Buzzard Cam 1 - Mari and Mihkel

[Felis silvestris]

Estonian ornithologists choose a "Bird of the Year" every year since the year 1995. For the year 2015 they have chosen the Buzzard.
In Estonia 3 different buzzards can be encountered: the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), found in Estonian all year round, the European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) breeding in Estonia during summer and the Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) wintering in Estonia.

To fit a camera at a buzzard nest is not easy as they don't use the same nest every year like many other raptors do. We have watched a buzzard couple using the nest of White-tailed Eagles Linda and Sulev in Läänemaa. The men from Kotkaklubi looked around for a while to find a suitable site and we hopefully will be able to watch the doings of buzzards here.
The Buzzard camera 1 set-up has an AXIS F41 camera with a specially constructed microphone model at the nest.

Ülo Väli while installing the nest camera in early March (thanks to Urmas for the photo)



The nest shortly after the cam was installed:



JW-Player: http://pontu.eenet.ee/player/hiireviu.html
VLC and Android: rtsp://193.40.133.138/live/hiireviu
iPhone/iPad: http://193.40.133.138/live/hiireviu/playlist.m3u8

http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/22772

The Common Buzzard on the Aasta lind 2015 page of the Estonian Ornithological Society (in Estonian language):
http://www.eoy.ee/viu/viud/hiireviu



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[Felis silvestris]

At this nest we most probably and hopefully will see a pair of Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo) breeding. Buzzards are medium sized birds of prey found almost all over in Europe and parts of Asia. The common buzzard measures between 40 and 58 cm in length with a 109–136 cm (43–54 in) wingspan and a body mass of 427–1,364 g. The colours vary from very light to very dark.

The nest is in the Tartu area, in a commercial state forest. A train line is not too far and a farm (with one or more barking dogs) about 200 m away.

Both birds were first seen on the nest on Sunday, March 8.

Our birds on the nest:

The Lady of the Nest - Mari - on the left and the Master - Mihkel - on the right





Buzzards become sexually mature with about 2 years (source: Wikipedia) and buzzard couples stay together a lifetime. They stay in one territory and can become up to 26 years.
Breeding starts in Central Europe from mid March, on average it is from around mid April. The female lays usually 2-3 eggs, size 56 × 45 mm weight 50–60 g. Colour white with reddish brown and greyish brown specks. The eggs are laid with gaps of 2 to 3 days.
Breeding time lasts 33 to 35 days, depending on the size of the clutch. Breeding starts later in bigger clutches.
The buzzard chicks stay for about 42 to 49 days in the nest before fledging. After that they will stay around the nest and will then follow their parents begging for food for around 6 to 10 weeks. After that they leave their parents' territory, but stay not too far away.

[Felis silvestris]

Eggs:

The typical clutch of the buzzards consists of 2 to 3 reddish-brown to greyish-brown eggs, size 56 × 45 mm and weight 50-60 g.
The eggs are laid with a difference of 2 to 3 days, incubations depending on the size of the clutch. Incubation starts later in a clutch with 3 to 4 eggs than in a clutch with 1 to 2 eggs. Incubation time is 33 to 35 days.

First egg arrived on March 28 around 11:50 EET
Second egg arrived on March 31 around 10:38 EEST
Third egg arrived on April 4 around 8:06 EEST

Chicks

First chick hatched on May 3 shortly after 11:00 EEST
Second chick hatched some time between the evening of May 3 and the morning of May 4
Third chick hatched on May 7 around 11:15 EEST

[Felis silvestris]

Name the Buzzards

there is a form for to name the mates in both Common Buzzard nests:
http://goo.gl/Tg7Nn7
how you think it is OK, to make conclusions in 1st of April or if first egg will be in nest (e.g. which happens earlier)?

Update April 3: The buzzards on this nest got the names Mihkel and Mari

Mihkel: http://www.behindthename.com/name/mihkel
Mari: http://www.behindthename.com/name/mari-1


Update: June 1: The buzzard chicks have received names by votes of the forum members:

The oldest chick is called: Maxi - changed to Maxi after DNA test showed it's a female bird
The middle chick is called: Midi
And the smallest chick is called: Maimu

[Felis silvestris]

Ringing of the chicks

The chicks were ringed (banded) on May 23. Jürgen did a good job and noted down the following details:

L - 32535 (first chick) - actually the "middle" chick - now called Midi - is a male bird
Wing length: 141mm
Tarsus length: 68,2mm
Tarsus width: 7,5mm
Tarsus width crosswise: 6mm
Weight(without the bag): 610g

L - 32536 (second chick) - actually the "little one" - now called Maimu - is a male bird
Wing length: 86mm
Tarsus length: 62,5mm
Tarsus width: 7,5mm
Tarsus width crosswise: 6,4mm
Weight: 470g

L - 32537 (last chick) - actually the biggest chick - now called Maxi - is a female bird
Wing length: 143mm
Tarsus length: 66,1mm
Tarsus width: 8,4mm
Tarsus width crosswise: 7mm
Weight: 670g

More about the chicks: http://www.looduskalender.ee/en/node/23983

Video of the ringing on May 23 by Urmas Lett:




Ülo Väli and Jürgen visited the nest again on June 1, to take some feather samples and weigh and measure them again.

[Felis silvestris]

Jürgen wrote about the history of the nest:

This nest was found in the spring of 2012 (at around 26th March) by myself. I suspect that at that year the pair had layed eggs already by that date.
In 2012, 3 nestlings were ringed in the nest. In 2013, 2 nestlings were ringed in the nest. During the winter between 2013 and 2014 a portion of the forest near the nest was cut down. In 2014, 3 nestlings were ringed in the nest.
The nest is in a spruce tree around half-way to the top (no official measurements have been made but I would say around 13 meters off the ground).
As we know, neither Mari or Mihkel have rings and ringed buzzards have never been spotted on this territory. Also something interesting I have noted about this pair is that they sometimes hunt quite far from their nest. I have spotted one of them nearly inside Tartu which means they went past at least one other buzzard territory.

[Felis silvestris]

The camera was installed yesterday (March 4) and Urmas mentioned that there was already buzzard activity. Maybe the nest owners, maybe the neighbours. I had the cam on today evening and I heard a barking dog and also a train, so my guess is, that it is not too far from the next human settlement and also train lines.
Lets hope for an interesting season there!

[Fleur]

wow, another webcam again, same as last year I think ( not )

22:36
Tawny Owl is calling

[Felis silvestris]

No, this is a completely new camera and place. Things will still be added, as it is all not yet really finished. But the cam was already found and is also listed at EEnet website, that's why we decided to open the topic already. There will be an official opening some time. There is a lot of action going on around the bird of the year 2015

[Fleur]

ok. and I already notice a nice webcam for me in the evening to listen to the beautiful sounds

[Fleur]

March 6
good morning

7:45
sunshine and a lot of Bird sounds

[Felis silvestris]

I think a while ago I heard a buzzard voice from far.

[Liz01]

Thanks for the new thread.
I very much hope that here buzzards will breed. It is a very nice nest

But what is this?

[Liz01]

17:00
it climbed down the tree?

[asteria]

It may be a squirrel.

[Bea]

It was an insect crawling over the lense, several times during afternoon

[airras]

uaooo !!!!! a new camera, thank you all, look forward

[Felis silvestris]

March 7

9:10 I can hear a woodpecker call (and peck)

[Felis silvestris]

11:32 Buzzard calls coming closer and moving away again

[airras]

13:50
you hear a dog bark very strong