angle and the sharpness of the image that took some time.

[Bea]

☼ ☼

Nice find from our forum member Susanne, quoted over from Goshawk topic 2023

I just came across this nice short article about this nest near the Children's Hospital - and the many fans the goshawk has amongst the employees:

"Watch the hawk... like a hawk"
https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/envi ... k.a545051/

[Bea]

☼ ☼

Hello to all Goshawk fans

Special greets to Polly and Emi, the main two actors here

Two new intersting Latvian cams with Goshawks, wow!

For Polly´s special wish both nests in one topic, not separated. In case this way should become to challenging and/or confusing, I can open another topic at any time and we can call it a 'try-and-error'

Let´s hope for an interesting season here!

Please don´t forget to reserve posts here on the first page, in case you want to make statistics and summaries, they can be found back best on the first page here

I already quoted two interesting posts with links from Goshawk topic 2023 over to the new topic here.

[Polly]

♡ The Couple



The female ~ Pērle
(The female carries a ring starting with DT 34..)


The male ~ Rio


External significant disinguishing features:

Perhaps the main difference lies on the cheek.
Females: more extensive, (grayish) and more evenly colored throughout.
Male: Darker and smaller, the back is a different color than the front.

Pileus, white spot on the left side (for now) and of good size in the female.

Eyebrow, more in a straight line in the female and in the male it appears to open more directly behind the eye.

Nape
The female has a more marked and straight black central stripe than that of the male.

Bottom of the tail
It looks barred with stripes on the male. From top to bottom, two darker stripes and then one more diffuse and another darker and smaller at the end.

The male's eyes are slightly more orange than the female's.

☆ Thanks to Emiliano for your good description!

***


Imants Jakovļevs shared interesting facts:
GT:

Good afternoon,
On the biology of hen hawks. How much have I looked at pictures of cameras and trail cameras. mostly in early spring, from January to March, however, the male builds the nest, it is a relatively chaotic stacking of branches and while stacking the nest he sings to tell his intended lady and also his competitors that the nest is occupied.
The female usually appears in the nest on March 1 and begins by building the nest hole and sprinkling it with fresh conifer branches.
In principle, the male builds the "walls", the female builds a home she likes.

These BKUS hawks are early hawks since 2022 and we can expect the first egg after March 10.

But we can agree that the more we observe birds in cameras, the more we get to know them, and each bird may have different characteristics.

Imants.

source: https://forums.dabasdati.lv/viewtopic.p ... 17#p383517


***

March 8th
The couple gets names.
Female ○ Pērle ♡ Male ○ Rio

Source: https://forums.dabasdati.lv/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4368

[Polly]

Events of the season:


Laying data

March 21st ▪︎ Egg#1 was laid
viewtopic.php?p=919089#p919089

March 24th ▪︎ Egg#2 was laid
viewtopic.php?p=919577#p919577

March 29th ▪︎ The next visible egg laying.
It is conceivable that Pērle laid egg #4.
viewtopic.php?p=920503#p920503

One can only speculate about egg #3.
This egg laying probably occurred unnoticed under the cover of darkness. Possibly on the night of March 26th to 27th.
viewtopic.php?p=920349#p920349


Welcome!
Hatching data

Egg #1 & Egg #2 hatched from April 30th to May 1st

The hatching process may have started here.
viewtopic.php?p=925190#p925190
Two chicks were seen early on the morning of May 1st.

Egg #3 is likely to hatch on the night of May 2nd
viewtopic.php?p=925417#p925417

Chick #4 was visible in the nest late afternoon on May 3rd.
Pērle pulled out an eggshell that morning.
viewtopic.php?p=925634#p925634

☆☆☆

May 22nd * The Hawklets get their IDs

Male ▪︎ on the left leg black plastic ring: X01, on the right leg aluminum ring: DT4841
Female ▪︎ on the left leg black plastic ring: X02, on the right leg aluminum ring: DT4842
Male ▪︎ on the left leg black plastic ring: X03, on the right leg aluminum ring: DT4843
Female ▪︎ on the left leg black plastic ring: X04, on the right leg aluminum ring: DT4844

viewtopic.php?p=928680#p928680

[Polly]

Nest1

■ Breeding last took place here in 2023 ~ 3 hatched



It appears that this nest will not be used for breeding this season.
However, food handovers and visits from the goshawk and other animals that live there can be observed.

Activities/Observations:

March 1st ▪︎ the female enters the nest with a food carcass

March 2nd ▪︎ Woodpeckers together
(Woodpeckers can be heard here regularly and seem to be an integral part of this area.)

[Polly]

Visitors to Nests 1 & 2:


March 15th ▪︎ Juvenile Goshawk U43 visits the nest 2 twice
viewtopic.php?p=918409#p918409

March 26th ▪︎ Male Goshawk S11visits the nest 2
viewtopic.php?p=920085#p920085

[Polly]

Many thanks to Bea!
And again to all actors and volunteers of the LDF and the BKUS for their permission and cooperation so that everyone can follow this nest life here.



***


This is where we started:
(All posts including today's.)
viewtopic.php?p=916906#p916906

[Polly]

March 3rd

Nest2
https://www.youtube.com/live/Culkof-YIc ... EfWeMfE1eU



The couple is very active again.
06:30 Calls begin and with them the *in *out
'31 Female in the nest
Very vocal, even outside the nest it sounds almost melodic


'42 pairing

'46 the male


'57 the female
'59 comes back to the nest with a branch

[Polly]

07:02 the female jumps into the nest
'08 now with a branch
'13 too
'27 the male with a branch, the female is calling outside
The male leaves the nest downwards
'33 and the female is in the nest

[Polly]

08:31 calls
'32, '34 the male comes into the nest
'35 pairing


'38 the female brings a branch and builds
In '51 the male again
*Pairing after leaving the nest

'55 the female is back with a branch

[Polly]

09:02, '05 The female comes into the nest

'13 lots of movement in the trees around the nest.
Jay, Woodpecker...they're easy to hear and see. If I'm correct, the goshawk's calls also include imitation calls. Woodpecker can do it, as can Jay. It will have been one.
Arrival or flyby Goshawk




'17, '21 the female again
She lays a larger branch and digs the nest bowl


'47 the male

[Polly]

10:18 calls heard
'21 Great tits jump through the nest...


'22 and just after that the female flies in with a branch


She fidgets, leaves the nest and...
...the little ones were lurking - great tit back in.

[Polly]

further visits
10:28, '30 the male
'31 pairing

'36 the voice of the bullfinch?

'45 the female with a branch. It forms the outer edge of the nest

[Polly]

10:50, '57 the female again

[Polly]

11:08, '17 Short visits from the male

11:39 the female with a tender branch






'46 the male
Both call to each other energetically. The male often makes softer tones.