The white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

The nest observed by the camera is located in Kurzeme, Durbe County. This nesting area was first documented in 2014 when the initial nest of this pair was discovered, built in a pine tree that had been felled. That year, the pair of sea eagles had a successful nesting season – this nest was one of four known white-tailed eagle nests in Latvia that year raising three young chicks.

In 2015, the eagles moved to a new location and began constructing their nest in the top of an old spruce tree, which had been damaged by wind or snow. The broken branches around the top of the tree provided a suitable platform for the nest, which was built at a height of about 25 meters.

The camera was installed on one of the branches at the top of the tree at the end of January, right as nest construction began. This setup provided a rare opportunity to observe the process of building a new nest. Cameras are typically placed at nests that have already been inhabited for several years.

This nest is notable because it is constructed in a spruce tree, a rare choice for white-tailed eagles. This is only the fourth known white-tailed eagle nest built in a spruce in Latvia. The white-tailed eagle nests are most commonly found in pines, with about half of all nests built in these trees. A third are in aspens, and fewer are in birches, black alders, and oaks. Nests in spruce are usually constructed on broken tops and are typically high above the ground. The highest known sea eagle nest in Latvia is located in Ķemeri National Park, 31.5 meters above the ground, and is also built in a spruce tree.

The eagles currently residing in the nest are named Milda and Voldis.

Jānis Rudzītis from SIA “Rewind” was instrumental in configuring the monitoring system for this nest. The installation was also supported by Ģirts Strazdiņš. Maintenance of the system was assisted by Māris and Leo from the Dabasdati.lv, as well as Lex van Drongelen and Jelle Lips. Data transmission over the 4G network is provided by LMT.