May 2016

Video recorded by Liz, LK forum

Translation Liis

Black stork    Must-toonekurg       Ciconia nigra

Adults Kati and Karl have spent the last few days in waiting, as have we. Late on Monday night two eggs were already ”talking”, with small holes in the eggshells.

By early morning one eggshell was already lifted on to the edge of the nest and Kati showed us two hatched stork chicks. Congratulations!

See also the entries in the forum: LINK

Webcam image captured by Lussi, LK forum

Translation Liis

Buzzard     Hiireviu       Buteo buteo

Another new being has entered the world, the second buzzard-to-be was hatched on Sunday and we expect the third to be hatched on Tuesday.

Text Bird of the Year Team

Transmission courtesy of EENet, Teetormaja, Tele2 and Elisa

Translation Liis

Webcam image captured by Hagnat, LK forum

Translation Liis

A portrait of the smallest chick who was the last to leave the nest log

Tawny owl       Kodukakk      Strix aluco

The chicks of tawny owl pair Klaara and Klaus move around near the nest tree. They left the nest log almost at the same time, and as owl camera viewers know from earlier, none of the chicks will return to the nest log.

Photos and text Margus Ots, Great Tit Year coordinator

Translation Liis

Checking the nest boxes on Friday in Vana-Kuuste in Tartu County it turned out that for the great tits that started nesting first, chicks had hatched. About 3 days old chicks were in the nest where the first egg was laid already on April 16. In addition a chick had just hatched in one nest box and in another nest box there were 1 day old chicks.

Just hatched great tit

Comments by Margus Ots, Great Tit Year coordinator

Video recorded by Olle Koert, www.tt.ee

Translation  Liis

On Tuesday we could observe in the nest box camera (nest box 3) how a wryneck plundered the great tit nest. The video shows the wryneck throwing 10 eggs out of the nest and also part of the nest material

Wryneck        Väänkael         Jynx torquilla

Video recorded by  Urmas Lett, www.eenet.ee

 Translation Liis

Buzzard     Hiireviu        Buteo buteo

Once more there is a new citizen in the world; the first buzzard-to-be has been hatched. The eggs were laid in the stick nest on April 6, 9 and 12, thus five weeks of incubation. Looking forward we can state that until they fledge there are still 6-7 weeks left.

Image from webcam captured by Maggy, LK forum

Translation Liis

Tawny owl      Kodukakk      Strix aluco

Our trio was one month old on Thursday. The three tawny owl chicks were hatched on the same day, that is April 12, but a difference in size is quite noticeable.

Parents Klaara and Klaus have managed their upbringing well. Congratulations!

Webcam image captured by Mutikluti, LK forum

Translation Liis

Morning in eagle nest

White-tailed eagle     Merikotkas      Haliaeëtus albicilla

The chicks of white-tailed eagle pair Anna and Uku were hatched on April 13, 16 and 19, at exactly the same intervals that the eggs were laid in the nest, that is on March 8, 11 and 14. All can calculate the lengths of the incubation periods for themselves.

Video recorded by  Urmas Lett, www.eenet.ee

Translation Liis

Tawny owl     Kodukakk      Strix aluco

In the next few days the first ”daring” chick will leave the nest, and the others will follow. Aided by the strong beak and claws they will climb around in the trees near the nest, letting the adults know by calling where to come to feed them. In a couple of weeks they achieve a measure of flying skill but exercise makes a master. The family will be busy together probably until August.

Text and photos  Marko Mägi, marko.magi@ut.ee

Translation Liis

Great tit eggs  

Most tits have already finished their egg-laying. The females sit in the nests, adjust the eggs every now and then and wait for the chicks to hatch. There is not long time left until the first tit chicks appear. On observing the incubation in the nest camera it is possible to see how active a process it is – it is not just sitting in one place but an active ”trampling” procedure which the egg shells bravely have to withstand..

Text  Margus Ots, coordinator of Great Tit Year

Translation Liis

Looking at an incubating great tit in the webcam the question might come up – how can it incubate the eggs through the fluffy plumage? Feathers have a very poor heat transmission capacity after all. To make the body heat reach to the eggs the feathers of the female great tit on the abdomen drop off, and a skin area without plumage is created – the brood patch.  So during the brooding period the eggs come into contact with the skin of the abdomen  that is rich in blood vessels and the heat  needed for the development of the chicks reaches the eggs.

Text  Margus Ots, coordinator of Great Tit Year

Translation Liis

In all three nests with cameras the great tits have finally started laying eggs. In nest box no 1 there were at least 8 eggs already on Sunday, in nest box 2 five eggs and in nest box nr 3 the first egg had been laid:

Video and trail camera records Ahto Täpsi

Translation Liis

Brown bear   Pruunkaru       Ursus arctos

At Alutaguse some of the installations have to be replaced but within short we will probably have the camera in working order. The interesting periods of bear life begin in May, but more details about that when the webcam has started working.