White-tailed Eagle Nest Camera 2011

LK think that mammamallard have already 4 eggs in the nest and they think this is dangerous place for mallards

Oh.... is that what LK thinks...
As far as I know Mama Mallard start laying almost immediately when she has found a good place. She does not start with building a big nest. When the eggs come she covers them up and makes the nest bigger. Ricky saw her on April 27th. It is possible that she layed the first egg already then. So she could actually have 6 eggs there!! I think at least 5.
And of course this place is dangerous - an eagle could come and chase her away or find the eggs. Any bigger bird could come... But where can she lay her eggs in a safe place?? I don't think this is more dangerous than any other place. Unusual it is for sure but I have seen Mallards on the roof of big buildings. The babies do manage the drop from the nest very well. They have light bodies and little wings. And they have a very strong voice. Mama will get them together and take them to water. They are able to move quite a long way. I am sure that some sort of water cannot be too far away, after all this is a bog area not far from the sea even.
I am hopeful that they will manage fine

ct 11.34
During some minutes she is covering the eggs and seems to leave the nest

ct 11.36
She has left the nest.

Are there eggs visible?????????????? I think I can see at least two white something????

caysa wrote:Are there eggs visible?????????????? I think I can see at least two white something????

Yes there were eggs visible, 2 or 3 I could see when she was turning around to cover them before leaving the nest.

This is so cool!! The nest must be filling up as we can see the eggs !! Thanks for a good capture, ergee!!

This morning Mama Mallard is even higher up in the nest and more visible. Her egg "hill" is growing beneath her

The nestlings how let then away the nest?

Ophiophagus wrote:The nestlings how let then away the nest?

They jump!! And use their little wings to "sail" down. Mom will collect them together.

" I came here to be able to nest in peace - but can you call THIS peace?? Listen to what I have to listen to every day!"



Even the eggs are rolling

It is raining hard on eagle cam.... Mama Mallard is still on the nest. Is she protecting the nest from getting wet or has she started incubating???

Eagle eating the mallard eggs!!!
Egg after egg..... the eagle is digging deeper into the nest and finds more eggs

caysa wrote:Eagle eating the mallard eggs!!!
Egg after egg..... the eagle is digging deeper into the nest and finds more eggs

oh, what will say mamma mallard now

AllyKass wrote:

caysa wrote:Eagle eating the mallard eggs!!!
Egg after egg..... the eagle is digging deeper into the nest and finds more eggs

oh, what will say mamma mallard now

I don't know... this is so sad. But nature is cruel sometimes, that is how it works. Imagine if there would have been almost ready ducklings in the eggs.....

This eagle has no rings and it does not look like Sulev - I think it is a young eagle..... it is till sitting there on the branch.... is it waiting for Mallard mom??

The destroyed nest and the eagle just sitting there on the branch....

I have taken vidoes but will upload them later. Long videos - you can watch if you want....

it will be sad to see

AllyKass wrote:it will be sad to see

Yes, it is sad..... but you can of course choose not to watch. The saddest thing will be when Mama Mallard comes back....

yes,like bisky's pic of eagle dad, who lost his wife and eaglets the same time...

Pictures from early this morning- the eagels is still (or again) on the branch. No Mallard around. Hopefully she has not even tried to come back.

First Pontu camera pic is here: http://pontu.eenet.ee/kotkas/2011-05-05/2011-05-05-05-47.jpg

And the first I saw when I opened the camera:

Now the videos from yesterday evening. The egale had been there for a few moments already when I came so, so this is what I saw.
It is sad to watch but maybe easier to accept what happend if you watch them. Youhave to decide yourself. Also there is a rather funny crow that that is disturbing the eagle....

Well, eagle got good egg dinner

Yeah, what can we do.... some creatures are born to be food for someone else - that is nature.... If we can't accept this - then we need to learn more...

Like Ally says: Mother Nature teaching to us about balance of power.

Oh no... this is sad - I was so happy about this mallard cam and was looking forward to seeing the chicks hatch


I would not have expected eagles to eat eggs

It really looked quite odd.... especially as most of the content was all over the nest. But... what can we do.....