Black Stork Nest In Karula 2023.

[Swenja]

Karl II und Kaia defends together the chicks.
The chicks pretend to be asleep.

[Swenja]

The ravens sit above the nest in the tree.

[Swenja]

Ravens wants to enter the nest.



Kaia spreads her wings protectively over the chicks.



15:55 The raven is gone?
15:56 No! The ravens call.

A raven flapped his wing at Kaia's head.



about 16:01 The ravens are gone.

[Swenja]

I hope this won't turn into a siege here!




They catch up on their greeting


16:01 Kaia flies away.

[Swenja]

16:02 feeding
Karl II has smaller fodder with him, but #4 cannot reach it.

#1, #2 and #3 have eaten.
But #4 did find something to eat.

[Anne7]

at 15:05/06 I don't know what to think. It's hard to understand.

Kaia pulled the head of all the chicks last year. They all survived.
We see exactly that with Kaia every year, without it ever getting to the worst.

Personally, and I emphasise this here, I will not immediately think of reduction.
I would rather try to look at it closely.

Yes, I see what you mean, Swenja
And I sincerely hope that you are right!
Yes, Kaia sometimes seems to 'correct' the chicks if they get too 'rowdy' for her liking. She does so by pulling (briefly) on their head feathers. We have seen that in the past.

But I just can't get out of my head what happened this morning
We can't ignore that. It does not look like a minor 'educational’ correction, in my opinion.

I'll post some pics.

Kaia tried to drag the chick out of the nest bowl.

[Anne7]

And Kaia continued...

This second grabbing (at the head) is no good...
It worries me.

[Swenja]

16:39 feeding again
#4 climbed up the nest trough.



#4 sits well and cannot fall over.

[Swenja]

The chicks are all full and Karl II has done well again!

[asteria]

Right now the fourth chick is 36 hours old.

[Swenja]

Yes, Kaia sometimes seems to 'correct' the chicks if they get too 'rowdy' for her liking. She does so by pulling their head feathers (briefly). We have seen that in the past.

No, I didn't mean that at all.

Last year Kaia flipped #2 backwards completely by the neck. All of a sudden! I thought she broke the chick's neck.
Then she picked up #3 and announced that she was going to be kicked out. He grew up.

I mean these things. This is what Kaia has been doing so far and we have no explanation for it.
When it comes to being kicked out, which is always accepted automatically, it's too easy for me.
Kati was easy, Kaia really isn't.

Kicked out can happen at any time and in any nest, of course! Kaia could do it too.

But what are we really seeing here?

[Swenja]

That's always a nice motif.

[Anne7]

No, I didn't mean that at all.

Last year Kaia flipped #2 backwards completely by the neck. All of a sudden! I thought she broke the chick's neck.
Then she picked up #3 and announced that she was going to be kicked out. He grew up.

I mean these things. This is what Kaia has been doing so far and we have no explanation for it.
When it comes to being kicked out, which is always accepted automatically, it's too easy for me.
Kati was easy, Kaia really isn't.

Kicked out can happen at any time and in any nest, of course! Kaia could do it too.

But what are we really seeing here? :gathering :

Swenja
all we can really see is what the camera shows us.

We can't look inside Kaia's head, and don't know what her intentions are. That remains guesswork and interpretation.

If I had to speculate, I would say that Kaia is well aware that in this drought there is probably not enough food available to raise 4 young. (And meanwhile have enough food herself)
We currently see that only the two youngest chicks have been ‘targeted’ by Kaia. It seems to me that Kaia is currently having ‘trouble’ allowing the youngest 2 chicks to participate in the feedings. Sharing food means obviously less food for the oldest 2 chick.

Unlike us humans - who tend to stand up for the weakest and smallest, out of pity - , things are different in nature. More ‘rationally’, one might call it. In nature the best opportunities to grow up are given to the oldest and the strongest.

I am not ‘predicting’ that Kaia will eliminate 1 or 2 chicks. We just don't know that. But I do think Kaia is facing an important and difficult decision, whatever that decision will be.

What I write here is, of course, guesswork and interpretation. I’m fully aware of this. I have no problem with people having different opinions. And of course these opinions can be exchanged. That is always interesting, and may lead to better insights.

[Swenja]

19:14 feeding
There is porridge.



Karl II deposited it at the top.



Karl II picked up a piece and some moss.

[Swenja]

I am not ‘predicting’ that Kaia will eliminate 1 or 2 chicks. We just don't know that. But I do think Kaia is facing an important and difficult decision, whatever that decision will be.

I feel the same way.
This year the drought is one of the worst reasons why the Karula Nest could face serious difficulties. There is still no rain.
It is to be crazy. When rain is announced, it never comes.
If rain is not announced, then 3 drops come.


Thanks for your answers and the pictures @Anne7 !

[Swenja]

19:40:48 What was that?

The chick was probably frightened by the nesting material that Karl II was loosening.
It fell over completely.

[Swenja]

19:41 Karl II also examines #4?
-included in the last video-

[Swenja]

19:52 Kaia is back. Greeting and Karl II flies away.

19:59 feeding
I think it's tadpoles and worms and stuff like that.
Kaia gave 2 servings for #1 and #2.







#3 and #4 got nothing.

[Anne7]

19:40:48 What was that?

The chick was probably frightened by the nesting material that Karl II was loosening.
It fell over completely.

#1 tumbled backwards.

Could it be that Karl II thought #4 was the culprit?


Watch little #4.



? ? ? Oops ? ? ?


Did I scare you?

[Anne7]

I scared you, didn’t I ?!





What have you done, little hooligan?