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The WTE male leaving the nest

 

A beautiful quiet early spring morning, the sun is shining in the sky – nothing more to be wished for.

 

The drama started a few minutes after 8.30 in the morning. The male eagle who had been warming the eggs left for a ”leg stretching” flight …

 

Half a minute later two hooded crows were in the eagle nest, evidently they had been sitting on the lower branches of the spruce and heard and saw the eagle leaving. The larger crow operated as an experienced nest robber – two knocks, the eggshell crushed and “breakfast” ready to eat.  The second crow, clearly less experienced, did not dare to push into the nest.

 

The nest robber knocked a couple of times on the other egg too. If the shell got a crack the breeding of the white-tailed eagles this year will fail but let us hope that it did not happen. Time will tell ...

 

The female arrived at the nest but was already too late to protect the eggs. Until now the attention of the eagles has been on the ravens that have been inquisitive about the nest and who have been loudly admonished. Did they really forget about the threat from the crows?

 

On arriving at the nest the female noticed the fleeing crows and the crushed egg. Her agitated behaviour lasted about an hour, and who would not be stressed in such a case. How it showed – open beak, faster breathing and on sitting in the nest the large bird did not even manage to keep her wings properly close to her body …