Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Stork Cam May 22

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22 May 4:09 a.m. (Ray) Pa, preening away, standing, as usual. Dawn coming. Ma is awake, preening a bit but remaining on the eggs. I don’t know when Pa sleeps. Maybe he sleeps during the daytime. But I have never seen him down for more than a few minutes (unless he has egg duty). Pa, standing on the edge of the nest, almost fell off. It took some wing flapping to regain his balance. I suppose if he really fell, he might not be able to get airborne quickly and actually might hurt himself.

He (just 4:25) took off towards the southeast, like yesterday. Ma’s looking around a bit, nibbling at branches and grass nearby, but she remains on the eggs.

5:35 a.m. (Jack) Just checked to see what was up at the nest. Nothing! Mom's evidently asleep, first I've seen that bit of normal behavior, daddy's off somewhere. At 11:35PM in PA I guess it's 5:35AM in Poland, so daddy must be one of those "early birds" out to get a worm, frog, fish, etc.

Mom is really out of it, usually up and cleaning the house and preening [but
nothing like her vain hubby]. No baby yet. Maybe by 7AM my time

11:35 a.m. (Ray) Mom on nesting duties just stood up. Four eggs. Boy you have to learn patience when you attend a nest watch. Ma is up and down all morning. Maybe the eggs are becoming less “comfortable” as they grow larger.

Heavy construction day in the stork neighborhood. Equipment (backhoe or grader?) with a backup beeper has been working hard all morning.

12:30 p.m. (Ray) Chattering greetings indicate Pa’s back; but I can’t get an image, just sound right now.

3:20 p.m. (Jack) Just got connected, ca. 6 tries since ca. 7AM, zooming this AM at 9:20AM - PA time.
Mom [I guess] just sitting on their children to be, facing the camera, lovely shot.
Off to buy milk now [me] back in ca. 20minutes.
Other than the zooming in on where the great excitement is expected, no news

4:24 p.m. (Ray) still can’t get an image. But I get sound. 4:42: rebooted and got my picture back. When we have this vertical closeup, doesn’t it look like there are two eggs that might have been “kicked out of the nest” in the lower right?
Although I have heard that “five” is the maximum for a brook. But maybe there might be an extra one now and then.

4:11 p.m. (Marissa) Hey I got back on! It almost looks like two eggs or rocks in front of her

4:19 p.m. (Jack) I see what you're talking about, maybe? But, I thought their eggs were white and bigger. The "balls" seem to be grey and smaller.
If there was something wrong with an un-hatched egg, i.e. "still birth" the parents would get rid of it, like throw it out?

5:53 p.m. (Jack) It just occurred to me that eggs NEVER grow, it's what's in them that changes from white or relatively clear and yellow goo to a belly-buttonless being. I used the magnifying glass to see those round things we both saw and the one on the right was clearly where a bunch of sticks seemed to overlap, i.e. not a solid round thing, the one on the left however was just what it seemed, a ball like thing.

7:30 p.m. (Debbie) The camera at the Ustron~ nest just zoomed in really close. Momma had just stood up. I think this camera is manned and "they" wanted a
closer look at the eggs. Then the camera tilted up to the trees and
homes across the way! Then it re-adjusted itself to the "target."

It looks to me like these storks have not been turning their eggs over
but just moving them around and this could be a problem. Eggs need to
be turned while incubating. [Ray: I've been wondering if there is a power line tower near the nest where they can mount a camera and a boom microphone?

That's and interesting, and disconcerting, observation about "turning over
the eggs." All I have ever seen is a bit of nudging or maybe placing one on
top of the other three for a bit before having them all on the "floor" so
sitting can resume.

Are you an expert in "egg incubation?"]

8:23 p.m. (Marissa) the changing of the guards and boy whoever is on the nest now is really panting….haven't seen that. [Ray: I saw something like that earlier this morning; as if Ma was going to lay another egg or something]


10:00 p.m. (Debbie) I think one of the adults left the nest and the other is standing.
Looks like the eggs are gone! If I am right, this is not good.

10:17 p.m. (Debbie) I take back that alert! Sorry if anyone panicked. Dad made a better
door than a window. Mom is there and sitting; presumably on the eggs.

11:59 p.m. (Ray) I was occupied with car repairs, and visiting some friends for much of the day today and just returned home. The night view is very “foggy” and not nearly as bright as earlier “infra-red” or “night vision” images.

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