Latvian black storks - 2018

[Sue]

all the best also to the third chick!

And by the way: I seems to me that Kaupo and Gaja are very careful parents (and move very gently around them)

Hi Liz, many thanks for all info .

[Liz01]

all the best also to the third chick!

And by the way: I seems to me that Kaupo and Gaja are very careful parents (and move very gently around them)
........

Sue, we have the first polish Storklet

[Liz01]

13:32 Change of guard ... I think Gaja came home. Yes, it was Gaja.

[Liz01]

14:00 very nice feeding. They are so cute







Zoom video.. I think there were little fishes. All three have eaten well

[Sue]

Sue, we have the first polish Storklet

So many hatchlings at the same time .

The three photos above: they are so sweet

[Liz01]

16:38 Kaupo comes home. Gaja was very scared




here he is

[Liz01]

Kaupo starts feeding. He has brought much fishie

[Michi]

Welcome to the world, little one!

Congratulations to Latvia to the third storklet!

Liz, you're welcome. :) Thank you also for all reports and pictures, especially for the hatching video! So nice to see the little one coming out of its egg.
I'm glad it has hatched soon after the others. So the difference in size is not too big. Hopefully the other two will hatch also soon.

[Michi]

17:49:37 - 17:49:40
Kaupo has stepped on a little ones head. He stood on it 3 long seconds with full weight.

It happened when he got up and stretched his wings. I think, first he touched the storklet behind a little and then stepped full on the others head. It was not the smallest storklet, thank God; could be that it was the biggest of them.

17:49:35 Two seconds before it happened. It is the storklet which looked to the left side, Kaupo then has stepped on.

[Michi]

Two seconds after the incident, 17:49:42. The poor storklet is surely a bit shocked.


Fortunately the storklet got up quickly. In the pic it's that one in the middle, with the long neck. I hope, it is not hurt. And I hope, it doesn't happen again.

[Michi]

After the incident, at 17:50, Kaupo has fed the storklets. Again lampreys.
The two bigger storklets have both eaten well. The small one was only late interested in the food. But I haven't seen, that it has eaten something. I think, it hasn't.

[Michi]

18:45 Kaupo has fed his babies. This time he was again careful with his steps.





All three were very interested in the food; also the smallest one was immediately at the feeding place.
The two bigger ones have surely eaten; the biggest storklet was quite avid for the food.
As the smallest little one (in the pics on the right side) showed his back to me, it wasn't to see if it has eaten something. If there would have been small fishes, I'm sure it would have eaten. But I guess it's possible that it could not manage to swallow the lampreys.

I'm sorry that I'm always very late with posting the news. But today I'm interrupted again and again at home.

[Michi]

19:11 Gaja arrived and Kaupo flew away. She settled down on storklets and eggs immediately.



The light conditions have been very bad - quick changes between sunshine and shadow -, so I couldn't get a better picture.

[Michi]

20:15 Feeding by Gaja.
The two older storklets have eaten well. This time the younger one could not reach the food. It was in the middle between its siblings, but to its right side there were also the eggs. It did not manage it, to force itself between sibling and egg to the food. That’s really a pity.
I have not seen the youngest storklet eating anything today.

[Michi]

20:47 Kaupo arrived with a bunch of grass. First he covered the storklets a bit with it, but then he put it aside.
Gaja went on the big branch behind the nest, a minute later she left.

[Michi]

22:16:04 Kaupo got up and again he stepped quite heavy on a chick, this time on its neck.
I’m not quite sure, but it may be that it was the second born storklet; in no case it was the youngest storklet.

It lasted from 22:16:05 – 22:16:09

[Anne7]

22:16:04 Kaupo got up and again he stepped quite heavy on a chick, this time on its neck.

Oh, Michi, I'm sure that it worried you a lot.
This isn't nice to watch. I hope all chicks are fine.
Most probably, they are OK, there's a lot of soft moss in the nest.

Kaupo, watch your steps!

[Michi]

While I was searching for pictures from eggs with cracks, I unfortunately found another incident in which Kaupo stepped on the head of his baby. :-(

21:20

[Michi]

Oh, Michi, I'm sure that it worried you a lot.
This isn't nice to watch. I hope all chicks are fine.
Most probably, they are OK, there's a lot of soft moss in the nest.

Kaupo, watch your steps!

Anne, I thank you for your words. Yes, every time it gives me a shock to my heart, when I see it. Of course it reminds me of what happened in the Gemenc nest. But you are surely right. The nest is softly padded, and until now it doesn't look that a storklet has got a damage. All are looking well.
Every time it has happened only then, when Kaupo stands up. But it is really sad, that it generelly occurs. :-/

[Michi]

I'm excited if tomorrow we have a fourth hatchling. I think, it's possible. I've seen an egg with a small crack during a feeding in the late afternoon, took pictures, but unfortunately I have lost them.
When I searched for cracks later, I only found this:



Surely there is also grass on the egg. But on the left side of the egg it could be a crack. The crack, I've seen earlier, was though already bigger.
We will see tomorrow morning.

Good night all!