ESTONIA Jõgeva County NEW NEST

[Madli]

I have mistaken this situation. So there was the FEMALE on the nest and male standing on the side branch.

13.07 Stranger attacks the male again. Both fly away.
Female stands up and makes a good PS.

The sun is shining in a way that nothing is seen what is happening in the nest while female is standing up.
13.11 She covers the nest again.

[Madli]

What concerns me is that the nest is very silent...no chirping or any sounds.

Also the female hasn't tried to offer food to the chicks yet.

[UrszulaMN]

12.29 One stork arrives silently to the side branch. (arrives from left) Stranger?
Soon after arrives (from the right) second stork and agressivly forces the first stork to leave. Parent?
Storks steps to the nest and arranges nest material.
12.30 Parent covers the chicks! I think this is the male.
One stork flies through the camera view.
Female arrives now too.

I think it was the female that sat down. Then a stranger came flying in - that's why the female was all ruffled up, 13:07 our male is chasing the stranger away from the branch (looking at the gaps in the wing).

I think the young were thrown out by the stranger. The parent wouldn't have flown away, it would have returned to the nest to take care of the rest...

[UrszulaMN]

What concerns me is that the nest is very silent...no chirping or any sounds.

Also the female hasn't tried to offer food to the chicks yet.

I thought the same thing Madli

[Madli]

14.15 Female stands up and there are 2 alive chicks.
14.16 FEEDING
I saw only one chick eat this time.

[Madli]

16.09 FEEDING
Both chicks are eating.

There is also a 3rd white object in the nest. Maybe it is an egg?

16.14 Female flies away and chicks are alone!

16.20 She returns with some dry nest material.
16.22 Mother covers the chicks.

[Madli]

17.43 FEEDING
Both chicks are eating.
I think that I also hear egg talk. 5th egg is still to hatch...

17.47 Again after feeding female flies away

Where is our male again??

17.53 Female is back, she brought some dry moss.
17.57 Female away
18.00 She returns with more dry moss.
18.03 Female away
18.04 She brought a twig
She arranges some material
18.07 She covers the chicks

[marika.solo]

17.47 Again after feeding female flies away

very unusual behaviour in this age
what is going on there

[Madli]

17.47 Again after feeding female flies away

very unusual behaviour in this age
what is going on there

Again this is something new to learn. Every individual has an unique behavior and we never see two storks 1:1 the same. I believe this female is very strong and tries everything to manage without the male's presence. Although repairing the nest shouldn't be the priority at this point.
Our male really needs to return...

A thought: maybe she tries to give more warmth to the chicks by lining the nest with higher moss wall?

[marika.solo]

Thank you Madli for reporting and and your thoughts

... Every individual has an unique behavior and we never see two storks 1:1 the same. ... Our male really needs to return... A thought: maybe she tries to give more warmth to the chicks by lining the nest with higher moss wall?

unique individual:
yes, just like us humans - we all have something in common, we have in common something only with some people (according to various criteria), and something applies only to us

male needs to return:
of course (is he still defending/guarding his territory?)

moss:
most probably that can be the reason - but as you know, moss also contains important elements for health/they eat it and it has both disinfectant and cooling effects