Estonian White-tailed Sea Eagle Nest Camera 2023

[Susanne]

Mar 08

Good morning Matsalu! Lund sajab. It's snowing.

[Susanne]

10:06 ff.: Some faint eagle voices and raven calls.

[Susanne]

15:58:26 ff.: A flock of buzzing birds (same as yesterday, I think) appears, circles over the meadow (in the space seen between left and middle branches) and then vanishes below the tree.

[sigge]

They are calling a lot and it's siskins

[Susanne]

They are calling a lot and it's siskins

Thank you Sigge!
17:14 ff.: The Tits' Evensong begins

[Susanne]

Mar 09

Good morning Matsalu,good morning everyone!

The nest is untouched, the weather is gorgeous today: sunshine! This should rather be very inviting for an inspection of the territory, what do you think, eagles?

[Susanne]

- Just some thoughts on the situation here at Matsalu. I think Liz wrote in the chat (last days) that WTEs in Estonia may breed a little later than the eagles in Latvia. I tried to find more info on the impact of weather conditions but I was not successful in finding studies or papers. Linked to current climate/weather conditions is the availability of prey, so that is another factor.
-Next: We currently also see the absence of floaters (birds without territory/mate).
I have found an interesting paper on floater interference regarding the Spanish Imperial Eagle (aquila adalberti):
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... _mechanism
"Floater interference reflects territory quality in the Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti: a test of a density-dependent mechanism",
MIGUEL FERRER,VIRGINIA MORANDINI & IAN NEWTON
July 2015, Ibis 157(4), 849-859

Maybe you cannot and should not transfer the findings one-to-one on WTEs, but I guess, the mechanisms are quite similar. There are several peaks of floater activity in a year, so for the Spanish Imperial Eagle it's Nov - Jan when they are active, searching for potential territories and/or mates, then there is another, but lower peak during potential breeding time March-April.
Last season, this territory was free space, and ownership had to be established. Last year's new couple is still in possession of the area (we had no cam during the winter months and therefore could not see if they had to chase competitors away, and if so, how many and how often), and maybe this is one of the reasons for current less floater activity (things are somehow settled, every eagle in the area knows it (?). - Back to the climate/weather: could be that the lingering winter dampens all kinds of activity, be it a willing-to-breed pair of eagles or floaters and: we don't hear them often (if so, mostly faint). There seems to be no need (yet) in also vocally displaying their ownership.->
-> We don't know if these two have another nest in the area which they have chosen as a more serious place for their breeding business. But this is speculative.
Anyways: I would not give up hope yet. They still have some time to set up a nest right here, if they want to. (And I nevertheless find it striking how quiet the area is, compared to last season ).

[ame]

thank you Susanne!

one comment: i don't believe that there can be much difference in the timing of breeding among WTE in the Baltic countries, including SW Finland and Åland islands and Southern Sweden. this is such a small area with equal feeding possibilities. the timing in northern Finland and Sweden is probably later. there are no open waters where the WTE could feed. coastal areas are different of course.

[Susanne]

ame! Thank you for your comment!

17:12 ff.: The Tits' Evensong begins. Quite on schedule!

[Susanne]

17:45: A juvenile pays a short visit to the nest.
17:47: And leaves again to the more or less right.



Beak and plumage, incl. tail: The WTE looks - regarding age - like the one that was on the nest on Feb 27, Kotkaklubi said: 2 CY.

[Susanne]

Mar 10

After four days, the owners are back again, loud vocal display. E 340 perches on the p-branch, 'Smiley' (I heard two voices) maybe perches somewhere on the right (?).
10:08:36: Arrival (thank you Yana re, YT-chat, for the time stamp! )



10:20: E 340 still on the p-branch, preening, scratching his head (you can hear his 'jingle bells'), and watching the area.

[Susanne]

10:35: Small PS and he leaves again.
I think 'Smiley' must have left shortly after their arrival, and maybe it was her that he watched soaring in the sky.
10:40: I heard plumage ruffling, so the female is still in the tree!
10:44: She dives down from upper branches in the middle.
10:55 f.: Duet, not far. A raven leaves a comment on the song.

[Susanne]

11:14: Another duet.

[Liz01]

Susanne thanks for your work

short video of the arrival and his departure. I think she was already on the right out of sight.
just so there's some video documentation here too.until someone else does it

[Susanne]

short video of the arrival and his departure.

Thank you so much Liz! - Well, I won't be able to cover the video footage, sorry! My digital infrastructure is not fit enough (wow, "digital infrastructure", ts-ts-ts).

[Liz01]

... (wow, "digital infrastructure", ts-ts-ts).

If I have time, I will do the videos. I hope we will see here little bobble heads

[Susanne]

17:16: The Tits' Evensong begins.

[Susanne]

Around 18:15, cam drops out. (Sound on.)

[Susanne]

Mar 11

Good morning Matsalu!

The cam currently has dropped out, but sound is on. Around 11:25 I hear a noise which may result from a bird in the tree - or a dropping piece of ice, but somehow I heard wings.
11:28: I think there is a bird!

[Susanne]

Yes, there is a WTE on the p-branch.



Unringed, and I cannot figure out who this was. The beak looks a bit dark at the tip, the eyes seem a little darker, but that could also be due to the general light conditions.
11:35:The WTE leaves.