ESTONIA Pärnu county (Kergu + Kerli)

[marika.solo]

June 17
Hello everyone

[marika.solo]

June 19
Hello everyone

youtube chat

2:30 PM Happy Rentner​​
14:16 ist zu sehen, wie voll der Kropf ist. Küken sind bestens mit Futter versorgt.

6:14 PM Marta Gołębiewska​​
I feel sorry for these chicks, they are alone all the time, they don't feed much and there is a strong wind and rain forecast for tonight
6:22 PM Hulbi Lorm
​​I really don't know where the idea comes from that these chicks don't get much food. There have been a few weather-related interruptions, but all in all they have been fed well, and it shows.
6:23 PM Võsavillu
​​Yes, it is not that bad at all. Stork parents do not babysit constantly, and feeding frequency is also OK.
6:26 PM Võsavillu​​
I have been watching black storks since Karl I of Karula was active, and based on that I would say Kergu and Kerli and their chicks are doing fine.
6:30 PM Võsavillu​​T
The weather could be better but well... it is not particularly unusual either.
6:31 PM Hulbi Lorm​​
The weather is always an issue. Other times it's too hot and dry, and we worry because they are thirsty and food is scarce.

10:36 PM Happy Rentner
​​Gut genährte Jungvögel wärmen sich selber durch ihren Stoffwechsel. Eltern fällt es schwer zu fliegen, wenn ihre Federn zu nass sind.

8:00 PM Hulbi Lorm​​
All chicks get something, but the portions are rather small.
8:01 PM Hulbi Lorm​​
All in all, not a bad day food-wise under these conditions.

[marika.solo]

the weather is really lousy - rain and wind is expected until tomorrow morning

[marika.solo]

FEEDINGs 17.06.2025
4x: 1x Kergu + 3x Kerli

13.33 Kerli
14.14 Kergu
16.48 Kerli
21.33 Kerli

FEEDINGs 18.06.2025
6x: 3x Kergu + 3x Kerli

08.57 Kergu
09.52 Kerli
15.00 Kerli
15.37 Kergu
19.05 Kerli
19.45 Kergu

FEEDINGs 19.06.2025
6x : 4x Kergu + 2x Kerli

10.00 Kergu
14.16 Kergu
15.01 Kerli
17.58 Kergu
19.54 Kergu
20.59 Kerli

[marika.solo]

June 20
Hello everyone

5:35 AM liznm
​​The chicks already have water-repellent feathers beneath their down. It always looks worse than it is!

9:48 AM Võsavillu
​​I really do not understand the gloom and doom mood in this chat. Everything is fine, they are wild animals and have their own ways. They do not need a kindergarten.
9:49 AM Sigita T
​​Kerli was photographed on basket, but i guess is not visiting it or Its emptied by other birds. We cannot push her to visit basket
9:50 AM Võsavillu​​
right, and the chicks are not starving anyway

10:26 AM Happy Rentner
​​Es ist nicht zu verantworten, das natürliche Verbreitungsgebiet durch Nisthilfen und Futterstellen auszuweiten.
(It is not responsible to expand the natural distribution area with providing nesting aids and feeding sites.)

[marika.solo]

to youtube discussion

"Solitude at periphery: lack of partners limits reproduction of the Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) at the margin of the distribution range"

"Have recent changes in forest structure reduced the Estonian black stork Ciconia nigra population?"

"The main proximate causes for decreasing black stork numbers in Estonia are probably low breeding success and high mortality of juveniles and adult females. The main ultimate cause is probably lack of food, owing to forest drainage, which is resulting in low condition of storks."
source: Väli Ü., Nellis R., Kaldma K., Vainu O. and Sellis U. (2021). The abundance, reproductive success and apparent survival of the Estonian black stork population in 1991–2020. Hirundo 34, 20–39.

[marika.solo]

FEEDINGs 20.06.2025
4x : 2x Kergu + 2x Kerli

10:27 Kergu
13:14 Kerli
15:37 Kergu
18:52 Kerli

[marika.solo]

July 21
Hello everyone

- from 10.47 someone is around the nest - chicks are nodding, begging (feeding by Kergu at 10.25)

BS (without ring) is visible e.g. here:



and fly-by


- at 11.41 stranger BS flew away most probably

[marika.solo]

Kergu arrived and feeding

[marika.solo]

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I saw both feedings, it seems to me that one of the older storklets (Nr. 2 ?) skillfully picked up large fish - the siblings had something, but not much, they were still collecting some leftover food for a long time