Pärnu county (Kergu + Kerli) / Must-toonekurg 3

[marika.solo]

Kerli spent the night on the nest tree



chicks is twittering the whole time (as always)



07:38:45 Kerli off

[marika.solo]

11:30 feeding by Kergu

11:30:01 the begging display begins
11:30:08 Kergu arrival
feeding - a good portion of fish (bigger, smaller)
11:30:55 Kergu departure

[marika.solo]

[marika.solo]

21.36 Кerli feeds her chick (one fish she ate back)

after feeding to the lookout, at 21:39:32 to another branch (to the left, up)
and our little one is twittering and twittering

[marika.solo]

"Kerli's GPS transmitter is currently at 0% and it is unknown whether it will be able to charge again. So we may no longer receive information about Kerli's movements. Maybe we will find out when he starts migrating from the webcam."

[marika.solo]

[marika.solo]

previous day (22.07) viewtopic.php?p=62437#p62437
next day (24.07) viewtopic.php?p=62534#p62534

July 23
Hello everyone

CHICKS
- 1st chick: 39 days old (hatched on 14.06)

EGGS
unhatched (laid on 13.05 at 22:22 and 16.05 at 02:05)

Stork chicks grow exponentially. 90 days in the nest is like 18-21 years for humans. This means that 1 day in the nest is like almost 3 months for a human child. That is why their transformation is so amazing and fast.

-----
Info on the late nesting:
- viewtopic.php?p=57312#p57312
- viewtopic.php?p=57325#p57325
- viewtopic.php?p=57342#p57342

[marika.solo]

youtube chat info - thx to everyone
YouTube comments do not reflect all nest events throughout the day, including chick feedings; therefore, the log is unfortunately incomplete.

Nest Activity Log 22/07/2026 (in the evening - whole day)
Log compiled from chat observations and structured with the assistance of Gemini AI.

Events Timeline

05:40 – 06:29 — The female parent remains at the nest with the vocalising chick before departing to forage.

06:29 – 12:48 — The chick remains alone in the nest, preening its feathers and resting.

12:48 — Feeding (Male): The male parent (Kergu) arrives at the nest and delivers a small portion of food to the chick.
12:49 — The male parent departs.

12:49 – 20:22 — The chick remains alone in the nest, resting and waiting for further feedings.

20:22 – 20:26 — The chick actively exercises its wings in the nest basin.
20:26 – Evening — The chick remains alone at the nest for the rest of the evening, resting and preening in the absence of the adult female.

Discussion

Single Chick Development & Parental Presence:
At 39 days old, black stork chicks no longer require continuous brooding or nest guarding by adult parents during the day. However, single late-hatched chicks face a narrower window for fledging before the autumn migration begins.

Telemetry & Battery Status:
The female parent's (Kerli) solar-powered GPS transmitter battery dropped to 0%, likely due to dense forest canopy cover or technical failure, temporarily suspending real-time tracking data. viewtopic.php?p=62470#p62470

Conservation Management & Human Intervention:
Discussions among viewers regarding artificial supplemental feeding (e.g. via drones or nest climbing) do not reflect professional conservation protocols. Unregulated human intervention or uncrewed aerial vehicles at black stork nests cause extreme stress and panic, posing severe hazards to the chick.
Btw. Experts from Kotkaklubi closely monitor late-hatched chicks and evaluate the suitability and feasibility of interventions.

Cross-Camera Observations:
Reports from Karula (Camera 1) noted an adult stork wearing a single leg ring and transmitter visiting the area, prompting notification of ornithologists to verify the bird's identity. viewtopic.php?p=62502#p62502

[marika.solo]

06:29 Kerli off

[marika.solo]

12:48:58 Kergu arrives, food delivery