Text Margus Ots, Great Tit Year coordinator
Image from webcam captured by Jo, LK forum
Translation Liis

Great tit         Rasvatihane       Parus major

In nestbox no 1 with a webcam the chicks left on Friday last week or 4 days ago (Estonian original published 07.06.2016). On checking the nestboxes today it turned out that the great tit was building a new nest and that there were already 2 eggs in it! So she laid the first egg already yesterday, only 3 days after the departure of the clutch.

Video recorded by Urmas Lett, www.eenet.ee
Translation Liis

In the morning the female arrives to entice the chicks out of the nest with food; the leaving is surveyed by the female’s observant eyes. The ”sleepier” chicks are made to take off  into flight from the nest trunk. Morning is a good time for leaving.

An attentive viewer will manage to distinguish the young birds from the adults, but the difference in size is small.

Video recorded by Liz, LK forum
Translation Liis

Great tit    Rasvatihane         Parus major

That the 9 chicks in the second nest trunk would leave by Monday morning was predictable. Interested viewers could see how it happened.

A great number of viewers have been interested in the doings of our everyday familiar birds. Hopefully the curiosity about the activities of the Bird of the Year was also satisfied on some counts.

Photos Arne Ader

Translation Liis

Crane nest with chick and egg

Crane    Sookurg        Grus grus

These graceful birds can be seen andheard already in March. In spring there is no mass migration through Estonia, so we have mostly to do with cranes nesting here. They may be up to 7 500 pairs.