Black Stork Nest in Karula - 2017

[Michi]

Maybe there was some unwanted visitor in the area?
Or could it be that he was calling Kati?

I don't think there was a stranger or some else unwanted visitor. Karl behaved as if Kati was in the near. It was the same behavior we have seen every year in spring, when the Black Storks met each other on nest for the first time.
The same like in this video from 2013, when Tiit is awaiting Tiina:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQxcFiyBSL4
Video from Természet Figyelő.

23:12 Karl has called again in the dark. It's heartbreaking.
When he has done it in daylight, now and then, I always had the impression that he is calling for Kati.
Hopefully she is well and comes soon, so that waiting has an end.

Thanks a lot to all for the very beautiful pictures and videos! Karls hard work for the nest is unbelievable. I admire him endless.

[Liz01]

April 8

Good Morning to all

Karl has sung very early

6:29 Karl flew out

[Liz01]

6:32 Karl brings twigs

[juta]

Hello!
Hope it will be a great day!

This branch has to be removed!

[Lussi05]

Good morning

08:07 - A Buzzard was calling, and Karl was listening.

08:15 - But, work must go on.

08:21 - A break is also necessary now and then.

[IceAge]

08:55

some homework

[baska]

12:07 Testing the comfort





But for Kati will be no place ....

[IceAge]

12:38

Karl is calling.

[Hellem]

12:47 Karl flew away

[Birdfriend]

12:57 He is back with calling. Karl in his completely glory.


13:04 He lies down in the nest bowl. Patiently waiting...

[aita]

Waiting is hard.
sounds like: I miss you...

[Liz01]

hopefully Kati comes soon

Birdfriend, Baska, Lucy this are beautiful pictures TY
Aita thanks for the video

[Michi]

Hello,
since 15:00 Karl is back on nest. He came calling ... And waits and waits ...
Kati, please come soon!

Aita, your video! Yes, it sounds like "missing you". Karl made these sounds often, also in the night. Just a sigh ... "where are you?" :)

[Anne7]

... I don't think there was a stranger or some else unwanted visitor. Karl behaved as if Kati was in the near. It was the same behavior we have seen every year in spring, when the Black Storks met each other on nest for the first time....
... 23:12 Karl has called again in the dark. It's heartbreaking.
When he has done it in daylight, now and then, I always had the impression that he is calling for Kati.
Hopefully she is well and comes soon, so that waiting has an end...

Thank you Michi! Yes, it looked more like a greeting, I agree.
But I still wonder why Kati didn't appear on the nest if she really was nearby?
Maybe she wasn't there after all?
All this waiting is rather difficult, of course for Karl, but also for us.
We will have to be patient...

[Michi]

But I still wonder why Kati didn't appear on the nest if she really was nearby?
Maybe she wasn't there after all?
All this waiting is rather difficult, of course for Karl, but also for us.

Anne, as Kati didn't show up yesterday, I think she wasn't near. Otherwise she certainly would have come to the nest. I don't know, which reason Karl had, to call that way. Could he have seen another Black Stork female and thought it was Kati? I have no other ideas.

I'm sure the waiting is much more difficult for Karl than for us. :) For him the whole season, the one and only aim is endangered, if Kati doesn't come.

Edit: But it's still enough time for Kati to return.

[Jo UK]

Thank you Michi! Yes, it looked more like a greeting, I agree.
But I still wonder why Kati didn't appear on the nest if she really was nearby?
Maybe she wasn't there after all?
All this waiting is rather difficult, of course for Karl, but also for us.
We will have to be patient...

Could it have been a different female? I saw the action at that time and thought that it could not have been Kati, but maybe another female.
What do you think?

[Anne7]

... I don't know, which reason Karl had, to call that way. Could he have seen another Black Stork female and thought it was Kati? I have no other ideas. ...

Yes, I have been thinking the same, Michi and Jo, maybe there was some strange female Black Stork nearby! Anyway, we will never know, we can only guess, don't we?
Let's hope Kati returns soon! I cross my fingers!
Does someone know what delay is still considered to be normal?

I don't dare to think about that scenario, but if Kati doesn't return, Karl probably will try to find a new partner, I suppose.
"The Black Stork is monogamous unless its mate dies. In the event of a partner dying, Ciconia nigra will seek out a new mate.".
Source: http://www.thekruger.com/knpbirds/ciconianigra.htm

[Liz01]

..........
Does someone know what delay is still considered to be normal?

I don't dare to think about that scenario, but if Kati doesn't return, Karl probably will try to find a new partner, I suppose.
"The Black Stork is monogamous unless its mate dies. In the event of a partner dying, Ciconia nigra will seek out a new mate.".
Source: http://www.thekruger.com/knpbirds/ciconianigra.htm

The first stork arrives one or two weeks before the partner arrives. This is "normal" It was also observed that a partner arrived after 23 days

BTW: Black Storks are not monogam.
EDIT: Proof is very simple. Last year two female came to the Latvian nest. Ozols has mated with both.

[Michi]

Does someone know what delay is still considered to be normal?

I don't dare to think about that scenario, but if Kati doesn't return, Karl probably will try to find a new partner, I suppose.
"The Black Stork is monogamous unless its mate dies. In the event of a partner dying, Ciconia nigra will seek out a new mate.".
Source: http://www.thekruger.com/knpbirds/ciconianigra.htm

In the Latvian BS-Forum Liz linked to an article from Māris Strazds, which Abigyl translated by google-translator.
viewtopic.php?f=96&t=874&start=200
If I interpreted it right, Māris wrote, that when mid of April the mate is not returned, there is reason for the stork on nest to worry about. So mid of April seems to be the line to arrive.
This I write with all reservation, because google translation from Latvian language is not to understand, only to interpret.

Finding a new mate seems to be not so easy. In an article from Kotkaklubi is said:
“After returning, the male birds start to repair their nests right away to win the approval of the soon-to-arrive female birds. Since Estonia is situated on the northern border of the black stork habitat, not all male birds find mates here. .....”
Source: http://www.kotkas.ee/species/black-stork

Surely Karl would try to find a new mate. But I hope, this will not be necessary. Kati is most likely still on the way.

Edit:
In 2013 the male Tiit arrived on April 16th and Tiina, his mate, on April 18th. So after mid of April. But I don't know, if in that year because of weather conditions (long winter?) all Black Storks arrived later.

[Anne7]

The first stork arrives one or two weeks before his partner.

BTW: Black Storksare not monogam

Hello Liz!
Thanks for the information. So we still have one more week or even more (= edit) before getting worried! (Last year Kati arrived on the same day as Karl, if I remember well, but of course this could very well have been a pure coincidence. It probably was.)
Yes, I saw that statement too, about Black Storks not being monogamous.
They are monogamous during the breeding season, but not necessarily for a lifetime. But after a successful breeding they often return both to the same nest, don't they? (At least, that is what I have been reading...)

EDIT: Michi, thanks a lot for your kind explanations!