17.04.2007

The first egg was detected

In the evening of Saturday at 8:10 p.m. the first egg could be seen. Internet visitors detected it and reported it. The sighting of the first egg was documented in the archives of storchennest.de. Winfried Boehmer, the NABU Project Leader commented, "We are pleased along with the stork fans the world over and hope for a successful brood. It is unusual for that egg was laid in the evening. In all previous years the storks laid the eggs during the night or very early in the morning". From now on one of the storks will remain at the eyrie and keep a watchful eye on the egg. The succeeding eggs will be laid at two-day intervals. With this early beginning of the brood at the middle of April a strong clutch of 5 eggs can be counted on. Although seldom, sometimes as many as 6 eggs may be laid. Anxiously we can now wonder when the storks will begin to incubate the eggs. This could happen in different ways: Often they start the process after several eggs have been laid. This date will determine the hatching of the young and their sequence. Should they incubate right after laying the first, the young ones will hatch in the sequence of the laying of eggs. Both partners alternate at one- to three-hour sessions in the incubation process. While one watches the clutch the other searches for food. Often they will bring back nets materials for the eyrie. Work is always being done on it, strong twigs for the outside and for the nest hollow soft hay or straw. At this time, everything points to a normal stork year with an incubation period of 32 days. This, however, will only happen as long as no disruptions occur. Oftentimes late arriving stork "annex" an already occupied eyrie, or so called brood disturbers, immature young storks, disrupt the incubation process and throw the eggs out of the nest. This has happened already twice at the "Internet Storks". A late arriving female threw the eggs out of the nest, drove away the first female and captured the heart of the male. The storks received the names Cico and Luna from the Internet Fan Congregation. Most are convinced that "our" current two are this couple from previous years. Much of their behaviour points to this. However, as they are not banded it cannot be proven.

Winfried Boehmer
NABU-Project Leader

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