Black Stork Nest in Karula 2019

[Casio]

For me it would be at least a comforting thought, for Karl, in his wisdom, to choose another nest (and possibly another mate) instead of engaging in a fight he might not win.

Yes, make storklets, not fights. Thank you both for sharing your thoughts. When reading the quite sad statistics of stork-life in the youtube-chat, I feel eaven more happy, that we actually have a new, hardworking and sweet Karl II in this very nest. And eggs keep coming.

[Liz01]

Video from the early Morning. Egg is visible 5:30 when Kati gets up.
5:42 was the first mating



EDIT: If Karl lived, he would come to the nest. The nest is more important than Kati!

[Summi]

Liz, thank you for the video.
When there are already eggs on the nest and they begin their dance for mating, I'd like to cry - Mind your step! Don't tramp on the eggs! But this time they stayed on the nest rim.

[Liz01]

.......About Karl: is it at all possible, that Karl has returned, but went straight to some other nest/place, when he noticed that the old nest and Kati are taken already...? Would it be totally unusual behavior, or do they always come back to the old nest and at least try to win it back?

Suitable breeding trees are very rare. It is unlikely that Karl has a different nest.
The nest and the habitat are good. Why should Karl give it up?

[Solo]

...About Karl: is it at all possible, that Karl has returned, but went straight to some other nest/place, when he noticed that the old nest and Kati are taken already...? Would it be totally unusual behavior, or do they always come back to the old nest and at least try to win it back?...

they are storks who change nest time to time, storks who first visit more nest in the area, ...I know not if exist exactly answer to yours question

Suitable breeding trees are very rare. It is unlikely that Karl has a different nest. The nest and the habitat are good. Why should Karl give it up?

URMAS:
Eedi was successful in breeding in 2015 and 2016. 2017 he (together with mate) occupied first old nest, but by some reason moved about 3 km away to the neighbors nest and started to refresh that one (actually artificial nest platform we built 2016 close old one (from 1989). He was very active in building, there was more as half of meter added new material.
viewtopic.php?p=553902#p553902

[Liz01]

URMAS:
Eedi was successful in breeding in 2015 and 2016. 2017 he (together with mate) occupied first old nest, but by some reason moved about 3 km away to the neighbors nest and started to refresh that one (actually artificial nest platform we built 2016 close old one (from 1989). He was very active in building, there was more as half of meter added new material.
viewtopic.php?p=553902#p553902

Sorry Solo, but that was another situation. He went along with his mate .. he was not missing! Karl would come to the nest. For sure! But I think he can not. Whatever, it's all speculation. It's all about probabilities. And I think it's unlikely that he'll give up the nest for no good reason.

[Solo]

Sorry Solo, but that was another situation. ...

I want say
- they are in the area another nests, probably not all occupied
- storks time to time change nests (also alone, not only with mate) - they have (good) reason

[Rita]

Solo, Liz, Hellem

Solo's quote:

... storks time to time change nests (also alone, not only with mate) - they have (good) reason

But not in this case. There is no reason at all to go to another nest. He would go back to where successful breeding is possible and that is this nest and the known partner. If he was still alive, he would have come to this nest.

I guess (just my 2cts, of course) that Kati and her new male knew that Karl would not come back. Animals have different means of knowing. Means we humans have no idea about.

Anyway, I am amazed by these two black storks. Especially the male, he is so enthusiastic.

[Anne7]

Sova, Crissy, balistar, many thanks for the great pictures!
Liz, thank you for the early morning video.

16:53 The male flies IN


17:03 Mating attempt


17:30 Again, the male has mating thoughts, but Kati isn't in the mood for it.



Regarding Karl's absence, we only know 3 things with certainty:
1. He was already delayed in Lebanon and Syria
2. His transmitter stopped sending data on March 29th in the morning, above Syria.
3. He has not been seen on the nest so far (= 17 days later, if we include 29.03).

Although some of the possible scenarios of what may have happened to Karl are more likely than others, we know nothing for certain.

I personally agree with Liz and Rita that Karl had no reason not to return to his old nest (if he was able to). A good territory, a good nest and a good female are not easy to find. He already had at least 3 successful breeding seasons with Kati on this nest. Why would he suddenly give up on all this?

Therefore, I am not very optimistic about what might have happened to our Karl.
I would have loved to say the opposite.

[Mary Jane]

Nest material delivery at 19.30.
It seems they are building a castle, although the nest looks magnificent already as it is.

[Solo]

KARL:
Urmas to Vita Zagrebacka (FB SOS Tesla - Save the white stork), April 8./9. :
Last signal over the border, in Syria. Nothing suspicious. Karl could be dead or device stopped working.

About Karl: is it at all possible, that Karl has returned, but went straight to some other nest/place, when he noticed that the old nest and Kati are taken already...? Would it be totally unusual behavior, or do they always come back to the old nest and at least try to win it back?

they are storks who change nest time to time, storks who first visit more nest in the area, ...
I know not if exist exactly answer to yours question

I wrote about BS generally in my answer
without rings we know not if arrived the same stork/pair back

in this area was problem every year with food delivery/availability -little storklets were killed by parents, maybe that was the reason

in the Gemenc area black stork pairs use an nest for an average of 2.28 years - some BS nests are highly disturbed by forestry as well (Kalocsa and Tamás, 2003)... btw. 184 nest is in evidence in this area in that year
based on literature data and surveys conducted in other nesting areas, an nest-free area may be inhabited for 18-20 years under ideal conditions (Strazds, 2001)

[Anne7]

Nest material delivery at 19.30.
It seems they are building a castle, although the nest looks magnificent already as it is.

Many thanks for the beautiful pictures, Mary Jane

This male seems to have too much energy.
He just can't get enough of working.
I saw even more deliveries of nest material, this evening:

19:08 IN with moss


19:13 IN with leaves


19:15 mating

19:20 IN with wet stuff and a stick

[Anne7]

And the male continued

19:30 IN. See Mary Jane's post above.

19:36 IN with a little bit more moss


19:43 IN with soaked nest material

[Mary Jane]

Anne7

Thank you for keeping tabs on the busy builder! He really is an overachiever in an endearing way.

[Anne7]

Anne7

Thank you for keeping tabs on the busy builder! He really is an overachiever in an endearing way.

You're welcome, Mary Jane.
It makes a lot of pictures. I can barely follow.
I hope the lovable male will not continue at this pace all season long.

[Jo UK]

Are we gonna do also fundraising for this years storklets GPS transmitters?

What are the plans?

Rauntz
There are no specific plans for fund-raising this season. Of course, that may change, depending on circumstances. (For instance, if there is a sudden, urgent need for funds for a specific purpose.)
However, many people want to contribute to the excellent work of Kotkaklubi, Looduskalender, etc. Information about how to donate is here -

viewtopic.php?p=483657#p483657

[Anne7]

...
in this area was problem every year with food delivery/availability -little storklets were killed by parents, maybe that was the reason
...

Sorry, Solo, but I would like to nuance this statement.

Although, at certain moments, food was less abundant than on some other observed nests, not a single chick starved to death in this nest.

- In 2016 there were 4 eggs. 3 hatched. One of the 3 chicks had serious growth retardation and did not develop normally. This chick clearly had a health problem and has been eliminated by Kati. The other 2 were well-nourished and fledged successfully.

- In 2017 there were 4 chicks. The youngest was eliminated by Kati. The reason why bird infanticide occurs on a nest is well described here: viewtopic.php?p=516905#p516905
The remaining 3 storklets were well-nourished and fledged successfully.

- In 2018 there were 4 eggs, but only 3 hatched. All 3 storklets were healthy and well-fed. All 3 fledged successfully.

Probably 3 chicks are the maximum that can be successfully raised in this specific territory.
We will see what will happen this year. I cross my fingers and hope that this male is as good at catching food as at building a nest.

Solo, do you doubt that this female is Kati?
I really think it's her, even without the evidence of a ring.

Good night.

[asteria]

Also the old nest(before 2018) was too small because of thick branch in the middle of it, it was not enough space even for three storklets, it could be also one of the reasons why the parents got rid of the fourth chick. Now they have a new nest and the old one.

[Liz01]

April 15

Good Morning all stork lovers

Thanks a lot for all pictures and interesting comments.

5:33 first mating
6:00 Male flew to the left
6:03 brings a twik
6:06 flew to the right
6:08 nearly 6:09 he brings a beak full nesting material


6:10 flew to the right
6:14 back with a branch
6:18 they working for an egg

[Liz01]

6:20 he flew away again