Golden Eagle Webcam Nest 2022

[juta]

Good new season 2022!

[Triin]

Livestream from the golden eagle nest: https://www.youtube.com/Kotkaklubi.

Introduction

The golden eagle nest camera is situated in a remote bog in Soomaa National Park (https://kaitsealad.ee/en/protected-area ... ional-park). This territory has been known since the second half of the 20th century, when the legendary Estonian naturalist Viktor Masing (1925-2001) found a golden eagle's nest there. During the last quarter of a century, the golden eagles have had at least four nests in this area. The nest seen in the camera has been used by eagles since 2011, and a total of four eaglets have fledged here - the most recent in 2020, when we first observed this nest with a nest camera. All four nestlings have been ringed here and one of them has been seen later. The eaglet from 2014 was found deceased in Poland in 2015.

View from the nest (Photo: Urmas Sellis)


The golden eagles start decorating the nest with fresh branches already in late winter. Usually, the eggs are laid in the second half of March, but it is not uncommon for the so-called non-nesting seasons, when the nest is decorated with fresh branches, but no eggs are laid. There are up to two eggs in the golden eagle brood and the chick(s) hatch in late April. In general, however, only one eaglet fledges, even if originally two hatched. The weaker chick usually dies because of food deprivation.

2020
Kalju and Helju

1st egg - March 11; 2nd egg - March 15.
1st chick hatched - April 21; 2nd chick hatched - Exact date unknown (between April 21-25).
Technical problems with the camera (only sound, no picture) from April 6 to May 29. Younger chick deceased during that time.
Older chick was ringed May 29 (right leg green ring SB230 and left leg black 401K). It fledged July 3

38 days old chick during the ringing (Photo: Gunnar Sein, May 29, 2022)


In 2020, the golden eagles nesting here were named Kalju and Helju. We don’t know the history of the male Kalju as he has no rings, but the female Helju has a metal ring on her left leg. In Estonia, the golden eagles have been ringed with two colour rings since 1997 - a green ring on the right leg and a ring with a colour combination marking the year of the eagle's birth on the left. Thus, we can assume that the ringed female came from Latvia. However, we do not know for sure, as the ring code has not been read so far. In 2020, Helju laid the first egg on March 11 and the second on March 15. The chicks hatched at the end of April. Only one eaglet fledged because, as it is often the case with the golden eagles, the younger chick perished in the first weeks of its life. The older chick, named Kelly, left the nest in the first days of July.

2021
Kalju and Helju

1st egg - March 21
No chick hatched as the female Helju broke the egg April 4.

In 2021, Helju laid her only egg on March 21, but no chick hatched, because on April 4 the female Helju broke the egg. We can only guess what caused such behaviour, but we suspect a food shortage as one possible reason (read more here https://www.kotkas.ee/uudised/kaljukotk ... kaeitumine). We hope that the breeding season in 2022 will be more successful - the eagles have already started decorating the nest.

2022
Kalju and Helju

1st egg - March 15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AfnIAJV9VU

[Triin]

Technical information

The nest camera was set up by Urmas Sellis and Gunnar Sein from Eagle Club Estonia and Omar Neiland (Beta Grupp OÜ) at the beginning of February. We use AXIS F41 camera with a custom-made microphone from Omar. The main body of the camera is below the nest on the tree trunk, but the lens and sensor are at the nest level. Therefore, the camera seems quite small when seen from the nest. Additionally, we tried to camouflage the camera as much as possible.

The camera lens as seen from the nest (Photo Urmas Sellis)


The camera is powered by solar panels, and to save energy, the camera turns off when it gets dark, and the batteries are weak. Live broadcast from the nest resumes at sunrise. We transmit the camera image via 4G mobile internet, so in case of intensive network use, there may be interruptions in the transmission.

The main system on the ground (Photo Urmas Sellis)


The camera is streamed through the Eagle Club Estonia’s YouTube channel. We recommend following Kotkaklubi channel in case the broadcast needs to be restarted due to technical errors, which may change the direct link of the broadcast. As the season progresses, Kotkaklubi channel will also feature all other nesting cameras of Estonian eagles and black storks, as well as a capercaillie camera.

The preparation and recording of the camera signal for streaming takes place with the support of Estonian Fund for Nature. Events in the nest are documented by the viewers in Looduskalender forum. The use of the stream from the nest for non-commercial purposes is not prohibited, but please let us know if possible (send a message to urmas(ät)kotkas.ee). Contributors are welcomed with each camera, as some components need to be replaced every year and we do not have any project support for hardware costs. Environmental Investment Centre supports the installation, removal and maintenance of cameras.

Golden eagle nest camera team and supporters:

Eagle Club Estonia – nest related actions, camera installation and information
Beta-Grupp OÜ – camera testing and setup, microphone construction, technical support
Looduskalender – forum on the Web
Estonian Fund for Nature – server support
Akukeskus Tartus – battery assistance
Environmental Investment Centre – financial support
Several private donors – to cover unexpected and expected hardware costs

Thousands of viewers – the most important, because otherwise the cameras would not make much sense!

[Triin]

reserved

[Liz01]

February 13


Good Morning Golden Eagle lovers

Juta, Triin thanks a lot for the new thread
I just copied everything in here. So this year we all have one thread.

Helju is in the nest!
or is it Kalju?


10:51 off she goes
10:54 she brings a branch

[Liz01]

yawning


she looks great!

[Liz01]

11:19 stands up and moved a branch


11:20 went on the curved branch ..now her tail feathers looks adult


11:23 she/he flew off


I have to take a closer look on the eagle... could be Kalju

[Liz01]

11:25 back with a huge spruce branch. That is Helju




11:28 after working with that huge branch, she is digging in the nest bowl

[Liz01]

11:30 she went on the curved branch


11:30:58 she is calling

11:33 and off again

[Liz01]

09:02
The ring on the left leg was visible at 09:05:20

[Liz01]

11:35 Mating call?
11:38 back with a twig


she is working with it


testing the nest


Triin, thank you!

[Liz01]

11:42 after testing the nest, she went on the curved branch




11:48 off she goes again

[Liz01]

10:48 Helju leaves the nest



11:15 - 11:35
Helju brings a huge branch - Mating call outside ?

[Liz01]

February 14

Good Morning

7:27 the camera is working

8:50 Helju came in with a branch




she is calling

[Liz01]

8:51 Helju is working in the nest bowl




8:51 Kalju landed on the curved branch with a twig in his beak

[Liz01]

8:53 he came down into the nest


Helju jumps on the curved branch

[Liz01]

8:56 Kalju is standing in the nest. Helju is on the curved branch


Kalju looks to the left




8:58 a bird is calling all time...

[Liz01]

9:07 Kalju flew on the left branch


9:09 he flew away


9:13 he brings in a huge spruce twig

[Liz01]

the branch


9:15 Kalju is working in the nest bowl

9:16 flew on the left branch




9:19 off he goes

[Liz01]

9:22 back with a twig






he is working on the left ,, hidden by the branch
preening he looks great!

9:28 he jumps on the front branch