Tajo Internacional (Natalio/M and Zica/F)

[marika.solo]

Cigüeñas Negras en Tajo Internacional

Documenting the life on the streamed black stork nest of male NATALIO + female ZICA in Tajo Internacional.

The nest is streamed live on YouTube:

NEW link 10.3.2026

If disturbances in the stream happen, then the broadcast is restarted, working on a new link. You can always look up the new link from the Tajo channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tajointernacional4635/streams

SEASON 2026

streaming started
- 27.02.2026 at 08:14

ARRIVALS
- 27.02 - two storks present on the nest

EGGS - laying

- FIRST EGG
- SECOND EGG
- THIRD EGG
- FOURTH EGG

CHICKS - hatching

- FIRST CHICK
- SECOND CHICK

RINGING

NAMING

FLEDGING

LEAVING THE NEST

OTHER MAJOR EVENTS


-----
VIDEOS: viewtopic.php?p=53680#p53680

[marika.solo]

.
Cigüeña Negra - Black Storks in Spain: viewtopic.php?f=126&t=223

HISTORY

season 2025 viewtopic.php?f=161&t=283
- 4 eggs (1st: 27.03), 1 chick hatched (29.04/33d), named Tajeto, fledged

season 2024 viewtopic.php?f=126&t=210
- 4 eggs (1st: 17.03), 3 chick hatched (1st: 18.04/32d), 1 perished (probably the middle storklet - 14 days old, unknown reason)
- 2 storklet fledged (attacked by one strange or the male on 27.06)
first and last info :

youtube chat info
2:38 PM Tajo Internacional​​
Hola a todos, hemos podido comprobar por otra cámara (sin streaming) que ninguno de los pollos cayó al agua esta mañana.
volaron hasta una repisa cercana y allí estuvieron unos minutos hasta que salieron del plano.

Hello everyone, we have been able to verify through another camera (without streaming) that none of the chickens fell into the water this morning.
they flew to a nearby ledge and stayed there for a few minutes until they left the plane.

- the first streaming started in season 2019 (presumably)
- 4 eggs (4.04+6.04+8.04+10.04); 3 chick hatched (...) and fledged
(more videos of this season on the youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@tajointernacional4635)

[marika.solo]

.
LOCATION
La Cantera del Cabezo - Alcántara

Origin: This artificial lake was created in the 1960s when a quarry was flooded. Stone from the quarry had been used to build the nearby Alcántara dam. (or "Embalse de José María Oriol")
Use: Today it serves as a popular swimming spot with crystal‑clear spring water reaching depths of up to 40 meters.
Nature: The rocky cliffs surrounding the lake are nesting grounds for protected bird species such as black storks, vultures, and Egyptian vultures.

https://biosferatajotejointernacional.o ... alcantara/:

Alongside the visual landmark of the Roman Bridge and the old quarter of the town of Alcántara lies La Cantera del Cabezo, a beautiful lake fed by spring water that formed in the old quarry once used for extracting the aggregates needed to build the Alcántara dam. This natural spot, located next to the Alcántara reservoir, sits within the Public Utility Forest El Cabezo and is part of one of the main hiking routes of the International Tagus area: the Roman Bridge Route.

It is a bathing area in the summer months and an interesting birdwatching site throughout the year, as it is one of the best places in the International Tagus to observe black storks (Ciconia nigra), Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus), griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), and blue rock thrushes (Monticola solitarius). The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) also nests in the area, and it is easy to hear its call at dusk or see it flying at dawn.

This natural richness calls for respectful behaviour toward the environment, especially in spring, which coincides with the breeding season of the main bird species that nest on its steep cliffs.

REEL uploaded on 19.02.2026 https://www.facebook.com/reel/916126907540205


VIDEOS
https://youtu.be/OIKaex7HPCk?si=JXQGmsh1vtjQuZjR
or
https://youtu.be/MLpLLmUtVy4?si=FspOKcRnWgTA4qKE
or
https://www.canalextremadura.es/video/l ... -alcantara


source: https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hCrQ7ozF4JY/ ... 00/203.jpg

a lot of photos: https://www.miextremadura.com/noticias/ ... ntara.html

RESIDENTS

- male is named NATALIO and female is named ZICA



Zica has a less rounded head, and on the crown she has tiny feathers that stick out.
- Head shape — slightly less round than typical.
- Crown feathers — small feathers on top of the head that stand out, making her easier to recognise.

Natalio has, again this season, one loose feather visible on the right side (circled in the picture).
- A single loose feather on his right side (consistently visible last seasons.)





Zica y Natalio: el emblema del Tajo Internacional / Zica and Natalio: the emblem of the Tagus International


uploaded on Jun 5, 2020 by Tajo International (season 2019)

The Black Stork Recovery Plan (Ciconia nigra) is approved in Extremadura, the list of Natura 2000 Network Management Plans in Extremadura in which the black stork is collected aselement or interest and the black stork's range in Extremadura, which are listed in Annexes I, II and III, respectively, of the present order.(GT)
p.26 (http://www.juntaex.es/filescms/con03/up ... ro2018.pdf)

The NEST

Posted 2017, this season there is a new camera

http://roadrunnersmikelinda.blogspot.co ... ional.html

[Maria L]

February 27

by marika.solo:
https://www.facebook.com/OTAlcantara/po ... 97biBwDxQl:
"Un año más los cantiles rocosos de La Cantera dan la bienvenida a Zica y Natalio, pareja de cigüeñas negras que tienen su nido aquí. Puedes seguir en directo las 24 horas del día la emisión a través de youtube."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzSiYpEoDcI

translation (AI)
“The rocky cliffs of La Cantera have welcomed Zica and Natalio once again this year. Our beloved pair of black storks is back on their nest, and the 24/7 live stream on YouTube is already running for anyone who wants to follow their season.”

------

Witam Wszystkich,

08:14:05 Początek transmisji Natalio i Zica w gnieździe,
​08:17 odlatuje samica,

08:18:34 blisko gniazda przelatuje gęś gęgawa i reakcja Natalio,
08:20:56 ponowny przelot gęsi blisko gniazda,
08:25:13 przylot samicy Zici,
08:27:24 nieudana próba,
08:29:31 odlot Zici,

08:43:27 odlot Natalio,

08:48:17 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 08:53:43 odlot,
​08:55:23 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 08:59:44 odlot,
​09:01:18 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 09:06:15 odlot,
​09:20:08 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 10:04:06 odlot,
10:04:43 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 10:05:35 odlot,
​10:06:31 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 10:07:58 odlot,
​10:11:15 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 10:16:52 odlot,
10:18:52 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 10:23:40 odlot,

10:49:41 - 10:51:44 to mogła być Zica

​10:54:04 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 11:02:22 odlot,
​11:06:17 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 11:08:55 odlot,
11:12:45 przylot Natalio z materiałem - 11:15:51 odlot,

27.02.2026 Bociany czarne Natalio i Zica ponownie w gnieździe. Sezon 2026 rozpoczęty!!! Hiszpania.



13:23:54 przylot Zici

youtube chat:
4:08 PM@marialewandowska6751​ - ​16:07:38 odlot Zici

[marika.solo]

youtube chat:

3:56 PM@vida7969
​​@marialewandowska6751, en mi opinión el macho que hay en el nido no es Natalio, comparando la parte oscura del pico.
3:56 PM@vida7969
​​A ver si alguien más puede comprobarlo o decir si estoy confundida. Muchas gracias.

translation (AI)

"...in my opinion, the male at the nest isn't Natalio, comparing the dark part of the bill."
"Let's see if anyone else can check or tell me if I'm mistaken. Thanks a lot!"

Natalio 2025

[marika.solo]

Thx a lot
(as I wrote - viewtopic.php?p=53667#p53667 - today I was away to the late afternoon)

Maria,
it will be great if you will continuing in this thread.

[marika.solo]

MALE NATALIO





FEMALE ZICA

[marika.solo]

the nest today

[marika.solo]

- the male arrived to the nest (silent arrival)



it seems a large white feather on the stork’s back is coming loose

[marika.solo]

19.16.25 calling starts (fanned tail feathers)

waiting on the female


​​19:16:45 female ZICA is landing
greetings

19:22:46 unsuccessful mating attempt (female on the nest edge)

19:26:17 and next male is preparing the nest-bowl

19:35:27 next unsuccessful mating attempt (female on the nest edge)

- we see a lot of preening by the male