May 2016

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.