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

[marika.solo]

In the evening, I will upload the photos using a new photohoster (image hosting site). Postimage still doesn't seem to work reliably; the images I uploaded this morning, which were visible earlier today, have gradually disappeared again.

[marika.solo]

chick is enough soaked after the storm

[marika.solo]

Kergu arrives



2 portion of food (it seems the same menu like before)

[marika.solo]

Kergu to the lookout ...



...and away

[marika.solo]

and the rain is here again, very strong (storm) around 19:30

During the worst minutes of the storm, the storklet was cheeping, calling for his parents. Later, he went silent and just sat there, miserably enduring the rain.

[marika.solo]

20:19 good PS
20:40 playing with one leaf
​​20:42 wing flapping—everything will dry out

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[marika.solo]

https://www.ilmateenistus.ee/ilm/progno ... d/?lang=en
already not warning level 2, but "only" 1 to 23:00

[marika.solo]

previous day (11.07) viewtopic.php?p=61454#p61454
next day (13.07)

July 12
Hello everyone

CHICKS
- 1st chick: 28 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.

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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
English translation only from now on – assisted by Gemini

YouTube comments do not reflect all nest events throughout the day, including chick feedings; therefore, the log is unfortunately incomplete.

Nest Activity Log 12/07/2026

09:42 – The chick egests a pellet.
10:04 – The chick stands up on its feet.

11:30 – The adult female Kerli arrives and regurgitates food; the chick rapidly snatches a frog directly from her bill at 11:30:28.
12:08 – The adult female Kerli provides additional small food items for the chick.
12:13:53 – The adult female Kerli moves onto a nearby branch, remaining on watch.
12:18 – The adult male Kergu arrives at the nest with a large quantity of food and drops it for the chick; the adult female Kerli departs from her branch at the same time.

12:21 – The adult male Kergu flies away.

13:00:00 – The chick stands up and remains steady on its legs.
15:15 – The chick rests, lying down flat on the nest floor.
16:45 – The chick exhibits temporary toe-curling behavior while standing.

16:55 – The adult male Kergu arrives and drops a large dinner consisting of numerous small prey items.
16:57:25 – The adult male Kergu departs the nest, flying out in an unusual direction.

17:31:36 – A butterfly lands on the nest; the chick makes an unsuccessful attempt to peck at it at 17:40:42 before the insect flies away.
17:38:58 – The chick directs slices over the nest edge.

Weather and Environment

Morning – Clear, sunny, and calm morning, contrary to severe storm warnings in the forecast.
Afternoon – High temperatures recorded at the nest area reaching +27°C (with a perceived heat index up to +30°C in direct sunlight), later moderated by a cooling wind and partial shade from the surrounding canopy.

Discussions

Anatomical Development: Viewers discussed the chick's temporary toe-curling behaviour ("playing piano" with its toes). It was clarified that this is a benign condition typical during intense growth spurts, occurring when bone development temporarily outpaces tendon elongation. It was also noted that the chick's oesophagus is highly flexible, allowing it to swallow large portions easily during this peak growth period.

Nutritional Content: A discussion arose regarding the parent storks bringing mostly frogs instead of fish. Experienced observers noted that frogs are an excellent, high-protein food source for a single chick, taking longer to digest and keeping the chick satisfied. With three successful feedings from both parents today, the chick shows no signs of malnutrition.

Parental Behaviour & Solitary Nature: It was noted that Kergu and Kerli did not engage in vocalisations or courtship displays when they crossed paths at 12:18. This is normal at this nesting stage, as parental focus shifts entirely to food delivery. Viewers expressed concern about the single chick being lonely, but it was explained that Black Storks are inherently solitary birds, meaning the lack of siblings does not negatively affect its psychological well-being.

Interspecies Comparison (Adoption): Chat members discussed the ongoing adoption experiment in Nest 4 (where a "Bonus" chick was introduced). It was noted that while White Storks some-times try to eject foreign chicks from their nests, documented cases of Black Storks accepting adopted chicks have gone smoothly, though individual responses vary due to distinct avian personalities.

Explanations provided by me (Marika.Solo).

[marika.solo]