looduskalender.ee

15.55(?) Eha was away for a moment and I hate to say it, but I think that Spot jr isn´t with us any more.

Eha left the nest for a short time and Spot Senior did what Spot senior does.

Spot Junior makes small slow movements.
Link, not direct image.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k311/ ... -24-98.jpg

Oliv, I saw a couple of weak movements. This awfulness will end soon.

Only one chick...

i took a short look some time ago and i also saw just Spot Sen

I see one Spot now.
Eha got up to arrange the food and Spot made a grab for it. An early attempt at independence!
I was surprised that he moved to the food item, not to Eha's beak.

I can see Spot Junior. Probably no movement now, but I wouldn't want to pormise that, yet.

Both Spots are in the nest. Bigger one on top of the smaller one. I am not sure if the lil one is alive.. Spot sen is grabbing hold of it every now and then between food bits.....

18.26
Feeding over - Eha is back on top of the Spots.

Jo i saw the same moment! yes early attempt at independence.
During feeding time, Eha was in such position that Spot was well visible, Eha feeded it with such a devotion.
I hope the little one is dead by now- while Spot was taking pieces of food from mother, it kept pecking the little one every now and then. For a short while it actually stood with both legs on the body - looking like adult eagle with it's prey.

I think that watching this nest is going to a different experience for us. That Spot Sen. stood on straight legs for a short time, and made a lunge at the food, not Mother's beak at such an early age, is a bit different from watching storks, owls or sea -eagles.

What other surprises are in store for us?

ct 20.17 Eha grabbed Spot 2 out of the nest..what now?? Is he really dead now
and going to be food for Spot 1..?

Poor, poor Spot 2, now it is definitive over. Hardly 5 days old , 5 most miserable
and painfully days.
May he fly to the birds-heaven!

Lesser Spotted Eagles 07Jun2009 EEST 18:17 - 18:27

Spot Sen. tried several times to lift lifeless Spot Jr. while having meal...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPlooUPVNXA

Feeding of very fast growing Spot at 20.26





I didn't see any sign of Spot 2 anywhere. Can anyone confirm that it is no longer on the nest, or is that unknown yet?

Thanks Ploughboy.
I can't see it yet - too much buffering.

Ergee, I am glad that someone here saw that. So can you confirm that Eha ate the smaller chick?
Just so we know, for sure. Thanks.

Yes indeed, that is true.

ergee, thank you for being our brave witness.

Poor little spot. For some reason or another there isn't almost any chance for those younger ones - and that isn't just about Lesser Spotted Eagles.

Googled: /.../ The phenomenon of Cainism (also called siblicide > siblicidal birds) is known to occur in at least 27 of the world's eagle species
- and number of other larger birds like Great Egrets (Casmerodius albus); Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias); Blue—footed Boobies (Sula nebouxii), Black—legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), South Polar Skuas (Catharacta maccormicki) etc./…/

/.../ The actions of any animal species, even if they seem cruel to us, are generally those behaviors with the highest probability of passing the parents' genes on to the next generation. /.../

It was not easy but I felt I had to do it..

Eha took it out of the nest and it was very clear that it was dead, without any doubt, then she and Spot have eaten it.
Finally the suffering has ended.