Estonian LSE Nest Discussion 2012 ~ Tuuli & Remo

[Felis silvestris]

We have moles here, and sometimes they can be annoying (like when they are on the cemetery and dig up their mounds on the graves and destroy the flowers and plants), but they are protected and it's not allowed to kill them. You can drive them away, if they let you (suggested tricks would be to bury bottles in their holes so the wind makes a noise, get human hair from a hair dresser and put them into their passages, or put something else very smelly). I think I would get a LSE to do the job for me ...
By the way, although we had moles quite often in our garden or surrounding places, I never saw a life one!

[Starling]

Thanks for the explanation of those pontu pics. :) It shows a bit different angle, so maybe it is a different camera with still pictures.

It would be very interesting to see some videos how they hunt. I´ve read they can also hunt by walking around the forest. (Source: http://www.yerevanzoo.am/index.php?id=8 ... f19b2240c9)

There´s also said:
"It is well established that this eagle species eat voles but unfortunately a recent experimental study on pesticide effects proved that Lesser spotted eagle which hunted pesticide- infected voles died."

So I hope the moles they eat are not already dead and poisoned.

[alice44]

There´s also said:
"It is well established that this eagle species eat voles but unfortunately a recent experimental study on pesticide effects proved that Lesser spotted eagle which hunted pesticide- infected voles died."

So I hope the moles they eat are not already dead and poisoned.

I worry about that especially with the odder prey -- bits and pieces of bigger creatures, which may have been left by humans. I had not thought about the moles or voles.

It is a huge problem for urban birds. There is an ongoing photo essay of red tailed hawks (very similar to buzzards) in New York City.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes ... tion/2422/

some archive photos
http://www.palemale.com/2012.html

One year I think all their chicks died, probably from eating poisoned rats. It makes me so sad -- these birds do such work, hunting and then get poisoned.

[alice44]

Thursday 19 July

4:02

It is still totally dark, but I have heard a few little noises -- some movement, a little squeak, but not the heavy bag pipe breathing.

4:07
More squeaks and now I can see the branches with white poop.

[alice44]

4:45

Tuuli has flattened Stephi.

[alice44]

While my knitting group was still meeting I heard a feeding. I peeked Tuuli was ripping something up, but I am not really sure when let alone what. It was probably about 7am.

earlier -- there is something bloody here at
6:41
http://pontu.eenet.ee/tooni/2012-07-19/ ... -06-41.jpg

At 6:35 it is clearly under Stephi's feet. I think maybe it had been sitting in the nest earlier -- yesterday's mole, maybe.

[NancyM]

Alice, I think this slightly earlier picture indicates a dark furry creature at 6:37 ? http://pontu.eenet.ee/tooni/2012-07-19/ ... -06-37.jpg

(The Pontu pictures are interesting - I never noticed the man-made element before)

7:13 (from Pontu)


7:16 - Tuuli leaves the nest

7:40 - Stephi is chirping in her sleep

7:42 - chirps but also a bit of wheeze?

[alice44]

Stephi is well into her young/adult real feather spotty phase -- beautiful lace like patterns.


Nancy, I notice LSEs seem to talk in their sleep and I definitely heard a little wheezing.

[NancyM]

Alice, the young LSE do have beautiful lace like patterns - there is one picture of "Spot" from a couple of years ago that is just breathtaking.

8:05 Stephi is up and calling for breakfast -she takes a poop shot and flutters her wings.

[alice44]

8:07

I saw Stephi doing wing work. I missed getting a capture.

[NancyM]

8:06


8:07 Stephi backed up for a poop shot - had a wee bit of a balance issue but recovered nicely

[Yoko]

7h40 am,

Stephi calls mother or father.

[macko50]

10:34 Food delivery

[alice44]

12:15

Remo delivered a large vole and Stephi is ripping it up -- and seems to be doing a good job of it too.

[ame]

12.15 a food delivery by Remo i think.




it looks like a vole, a big vole. Stephi is ripping it with skill. she started in the easiest part: tore open the stomach and ate the intestines first. it doesn't look quite appetizing to us humans.
.... all went down, glump!


in the end it sounded like someone was answering from the forest to Stephi's calls. maybe Tuuli is there somewhere.

[alice44]

I agree Ame it was a BIG vole. I did not get a capture showing Stephi carrying it in her beak, but it was considerably larger than the vole macko caught in his captures at 10:34
And Stephi seemed to have no trouble ripping it up. So the moles, must really have tough moleskin.

[ame]

i recorded some videos yesterday but i had no time to post them then. here's the address to the playlist i made of them: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL12881F433EBC95E2.

to me it sounded again that someone was talking with Steph from the forest. .. or maybe the sound is not quite synchrounous with the picture...
Stephi had made some funny stretches half-lying down.

[Simann]

Thursday 20 July

...edit please.




~ done - by administrator ~

[asteria]

Stephi is only one day older than Miks and their colors differ so much!

[ame]

14.25 Remo brought some food which must have been something small because Stephi swallowed it right away.