looduskalender.ee

Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina)

This eagle is the most numerous eagle in both Europe and Estonia. Of all our eagles, the Lesser Spotted Eagle is the only one who has adjusted to the human cultural environment, but he still requires uncut forests for nesting and mowed meadows for food. The older birds' plumage is various shades of brown; young birds are more or less covered with light spots with legs feathered to the toes. (quoted from http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/158)

In 2008, the pair on this nest, now called Eha and Koit, did not produce eggs or young.

In 2009, Eha laid eggs on April 21 and April 25 and two chicks hatched. However, this species practices cainism, that is, if the older chick is doing well, the younger chick is not fed and does not survive. The older chick, called Spot, was banded and fledged from the nest. Spot was later found injured not far from the nest and was taken to a rehabilitation facility, where he was treated and ultimately released.


Picture of Eha, the mother, on branch and Spot on the nest, from 22 July 2009

For further reading:
Estonian: http://www.looduskalender.ee/node/7076
English: http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/7144

Older articles in English about the LSE are listed here: http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/3487

Ringing Spot: http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/4526

Discussion about cainism in birds: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=118


Direct link to webcamera: mms://tv.eenet.ee/konnakotkas

The microphone on this system picks up many noises that sound much closer than they actually are. There is a road about 200 m away and a railway about 3 km from the nest.

This webcam has been live for about 24 hours, so apologies for keeping us all waiting. I looked in to this nest this morning and heard a familiar sound - the call of the Lesser spotted Eagle. Quite soon, there was a bird on the nest, then on a branch, inconveniently facing away from us. Here is the screen cap I took at 10.14 this morning.

Thats fine if someone has look on nest!
As much as we have visited territories of Lesser Spotted Eagles, there are very few of them arrived, yet. The same situation in Latvia this year.
So we need to wait a bit.

Thank you Urmas and your team! We are waiting patiently

Thanks to Liis for translating for the English page.

http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/7144

Urmas had to stretch to place the camera there!

I think I hear an eagle voice at the webcam. Can't see anyone.

The oven-dried Small bird feeder camera, Urmas said ...

I can't see any ring on this eagle
Is it someone new?

Mei2k, Spot, the young eaglet from the nest, was ringed. But I don't think any of the parents, Eha and Koit, had rings.

Jo Uk, it is almost too much, all those sites and cams. I changed my way: more watching and less writing. There is so much to see. Also here in the Netherlands we have great sites: of Uhu, Stork, Barnowl, Stoneowl, etc. It is a very busy springtime! Greetings, Jopie.

I totally agree with you Jopie.
There is so much to see and enjoy.
also thanks to the technology and all those people who make this possible.

11.45 - 11.47 LSE visited the nest. Looks like Koit

I was also lucky to see this short visit of LSE, which lasted four minutes only. I made the first picture at 11:44, and the last, just before he left, at 11:48 (but only now I can show them):









And here is a short video; unfortunately, there was a lot of shadow in the nest at that time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW4SMBhC3Q8

thanks so much Grieta and Lucy!
i checked the nest every now and then, but my timing was not ....hmmm - good
but the best part is, that here is always someone watching, so we will not miss the important events!

Mostly I have tried listening -- the bird songs have been lovely but so far I have seen nothing.

Sunday 18 April



7am
And someone has been on and off the nest (a spotted eagle someone) and has been making sweet little calls.
The cam is not quite giving me proper motion -- not exactly, but I think I will have a couple decent captures.

(It seems seriously out of sync)

7:20
I have now lost the connection for the second time, but I think the eagle might still be hanging about near the nest making sad little calling sounds.

8:19
Eagle is here again.

8:28
Eagle is still here and calling

We have TWO eagles home

Somebody can recognise who is it?