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Male Karl  feeding three stork chicks this morning

Black stork              Must-toonekurg               Ciconia nigra

The elimination of the youngest stork chick from the nest by the female was actually only a matter of time.

Black stork        Must-toonekurg        Ciconia nigra

In the video male Karl II arrives at the nest to feed the chicks. Both adults have ensured that  all chicks are properly fed – with young stork chicks it is still easy.

The hope remains that the only one to come out from the nest trunk will stay healthy.

Tawny owl        Kodukakk            Strix aluco

A sad sight for watchers but so too nest life may turn out in nature despite our best wishes.

Pine marten          Metsnugis             Martes martes

Olle drove to the nest after the pine marten’s attack and caught images of the movements of the robber although he had to search for the mobile phone very fast in his pocket – a useful occasion for a mobile in fact.

Starling     Kuldnokk         Sturnus vulgaris

When it rains, it pours …

Half an hour before noon a hairy paw reached for the starling chicks. Since it is a rather secluded spot the ”robber” could well be a pine marten.

The tail feathers of the largest owl chick are still visible at the opening of the nest trunk

Tawny owl       Kodukakk        Strix aluco

In South Estonia the lilac time has  already begun and I  cannot pass out through my garden gate without looking for a long time  for some lilac luck.

The lilac is a late arrival in Estonia and this custom is borrowed from the westerly folks, and even to them  this oriental shrub actually arrived only  in the middle of the 16th century.

Black stork           Must-toonekurg       Ciconia nigra

This morning a little before half past nine the last stork-to-be was hatched from its egg – thus three siblings saw daylight on May 16 and the last one on May 18.