Kaunas Forest

[marika.solo]

in PREPARATION
General info + main events

https://www.ornitostogos.lt/tiesiogine- ... ndru-lizdo
streaming started on 16.04 at 9h

Broadcast partner: „Transtira“
IMPORTANT: Copying and using video clips from the broadcasts for personal purposes without the consent of „Ornitostogos“ is PROHIBITED.

male arrived on Stork Day (Gandinės) = 25.03
female arrived immediately after Easter = 07.04 (?)
first egg - presumably: 13./14.04
second egg - night 15./16.04
third egg - night 17./18.04

[marika.solo]

Short history of previous seasons


The Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) is an inhabitant of large, mature forests and is listed in the Lithuanian Red Data Book. This particular pair nests in one of the forests near Kaunas. In the nest, which scientists discovered ten years ago, they used to raise up to four chicks every year.

However, over time, the discovered nest began to decay. Consequently, in 2023, the Lithuanian Ornithological Society and ornithologist Darius Musteikis, along with his team, installed an artificial nest to replace the old one. The storks approved of the home "renovation," and since then, they have gladly returned to it every spring.

[marika.solo]

Location & residents

This nesting site was discovered ten years ago in a forest in the outskirts of Kaunas by ornithologists from the Kaunas Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum while they were conducting monitoring work on white-tailed eagles. According to scientists, the storks have nested here throughout all those years, often raising as many as four chicks. Only last year was the brood slightly smaller, with two chicks. (marika.solo: 4 eggs, 4 chicks hatched, shortly after hatch maybe the male swallowed them/cronism).

marika.solo: The phenomenon of birds eating their own young or eggs is known as filial cannibalism or cronism (derived from the Greek myth of Cronus, who ate his children). While it seems counterintuitive to animal care, this behaviour is a known, albeit rare, survival strategy across several species.

However, over the long term, the nest began to decay. Consequently, in 2023, the Lithuanian Ornithological Society and ornithologist Darius Musteikis, along with his team, took action to repair it, installing an artificial platform in its place. The storks took a liking to the "renovation" of their home and have been returning to it happily every spring since then.

[marika.solo]

next day 17.04 viewtopic.php?p=55872#p55872

April 16
Hello everyone

EGGS
night 13./14.04 - XY days after female arrival
night 15./16.04

female is ringed

16.04.2026 https://www.facebook.com/reel/786968144263768
pic from the reel



Our fourth broadcast comes from a black stork nest—home to one of the most mysterious birds in the Lithuanian forests. You may remember that last year we observed a pair whose nesting season was unsuccessful; all three (marika.solo: 2) of the growing chicks were taken from the nest, one by one, by white-tailed eagles. This year, we have chosen a different stork pair follow.

This nesting site was discovered ten years ago in a forest near Kaunas by ornithologists from the Kaunas Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum while they were conducting monitoring work on white-tailed eagles. According to scientists, the storks have nested here throughout all those years, often raising as many as four chicks. Only last year was the brood slightly smaller, with two chicks. (marika.solo: 4 eggs, 4 chicks hatched, shortly after hatch maybe the male swallowed them/cronism).

marika.solo: The phenomenon of birds eating their own young or eggs is known as filial cannibalism or cronism (derived from the Greek myth of Cronus, who ate his children). While it seems counterintuitive to animal care, this behaviour is a known, albeit rare, survival strategy across several species.

However, over the long term, the nest began to decay. Consequently, in 2023, the Lithuanian Ornithological Society and ornithologist Darius Musteikis, along with his team, took action to repair it, installing an artificial platform in its place. The storks took a liking to the "renovation" of their home and have been returning to it happily every spring since then.

This year, the first stork of the new pair appeared at the nest on Stork Day (Gandinės), the second returned immediately after Easter, and the parents are already diligently tending to two eggs. It appears the female laid the second egg last night or in the early hours of the morning.

-----
Stork Day (Gandinės) = 25.03
immediately after Easter = 07.04 (?)
first egg - presumably: 13./14.04
second egg - night 15./16.04

? 26.03.2026

https://www.ornitostogos.lt/

[marika.solo]

I scrolled back (it is not easy) and the 2nd egg is already here on 15.04
(Perhaps earlier )


female out (ring)

[marika.solo]

previous day 16.04 viewtopic.php?p=55823#p55823
next day 18.04 viewtopic.php?p=55921#p55921

April 17
Hello everyone

EGGS
night 13./14.04 - XY days after female arrival
night 15./16.04

female is ringed

female


greeting - mating - female out

[marika.solo]

someone very unwanted is flying near/around the nest - very intensive defending behaviour (male arrived to the nest)

[marika.solo]

previous day 17.04 viewtopic.php?p=55872#p55872
next day 19.04 viewtopic.php?p=55967#p55967

April 18
Hello everyone

EGGS
night 13./14.04 - XY days after female arrival
night 15./16.04
night 17./18.04

female is ringed

[marika.solo]

[marika.solo]

previous day 18.04 viewtopic.php?p=55921#p55921
next day 20.04 viewtopic.php?p=56058#p56058

April 19
Hello everyone

EGGS
I received information about right egg laying dates:
1st egg night 12./13. - 2nd egg 13./15 - 3rd egg 16./17. - 4th egg 18./19.