Thanks for posting the link to the Black Stork nest Dave! Nest locations often seem to be closely guarded secrets in western Europe, and away from nests these birds don’t forage in areas where they can be watched easily. As best I know, with the exception of migrating birds (southern tip of Spain, western Black Sea coast south through the eastern Mediterranean) and a couple of cliff nests in a national part in western Spain that I can think of, birders basically don’t have a lot of guaranteed opportunities to see Black Storks. So that webcam is pretty special.
In the background this (Latvian) afternoon I’ve picked out European Robin, Eurasian Wren, Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff briefly, and I think a Garden Warbler. Wesley Hochachka From: bounce-119427645-3494...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-119427645-3494...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Dave Nutter Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2015 6:06 AM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] OOB: Black Stork nest-cam in Latvia A few days ago my Stefhan Ohlström sent me this link to a site with several nest-cams in Latvia, which is east across the Baltic Sea from the southern part of his native Sweden. https://www.eenet.ee/EENet/kaamerad Some of the nests were already empty, which may also be why some cameras were not streaming, but the BLACK STORK nest is still active: https://www.eenet.ee/EENet/melnais-starkis This species was unfamiliar to me. I haven't traveled to its range. My books tell me it's more uncommon, shy, and solitary than the familiar rooftop-nesting White Stork of open farmland. The Black Stork "frequents lakes, rivers and marshes surrounded by woods." The broad platform nest is in a huge tree within forest. There are 2 nestlings, and they appear full-grown, so I don't know how much longer they'll remain in view. Despite their new feathers they look scruffy to me. Their necks and backs are mottled with gray instead of pure black; their legs are gray and bills yellowish rather than both being bright red. Mostly they stand, quietly preening, or pacing slowly, sometimes poking at sticks of the nest, or backing slowly toward the edge to defecate. A couple times I have seen a single flap-hop. Stretches of those black wings are impressive, but otherwise it's a subdued scene. The background noise, in addition to wind, big feathers, and a fly or two, seems to include a pigeon, a wren, and some songbirds I don't recognize. It's worth waiting for a parent to show up, which I've now seen three times. Even if you aren't watching, the sound will alert you. Suddenly the youngters crouch down on their long tibio-tarsi and begin bobbing their heads and calling. This can go on for several minutes while the parent stands on a nearby branch, which may or may not be in view, or may fly to a different branch and even seem to be uninterested. It can take awhile for the adult to actually come to the nest and feed them. I don't think the delay is from reluctance to face the huge and intimidating babies. They actually look obedient, well-disciplined, and patient, yet persistent, while they beg. Perhaps the adult needs a lot of stimulation. Maybe the internal rearranging of food and regurgitation-muscles takes awhile. Finally, wings spread above its children, the parent steps onto the nest, extends its long neck forward and down between them, and opens its bill. The excited youngsters are squealing, flapping their wings, and poking and grabbing from either side when the parent coughs up food. The first time I saw this the meal was a few anonymous bits which were quickly gobbled up by both, then the parent departed. The second feeding I saw, the begging seemed interminable, during which the sun rose through the leaves in the background. The meal was a single fish almost the size of the bird's neck. It came out suddenly. There was a very brief scuffle until one youngster got a better grip and turned aside. I feared the fish would be lost overboard, but the winner expertly swallowed it almost as rapidly as it had been ejected from the parent. The sibling got nothing! I was stunned. Then the parent bent over and produced a second, equally large fish! Fortunately the hungry kid won that round and scarfed it down. The parent flew off, leaving the youngsters to stand, rearrange their swollen necks, and clatter their bills. As I was finishing writing, I was interrupted by a third feeding. This time the parent flew almost directly to the nest, rapidly produced several small items which were eaten before I could ID them, and left. Still, the begging sound as soon as the parent approached allowed me time to bring the view up. The contrast with the second feeding I saw makes me wonder if each parent hunts different prey. Latvia is 7 hours ahead of us, so their sunrise is about 10pm for us, and the place is dark during our afternoon and evening. --Dave Nutter -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
