Karula National Park (Karl II and Kaia)

[Madli]

06.04 Chicks are waiting at the table, they are biting eachother's little bills.
It seems that Karl doesn't want to regurgitate until all of them are in good position. #3 was behind /between the older ones at first, but then one of the siblings moved and #3 is now in front!

06.07 FEEDING (1) Karl regurgitates a small and soft piece of food. Everyone gets a small breakfast.


06.38 The chicks are chirping and Karl guides them to the table. All three are waiting in a row, but Karl decides not to feed this time.

06.47 Kaia arrives!
Karl's nest duty was 10 h 39 min.

[Madli]

06.49 FEEDING (2) Kaia serves a lot of small fish. At first she lets out just a few pieces so that everyone can get only one fish..then #3 moves away from the table, to the back. Then Kaia releases a big pile of fish, when #3 is far away...but smart little #3 crawls back and gets some nice fish for breakfast. All eat.




Kaia spreads some moss and covers the chicks.

[Madli]

3 little cuties


08.17 Kaia preening herself while the little ones are asleep.


08.53 FEEDING (3) Lots of small fish again- all eat! #3 is in the middle and gets good bites.

[Madli]

09.07 Karl comes home. Kaia doesn't stand up immediately. She whistles something to Karl. A meaningful conversation
Karl preens himself and sneezes a few times. Kaia is still covering the chicks- she is not giving her spot away that easily!


09.13 Kaia stands up, takes care of the chicks- preens them, and covers the chicks again. Karl is still waiting.
09.16 Karl flies away.

Karl brings fresh material:
09.20 Moss / dry grass
09.21 Kaia stands up, she gives Karl a nice greeting and they both work with the nest.


Kaia takes care of the chicks and Karl leaves to fetch more material.

[Madli]

09.24 Karl brings more moss and puts it as a blanket on the chicks




09.29 More moss from Karl.

09.30 Karl stops and stares at Kaia, in a very funny way, he pokes her gently.
I think he's asking for an exchange and offering Kaia a break

[Madli]

A gentle head massage for Kaia- she likes it this time

(the white think on Kaia's eye is a small feather stuck in the eye..)

09.32 Kaia stands, but she's not ready to leave yet. She walks around the nest.
09.33 Kaia leaves.
Kaia's nest duty was 2 h 46 min.

Karl covers the chicks.

09.35 The sound of wing beating goes past the nest- it's Kaia.

[Madli]

09.35 Kaia brings moss!
09.39 More moss from Kaia.

Kaia arranges twigs.


Let me help you with that, dear..


No! Don't touch!


A long preening break in the nest.


09.53 Kaia leaves.

[Madli]

10.14 Karl stands and greets the chicks with a gentle touch of his bill. Chicks greet him back

10.16 FEEDING (4) Karl regurgitates two large weatherfish. All chicks are in line to take bites, but the fish are not soft. Only one of the older siblings manages to swallow a whole fish.

[Madli]

10.44 Karl is up again and the chicks are twittering. Except for the one who ate the last time.
10.45 Karl regurgitates 1 fish. But neither of the two hungry chicks eat it. Karl takes it back.

Now the chicks are all lined up on the other side of the nest..Karl tries again.
10.47 Karl regurgitates the fish again, one of the older ones grabs it by the tail, but isn't able to swallow it. No feeding this time.




Karl takes care of the nest and the chicks and covers them.

[Madli]

11.29 FEEDING (5) Karl serves the same fish as before, after a few minutes of biting and battleing with it, the bigger chick manages to swallow it. Nothing for #3- this food is too big and not soft enough yet.


Two older siblings have both eaten a big fish today. #3 last ate in the morning, and not too much...

11.59 Someone is chirping under Karl.
12.01 Karl stands up, all three heads are high up


#3 goes to the edge..he is begging. The others are relaxed and sleeping. No feeding this time. Karl covers the chicks.