Estonian Eagle Owl Nest 2022, 2023, 2024

[Askja]

22:35 Hahaha, this was funny!

Towards the end of feeding, #2 decided he could manage the rest alone and pulled on the prey.


Hanna held on tight with one claw, and #1 looked very interested from behind.


In the end, all participants pulled in different directions, the roof post being a sturdy hindrance in the middle!


#1 was the winner and took the prey away. The roof post got nicely bloodied in the process, if you see that tomorrow and wonder - nobody has been murdered here

22:36 Hanna flies away. After she left there is still much haggling over the prey, #3, as cheeky as ever, tries to steal it several times.
22:53 Night view comes on.

[Askja]

01.06.2023

00:28 Again not much has happened in the last one and a half hour. #1 had finished eating his prey and the owlets have settled for a rest. All are flat and sleeping now.
01:45 Wow! Hanna brings a huge prey! She just manages to land it on the nest, but seems to be very exhausted, she cannot drag it to the pantry. What is it? Must be a large water bird! Maybe it is better to recognise in daylight. Hanna takes a minute to catch her breath, then begins to pluck the bird and feed the two younger owlets.

01:45

01:45

01:46

[Askja]

01:52 Feeding is finished. Finally, Hanna does haul the heavy bird to the pantry but with great difficulties and the help of her wings.

01:52

01:53


01:53 Hanna flies away. The older owlets have a look and a peck at the large prey but are probably somewhat disheartened by its size. Then they settle down for another time of resting.
02:22 Hanna comes in with another prey of a more convenient size. She puts it in the corner and flies away again.
03:00 The owlets are doing nothing in particular but there is a lot to watch in the forest. It is already getting bright and the birds of the forest begin to sing.

Good night!
03:06

[Liz01]

Good Morning Askja, thanks a lot for great reporting and pictures. I have to read back


3:11 #3 is doing wing exercises
the others are busy with a prey. Tail feathers are growing nicely on #1
5:20 all are sleeping

5:59 Crows are calling


6:03 after a break Hanna is on the nest
she starts feeding the owlet. big bird- white belly with black and white wing feathers

[Liz01]

She is feeding the owlets. Feeding takes more than 30 minutes. She is feeding the whole Trio. that was a great feeding
6:26


6:27 fresh meat


6:31

[Liz01]

6:38


6:39


6:39 feeding is over. she put the rest in her pantry

[Liz01]

Feeding video




8:42 camera went off
8:54 the stream is back
most of time they are resting in the corner

[Liz01]

10:38 sleeping oowlets


11:12 beaking


11:15 ...the stream is working pretty unstable.
12:59 one is looking up


13:14 owlets are sleeping

[Liz01]

15:10 it looks like the oldest is preening #3


that is a preening


that's super cute

[Liz01]

preening is over EDIT: just a break . sibling continues preening


I will do a video. that's too cute

[Liz01]

15:41 Hanna came home


she takes the prey and starts feeding the owlets

[Liz01]

15:46 she takes another prey from her pantry
now she's feeding #1 & #2

15:48 #3 is hungry again - beautiful WE by the oldest? Then it takes a bunch feathers and #3 rushed to the sibling and is begging
15:50 Spaghetti for the youngest




15:58 feeding is over


15:59 Hanna flies to the left

[Liz01]

16:58 resting


17:15 two are awake


17:51 Owlet is bysy with a part of prey

[Liz01]

18:00 a owlet swallows a part of prey
18:09 it still swallows that part of wing
18:12 all are busy with eating leftovers
18:12 a crow is calling nearby.

[Askja]

Good evening All; and many thanks, Liz!

18:32/33 that horrible growling noise again... strange how it always happens at roughly the same time of day in the same manner: the animal appears to be running and growling; the noise approaches and then diminishes fast in the distance.

Also unknown to me: at night, an animal in the forest is making an evenly rhythmic rasping noise, going on for hours. I'm sure I have heard that sound near rivers and lakes at home but never knew what it was. Liz... I'm sure you know who that is? (I'll put a timestamp here if I hear it again tonight). Edit: heard it, but too far away and not loud enough tonight, for example at 02:31:10.

Btw., I have been searching the internet to find the bird Hanna had brought last night. My best guess would be a common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula, Schellente)


18:33 #1 is still eating from the black and white bird, the other two are sitting quietly.
19:00 All three owlets are all sitting, resting and dozing.

The stream is very bad again!

20:00 all is quiet in the nest, one is flat out sleeping, the two others are deeply in thought about important owl matters.
20:34 #1 starts eating again from the b/w bird.
21:20 #1 has finished eating. Occasionally, #3 has been nibbling at the prey too.

[Askja]

21:30 #1 is eating again .

21:32 What's the idea? Do you want to swallow the whole remainder of that bird at once?

[Askja]

22:28 our owlets are terrified: a WTE is calling very near! It doesn't take long and Hanna is seen flying over to the right. You can hear her scolding loudly.
22:31 the WTE and Hanna are still in a heated discussion. But the offender's voice seems slightly farther away now.
22;35 Hanna arrives at the nest, sits on the upper big branch.

22:28 Owlets are terrified


22:29 Hanna comes to the rescue


22:36 Hanna comes into the nest box and begins feeding #3.
22:46 Feeding is finished. A minute later Hanna flies away.
22:48 #1 is eating from a black-feathered prey.
22:57 Night view comes on.

23:30 the owlets are resting.

[Askja]

02.06.2023

00:00 the owlets are still in resting mode.
00:37 Hanna brought a prey, a streaky coloured medium-sized bird. I think it was #2 who pulled it into the nest.
00:39 Hanna comes into the nest box, takes the prey, and starts feeding #3. I can hear beak clacking from the others.

00:43 Feeding in progress. Hanna raises her head almost to the ceiling and #3 has to stretch himself really hard to reach up. Why is she doing this? To avoid the snapping beak of the owlet?


00:45 #1? has taken over the remainder of the prey and is eating from it. A moment later Hanna flies away.

00:58/59 #1 is preening the others again, soo sweet! Could that be a sign that it is a female? Perhaps not - barn owl couples do preen each other, and with eagle owls we just did not have much opportunities to watch the couples together.
To drive the unscientific remarks a little bit further: I admit that I have thought for some time now that #1 and #3 are females, due to their determined behaviour, and #2 a male.
It's too bad that the stream is so jumpy that you cannot watch things even for a minute.

01:15 Hanna brings another large prey, a furry looking black one. She had brought such a one before, I think.


01:16 Hanna has taken the heavy prey to the back panel and leaves immediately.

I have an idea what this prey could be... a raccoon-dog pup? They are dark brown to black! That might also explain the upset behaviour of these animals in the forest (running and howling)!

[Askja]

01:25 the owlets are sleeping.
02:07 two owlets have woken up and watch something very interesting to the right.
02:40 all owlets are awake now and peer to the right. What might they be seeing?
02:57 the owlets have been sitting long enough. Now there is a general getting up and stretching wings.

02:59 #1? walks over to the black furry prey and has a go at it. #3 (in the foreground) looks expectantly - with tilted head - if there might be an occasion for him to steal something


03:00 I think it was #2 who had tried his luck with the furry prey, but soon gave up. #1 has found another piece of prey and is eating from that.

02:59 Ah, no, I was completely wrong - the black prey is not furry because it has bird's feet! I'm sorry! But it was so large and heavy - a raven then?


So I better go
03:06

[Liz01]

Good Morning Askja, thank you so much

3:39 nothing happens. Owlets are looking to us. Little one is hissing


3:44 #2? is eating

4:43 the camera switched in daylight mode. There was no parent on the nest till then


5:10 all are resting, sleeping