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Kaljukotkas ehk maakotkas Aquila chrysaetos
Info from Kotkaklubi
The Golden Eagle 2 (Kaljukotkas 2) nest camera is located in the extended danger area near the Central Training Field in Northern Estonia. The training of the Defense Forces involves rather noisy activities or moving a large number of equipment and people within the limits of the training ground. The National Defense Investment Center has ordered a study carried out by Eagle Club (Kotkaklubi) to analyze the effects of these activities on the eagles nesting in the vicinity of the training fields. Among other activities, we installed a nest camera on a Golden Eagle's (2024).
Kaljukotkas 2 is a long-standing territory of Golden Eagles - one of the territories located south of Lahemaa National Park in Põhja-Kõrvemaa. On this territory, the nests have been located on various bogislands or at the edges of the bog; Golden Eagles generations have changed, but the territory has remained the same. Eagles have been nesting in this nest at the top of the big aspen since 2016. In recent years, the chicks here fledged (except 2025), albeit at a later than average time. This indicates later than average laying of eggs. The chick of 2023 also got a tracker with the help of our German colleague Oliver Krone. Chick flew from the hatching territory to Latvia at the beginning of November, returned to Estonia at the beginning of December and spent the winter here. Next years it has been in Finland, at summertime further north, in Kola peninsula. We have only one Golden Eagle juvenile to watch on the migration map because they tend to be quite stationary. Some of the young birds hatched in Estonia still move to Poland, Belarus, Hungary and Ukraine for the winter.
We do not know adults age or origin. Though, male has transmitter and one ring in left leg since winter 2025.
You can watch the live broadcast from the nest on Eagle Club's YouTube channel www.youtube.com/Kotkaklubi/streams.
With this camera, we are asking for the help of those interested in documenting the observations in the forum.
The purpose of the camera is to assess the impact of noise or other activities associated with military exercises on nesting Golden Eagles. Describing the behaviour of eagles in the forum gives an opportunity to analyze it and, if necessary, find a specific video clip from the recorded material. Due to the volume of the material, it is very time-consuming to process all the recordings at the end of the nesting period. Therefore, all descriptions of the specifics of the observed behaviour are welcome in the forum, there is no need to hold back. Nothing bad happens if two observers write about the same event at the same time. To join the forum, please write a letter to the forum administrator.
The nest camera was set up by Urmas Sellis and Gunnar Sein from Kotkaklubi and Omar Neiland (Beta Grupp OÜ). We use an AXIS F41 camera with a custom-made microphone by Omar. The microphone is attached under the nest, but as the nest height is almost 2 m, we might need to raise the microphone higher once later. Initially, we didn’t want to put too many new things at the nest level. The main part of the camera is located on the ground, the lens with the sensor is on a branch next to the nest. Therefore, the camera looks relatively small when viewed from the nest. In addition, we tried to hide the camera lens and cable as much as possible.
The camera is powered by solar panels and for case of less light, the alternative power generator working on environment friendly fuel cell. We transmit the camera image via 4G mobile internet, so in case of intensive network use, there may be interruptions in the transmission. The same can happen during maintenance work somewhere in data transmission path.
The camera is streamed through Eagle Club Estonia’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/Kotkaklubi). We recommend following Kotkaklubi channel in case the broadcast needs to be restarted due to technical reasons, so the direct YT link of the broadcast may change. As the season progresses other nesting cameras of Estonian eagles and black storks are featured on the Kotkaklubi channel.
The preparation and recording of the camera signal for streaming is carried out with the support of Estonian Nature Foundation (elfond.ee). Events in the nest are documented by the viewers in Looduskalender forum. The use of the stream from the nest is not prohibited for non-commercial purposes, but please let us know if possible (send a message to urmas(ät)kotkas.ee). Contributors are welcome with every camera, as some components need to be replaced yearly. The costs of this Golden Eagle camera are covered through procurement by the National Defense Investment Center (www.kaitseinvesteeringud.ee/en/). For comparison, we have a golden eagle camera in Soomaa National Park, which costs are covered with the help of Kotkaklubi supporters.
Many thanks to all our supporters!
Golden Eagle Nest Camera 2 Team and Supporters:
- Eagle Club – nest-related action, camera installation, information sharing, daily administration
- Beta Group – camera testing and setup, microphone construction, technical support
- Looduskalender – camera forum on the web
- Estonian Nature Foundation – server support
- National Center for Defense Investments – project investments
