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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Goshawk nest cam, Riga (1 Viewer)

Biancone

to err is human
Just a reminder that this continues to be a source of information about (urban) Goshawks, and of amazing images. The last of four eggs in this year's clutch was laid on 1st April. Earlier footage, much of it represented by images on the forum, images show one or other of the adults occasionally visiting the nest from early January onward, sometimes rearranging nest material (looking a bit puzzled when it was briefly snow-covered).

The live feed is HERE, the related forum, with many stills and video extracts over the life of the webcam, is HERE. See page 30 for the first images from 2017.

Brian
 
Brief update: the first 2 of the FIVE eggs in this pair's clutch hatched today. Both chicks look viable although she's sitting so tight it is so far very chancy to get a glimpse. All should be clearly revealed once some food is brought. The male is going to be well busy! Congratulations to the technical people behind this webcam - great images.
Brian
 
Thanks for the heads up Brian

It's already been an education watching this pair - looks like it's about to get even more interesting.

:t:
 
For anyone who may be interested but hasn't been following - the smallest of the three chicks has been absent from the nest today for the first time afaik. I was initially worried that this bird might not make it as it appeared to be the runt of the family. I now think it may be more likely that is a male (with two big sisters). I read somewhere that the males develop faster than the females and can fly earlier - maybe as a survival strategy to avoid being eaten by their bigger siblings?

I've struggled to i.d. some of the prey items but there have been many pigeons and quite a few rats. Amongst the several nestlings that have been brought back (including the odd live one!) was one with long legs, neck and bill and stripey plumage that puzzled me - I don't know if the project team are keeping a record of the prey items?
At the present rate I'm guessing they're not going to be in the nest much longer.
 
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2018: several hawks showing but no breeding yet

Some will recall the fascinating images available for the past couple of years from the webcam at a Goshawk nest in Riga, Latvia. Last year the breeding pair could be seen visiting the nest from January onward, with the first egg laid on 24 March 2017 and young fledging in summer, but events so far this year have been very different.

So far as I can tell (there were technical problems with the camera in early March) the adult female of 2016 and 2017 ("Margo") has not appeared, and although at least four (!) different goshawks have been at the nest, there is not yet an obvious breeding pair or established breeding attempt.

Two different hawks dropped in on 20 March: a ringed bird (C55) still in mainly juvenile streaked plumage, evidently a 2 cy male, and a second similar streaked young bird but not with a ring. On the 22nd another ringed bird (C31) appeared, with strong 'anchor-shaped' marks on the breast feathers. On the 23rd another hawk, a darker blue-grey dorsally, appeared. Two hawks could be glimpsed briefly in flight near the nest tree on the 23rd and 24th.

It's great that there seems to be no shortage of young goshawks in the area, but unfortunate that the previous adult female seems to have moved or may be dead. Without an experienced adult female perhaps is it getting a little late to hope for a breeding attempt at this nest in 2018? It will be instructive to see how events develop in the near future.

Curiously, a week or so ago (15-19 March) there was no sign of any Goshawk activity at the nest site in the Apennines I try to keep a distant eye on (short note a few days ago on my blog) but I'm really hoping it's not too late for a breeding attempt.

The live webcam feed this year is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An-ZCD3M8G0. The discussion forum is at: https://forums.dabasdati.lv/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=3855. The English language forum is at: http://www.looduskalender.ee/forum/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=794, but this so far has fewer images and far fewer comments.
 
Thanks for posting, Brian - I'll check on the progress now and again... fingers crossed for a successful breeding/fledging
 
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