a day in the life of a latvian mom

Some moments in nature feel almost magical — the ones you dream about for years, but never really expect to happen.

Today I had one of those moments.

This beautiful bird is a hoopoe (Upupa epops) — or pupuķis in Latvian. Seeing one is quite rare here. There are only a few hundred hoopoes in the whole of Latvia, and in my region, there are estimated to be only around 20 breeding pairs. They usually prefer areas closer to Riga, so I never imagined one would simply appear right at my home.

I have dreamed of seeing a hoopoe for a long time. I have looked at pictures, admired their amazing feathers, and hoped that maybe, one day, I would be lucky enough to spot one.

But nature decided to surprise me when I least expected it. I was just coming home from shopping, driving up to the house, when suddenly I saw him — standing there as if he had been waiting for me.

I immediately stopped the car. I almost froze.

“Everyone be quiet! Don’t make any sudden movements!” I whispered, afraid that even the smallest noise would scare him away.

With my heart beating faster, I slowly reached for my phone and managed to take a picture through the car window.

It was not the perfect wildlife photograph, but it doesn’t matter. This picture holds the memory of a very special moment — a rare visitor arriving unexpectedly at our home.

Sometimes the best encounters are the ones we don’t plan for. Nature simply knocks on the door and gives us a little gift. ❤️

Ilze