Bird watching race „Latvia’s State Forests Bird Rally 2018” terms and conditions
1. The Race organisers
1.1. Bird watching race „Latvia’s State Forests Bird Rally 2018” (futher – the Race) organisers are the State Stock Company “Latvia’s State Forests”, funding „Latvia Birds Fund” and website www.birdinglatvia.lv
2. The Race time and teritory
2.1. Race will be held on 15 September 2018 (Saturday).
2.2. The Race shall start on 15 September 2018 no earlier than at 4:00 AM in the morning (the teams are eligible to start the Race later at their own discretion) from the freely chosen spot within the territory of the Race.
2.3. The duration of the Race shall not exceed 14 hours from 04:00 AM to 18:00 PM.
2.4. Teams should arrive at the Race finish place till 15 September 2018, 19:00 PM.
2.5. The venue for winner announcement and closing event: State Stock Company “Latvia’s State Forests” Central Office, Vaiņodes str 1, Riga.
2.6. The evaluation of the Race results and winners determination will take place on 15 September 2018 from 19:00 PM till 20:00 PM.
2.7. The announcement of the Race winners on 15 September, 2018, 21:00 PM.
3. Participants of the Race and entry of the Race
3.1. The team must be submitted for the Race till 7 September (Friday) 2018 17:00 PM (Latvian time).
3.2. The team which take part at the Race must consist of 3 to 5 members.
3.3. Teams should submit application/entry to email:
3.4. By sending an application for the Race “Latvia’s State Forest Bird Rally 2018” to
3.5. In the application teams must provide:
- The title of a team;
- Names and surnames of a team members;
- Email and mobile phone number of a team representative.
3.6. The maximum number of teams at the Race – 10 teams.
3.7. The Race is open for up to 5 teams from Latvia and up to 5 teams from abroad.
3.8. It is allowed to submit mixed teams from different countries.
3.9. The Race is international, according to this there will be reservation for 5 teams from abroad during the registration process. Mixed teams are considered as foreign/international teams. If there would not be application from 5 foreign teams Latvia teams could be registered instead.
3.10. Teams are registered according to the application submission time, that means – if applications will be more than 10 than for the Race will registered teams which submit an apllication the first. Later applications will be registered as a reserve list teams.
3.11. If some of teams registered for the Race resign the participation, a team from reserve list will be included instead.
3.12. The Race organisers reserve the right to make changes to the allocation of Latvia and foreign teams according to the number of applications.
3.13. The Race organisers and referees are not taking part in the Race.
3.14. Information on teams (title of team, names of a team members and countries) which have been registered for the Race as well the list of the reserve teams will be published on websites www.mammadaba.lv and www.latvijasputni.lv in one weeks time after the deadline of application submission.
3.15. Race organisers shall send the following documents until 10 September 2018, 17:00 PM) Race Terms and Conditions; 2) List of Latvia’s birds for recording the observed species and time; 3) Map of the Race territory; 4) List of rare species; 5) Rare species report form; 6) Map with the venue of Race Closing Event. The teams shall be responsible for printing out these documents.
4. The Race referees
4.1. Results of the Race are evaluated by three referees: Kaspars Funts, Kārlis Millers and Valdis Roze.
4.2. The winner of the Race is determined by the Race referees.
4.3. The team which would recorded „The Most Interesting Observation” will be determined by the Race referees. In the case there is no nomination for the The Most Interesting Observation during the Race no team is awarded the prize for this nomination.
4.4. The Race referees are allowed to make a decision externally by phone and email with the Race organisers.
4.5. All dispute cases are settled by the Race referees.
4.6. The decision of the Race referees is ultimate.
5. The Race procedure
5.1. The territory of the Race is Western part of Vidzeme. Terrestrial border of the Race territory: Riga-Valka highway A3/E264 (Vidzeme highway) and the border of Latvia and Estonia. The race territory border to the West is the Gulf of Riga. The border in Riga city is Brivibas alley, Brivibas street and Brivibas boulevard to the river Daugava and futher the river Daugava right coast to the Gulf of Riga. The race territory border in Valka is Riga street to the border of Latvia and Estonia.
5.2. Teams could use private transport, public transport as well as other vehicles.
5.3. Each team is allowed to use only one type vehicles/transport during the Race.
5.4. To record observed/heard birds species and subspecies on a list at least 3 members of a team should thoroughly state specie or subspecie visually or audial (futher – observed species and subspecies) in the race territory. As well at least 3 members of a team should observe and/or hear one and the same individual.
5.5. While teams are physically located on the Race territory they are allowed to register all the bird species seen and heard behind the race teritory borders.
5.6. Teams record on a list both – species and subspecies during the Race.
5.7. Bird species and subspecies observed during the Race shall be registered in the List of Latvia’s bird species and subspecies (in English) sent by the organisers of the Race and printed out by the teams by marking an “x” next to the English and scientific name of the relevant observed species and subspecies.
5.8. Only alive, wildlife observed and/or heard and thoroughly stated birds could be recorded on a list during the Race.
5.9. Individuals stated as species and subspecies will be taken into account determining results of the Race. Exception could be species pair, for example, „Crossbill” (Loxia sp.) and/or ‘greater’ loons Gavia immer/adamsii, and/or ‘smaller’ loons Gavia stellata/arctica, and /or Spotted/Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina/clanga etc. If one of the pair species has been stated for 100%, the stated specie will be taken into account. For example, if Gavia adamsi has been observed and after or before adamsi/immer, only Gavia adamsi will be counted.
5.10. Any traps or any other equipment for bird trapping during the Race is prohibited.
5.11. It is prohibited to record on observed/heard birds species and subspecies list birds which are trapped by third persons.
5.12. Attracting birds with tape-recorders or any digital audio equipment during the Race is prohibited.
5.13. Participants of the Race are allowed to imitate birds voices themselves (for example, whistling, using hands etc.). Any technical equipment is prohibited.
5.14. In case of rare specie has been observed (the list of rarities will be provided) as an evidence pictures and/or video, and/or audio are recommendable. In such case the Race referees could ask for additional evidence and certain bird description.
5.15. At the end of the Race, the teams shall submit the detailed report of rare species and subspecies alongside with the List of observed bird species and subspecies to the Race organisers and judges.
5.16. In case of new species/subspecies record for Latvia during the Race, the team should fill rare species report and add the pictures (if available). The Race referees will make decision on including this species or subspecies to the list of the Race.
6. The Race results evalutation and winners determination
6.1. Teams hand in lists with bird species and subspecies observed and recorded during the Race after the end of the Race to the Race organisers.
6.2. Each team should state one observation as „The Most Interesting Observation” from the recorded bird species and subspecies list during the Race.
6.3. The winner of the Race is a team which has recorded the most species.
6.4. If several teams have the same number of recorded birds species, the winner is determined the team which has more observed „unique” species, that is, species which other teams have not recorded. Subspecies should be recorded during the Race. Subspecies are not counted in a total amount as an unit. But in a case of equal number of recorded species as well a „unique” species number, the number of subspecies will be taken into account.
6.5. In case of Race finish delay for 30 minutes (i.e., arrive after 19:30 PM), the result of the team shall be annulled and the team shall be disqualified.
6.6. The Race organisers shall award the following members:
- members of the winning team;
- the team that has “The Most Interesting Observation”;
- the most active team in posting about the Race in social networks (www.twitter.com, www.facebook.com, www.instagram.com);
- teams are welcome to submit up to 3 photos for judges to select the most interesting one and present an award to the author. By submitting the photos, the authors agree that they could be used by Race organisers for non-commercial purposes.
7. Other issues
7.1. The Race organisers are not responsible for accidents during the Race or breach of Latvian Republic rules by participants of the Race.
7.2. The Race organisers are not responsible for damages caused to the third persons health, property by he participants of the Race.
7.3. The Race organisers reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time. Participants will be notified of the changes and will be deemed to have accepted the amended terms and conditions by participating in the Race.
7.4. All other issues wich are not sated in those terms and conditions but which accure are solved by the Race organisers and the Race ferees.
7.5. Terms and conditons of the Race are prepared and available both in Latvian and English.
7.6. Terms and conditions has been approved by the State Stock Company “Latvia’s State Forests”, funding „Latvia Birds Fund” and website www.birdinglatvia.lv on 1 June 2018.
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