Karula National Park 2/ Must toonekurg 4

[marika.solo]

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June 12
Hello everyone

CHICK ()
- 1st chick: 21 days old (hatched in the night 21./22.05)
- 2nd chick: 21 days old (hatched in the night 21./22.05)
- 3rd chick: 20 days old (hatched on 23. 05)
- 4th: on 24. 05; brood reduction by female on 28.05 - 4 days old

[marika.solo]

youtube chat info - big thx again and again to @СветланаКлюева-н6у
English translation only from now on – assisted by Gemini

only this till now

5:46 AM@СветланаКлюева-н6у​​
12.06.2026 *Птенцы провели одни первую ночь на гнезде.
3.37.36 переключение камеры на дневное видение.

5.23.22 Прилетел самец. Кормление, несколько рыбок и немного мелочи.

M@nadiezdabutkiene
​​14.01 кормление

[marika.solo]

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June 16
Hello everyone

CHICK ()
- 1st chick: 25 days old (hatched in the night 21./22.05)
- 2nd chick: 25 days old (hatched in the night 21./22.05)
- 3rd chick: 24 days old (hatched on 23. 05)
- 4th: on 24. 05; brood reduction by female on 28.05 - 4 days old

[marika.solo]

@anukolar2776
04:54 – Breakfast: A delivery of a large number of small fish.
3:57 AM@Mary-hl9fk​​
- The chicks are very vocal (chatty).

[marika.solo]

[marika.solo]

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June 17
Hello everyone

CHICK ()
- 1st chick: 26 days old (hatched in the night 21./22.05)
- 2nd chick: 26 days old (hatched in the night 21./22.05)
- 3rd chick: 25 days old (hatched on 23. 05)
- 4th: on 24. 05; brood reduction by female on 28.05 - 4 days old

[marika.solo]

youtube chat info - big thx again and again to @СветланаКлюева-н6у
English translation only from now on – assisted by Gemini

07:04 The male stork arrived.
07:04 Feeding 1: Stork brought fish.
07:05 The male stork flew away.

07:21 The male stork arrived.
07:21 Feeding 2: Stork brought fish.
07:22 The male stork flew away.

08:21 The male stork arrived.
08:25 Feeding 3: Stork brought small fish.
08:26 The male stork flew away.

09:42 There is thunder.

continuation:
09:42 Thunder is rumbling.
13:00 - 15:23 The camera is frozen. The chicks are sitting there wet, it is raining.

17:12:33 Male arrives with grass. The male is biting all the chicks on their heads. Then he feeds them. Fish.
He is squeezing chick No. 2's head with his bill again.
17:13:56 The male departed.

17:23:04 The female arrived. Feeding, fish.
17:23:34 The female departed.

19:19:47 The female arrived. Feeding, 3 long fish. She took one back for herself.
19:20:06 The female departed. The chicks are chattering and nodding for a long time. Is there a parent nearby?

FISH BASKET for this nest - info, photo: viewtopic.php?p=58709#p58709

[marika.solo]

who unwanted is there?

[marika.solo]

17:12:33 Male arrives with grass. The male is biting all the chicks on their heads. Then he feeds them. Fish.
He is squeezing chick No. 2's head with his bill again. 17:13:56 The male departed




Early stages of targeted brood reduction

Unfortunately, experienced viewers know that this pattern often signals the beginning of chronic brood reduction, which we have already witnessed across several nests this season. Even though the chicks are already 25–26 days old and the male did feed them afterwards, attacks right before or after feeding are a known behavioural pattern. Under the stress of poor weather and depleted fish stocks, the adult calculates the nest's energy demands.
At this advanced age, parents rarely eliminate a chick radically or instantly; instead, they display gradual aggression—pinching, squeezing the head, and weakening the chick over several days—before final elimination. We need to watch closely to see if chick No. 2 remains the sole target of this behaviour.

Fingers crossed!