Black Stork Nest in Karula - 2018

[Timea]

20.32:

Mom with a nicely tucked beak, over the eggs for her night shift


Good night

[AAnne]

20:56 Karl arrived home. Maybe they'll both stay for the night, Kati didn't fly away.
Good night stork family

[Michi]

Hello Michi
Kati must have chosen the same route via Bulgaria.
I spoke to that Hungarian, Márton Vlad András, about that and I did send pictures of Kati's legs.
He is sure, because before he brought an injured stork with a broken wing to a bird hospital.
While the vet treated the stork, András examined the legs, who had several big black bumbs, also between the toes.
He and the vet found out that these black bumbs must have been chilblains from the extreme weather in Bulgaria.

But with Kati, he told me, it is the same but not dangerous, because these chilblains only damaged the skin and not the tissue underneith. She won't have pains.

Thank you, Baska, for your statement! It‘s sad that this can happen to our birds. :-( But I‘m relieved, that the man stated, that Kati didn’t had/have pains. Thank heavens it doesn‘t look inflamed.

Congratulations to the second egg, Karl and Kati!

[Michi]

I suppose that's the sebaceous gland!?

My thoughts are the same. Something like that can be unoffending for a long time, for years. But it also can change and can get worse. I think when Karl is often nibbling at it, it is disturbing him. Nibbling too much is probably not good. Difficult to say it in English, but I‘m sure you know what I mean.
If I would have a pet with such a sebaceous gland, Karl has (if it is this), I would go to a vet and let remove it. Unfortunately this is not possible with Karl.
I hope, it is not getting worse.

[Anne7]

My thoughts are the same. Something like that can be unoffending for a long time, for years. But it also can change and can get worse. I think when Karl is often nibbling at it, it is disturbing him. Nibbling too much is probably not good. Difficult to say it in English, but I‘m sure you know what I mean.
If I would have a pet with such a sebaceous gland, Karl has (if it is this), I would go to a vet and let remove it. Unfortunately this is not possible with Karl.
I hope, it is not getting worse.

Hello Michi.
Do you mean that Karl's uropygial gland looks infected?
(I have no idea how the gland should look like, in black storks.)
Removing that gland wouldn't be a good thing to do, I believe.
Storks (and many other species) need that specific gland to clean and waterproof their feathers.
The uropygial gland secretes an oil (preen oil) through the dorsal surface of the skin via a grease nipple-like nub or papilla.
Preen oil seems to have antimicrobial properties and it also contains anti parasitic substances.

http://vri.cz/docs/vetmed/55-9-413.pdf

[Michi]

Hello Anne ,

If I would have a pet with such a sebaceous gland, Karl has (if it is this), I would go to a vet and let remove it.

Hello Michi:hi:
Do you mean that Karl's uropygial gland looks infected?:puzzled:
(I have no idea how the gland should look like, in black storks.)
Removing that gland wouldn't be a good thing to do, I believe.
Storks (and many other species) need that specific gland to clean and waterproof their feathers.
The uropygial gland secretes an oil (preen oil) through the dorsal surface of the skin via a grease nipple-like nub or papilla.
Preen oil also seems to have antimicrobial properties.

http://vri.cz/docs/vetmed/55-9-413.pdf

I just now have read about the uropygial gland. Before I didn't know anything about it.
After some research in the web and comparing the pictures of pelicans in your link with the pictures from Karl, I am very sure, that it is Karls uropygial gland, AAnne has captured in her pics. The sebaceous gland I wrote about, is completely different to that uropygial gland. I have meant a “normal” sebaceous gland, which grows bigger and bigger and sometimes can get inflamed. The uropygial gland is a totally different gland.Therefore there’s no need to talk about a possible worsening or even removing, - no no!
I am sorry if there was a misunderstanding!
After comparing with other pics to me the gland looks normal and well.
I've also found a picture from a Black Stork, who just takes his "preen oil" from his uropygial gland.

Picture from Wolf Spillner

Source: https://naturfotografen-forum.de/o16968 ... dr%C3%BCse

All what you have said about the importance of this gland, I have found confirmed. The storks need it to get their feathers waterproof, in addition the secretion has fungicidal and bactericidal properties. Especially at waterbirds the uropygial gland is very big and well developed. The storks take the secretion with the beak and spread it all over their feathers.
The latter I’ve found here: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.10 ... 00070-0_16 It‘s written in German language.

In this moment I remember how often I’ve seen the storks with their beak on the lower back. Now I know what they are doing there. Learnt something new! Next time I will watch their preening with special attention.

[UteL.]

April 19

Good Morning

6:18 Kati Kati flies to the breakfast


Karl takes care of the house

[AAnne]

Thanks Michi for that research and info , I learned something new and interesting now too.

[UteL.]

10:36
Kati retour



11:01
Mating
11:04
Karl takes off

[AAnne]

15:47 Kati still home alone

[Solo]

... https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.10 ... 00070-0_16 ...

Michi,
thank you for that research and info, I also learned something new and interesting.

[UteL.]

16:53

Karl retour



A beautiful nest they have already created.

[venegor]

2018-04-19 16:59

[Anne7]

A beautiful nest they have already created.

Yes, you are right, they did a great job! (With some help)
Who brought that hay today?
(I didn't watch)

Thanks everyone, for the pics and comments!
Will we see a 3th egg tomorrow? I believe we will.

[UteL.]

Yes, you are right! (With some help)
Who brought that hay today?
(I didn't watch)

Thanks everyone, for the pics and comments!
Will we see a 3th egg tomorrow? I believe we will.

That would have brought Karl between 11 and 14 o'clock, I did not see it either. The eggs are already pretty hidden. We see a 3th egg tomorrow, sometime, Sometime




Kati 17:11 flown; 18:58 retour

[Anne7]

In this moment I remember how often I’ve seen the storks with their beak on the lower back. Now I know what they are doing there. Learnt something new! Next time I will watch their preening with special attention.

Yes, now that we know where exactly they have their preen gland with a difficult name, and how it looks, we will look differently at preening.
Thanks for the BS pic.

[UteL.]

We also call it "Bürzeldrüse", Bürzel=rump, drüse=gland
or Bürzel=Tail approach without feathers

[Trine]

I found an interesting article: http://maaleht.delfi.ee/news/maaleht/uu ... d=81789667
It is in Estonian, and it concerns cooperation of Estonian and Latvian ornithologists in installing the nest cams. Urmas is quoted. I post it here because it contains a photo of Karl and Kati's old nest (I suppose). Maybe someone else finds it worth reading or something.

[Liz01]

I found an interesting article: http://maaleht.delfi.ee/news/maaleht/uu ... d=81789667
It is in Estonian, and it concerns cooperation of Estonian and Latvian ornithologists in installing the nest cams. Urmas is quoted. I post it here because it contains a photo of Karl and Kati's old nest (I suppose). Maybe someone else finds it worth reading or something.

Hi, Trine
that's the latvian nest

[Liz01]

Who brought that hay today?
(I didn't watch)

It was Karl and Kati was very happily about it