Baby hawks, storks and owls

**Lizzie** · 05-14-2009, 12:02 PM

I leave this website from the Netherlands up all day, clicking between the nests for the owl (Steenuil), the stork (Ooievar), and the hawk (Slechtvalk). The owl's eggs only just hatched and she barely moves from the nest. You don't see the baby storks very often but it's fun when they pop their heads up from their deep nest. The hawk's nestlings are the oldest and are starting to feed themselves, though it can be gross seeing other birds torn about and gulped down, especially when you have the sound on. There are several other birds you can select, although I've never seen the kingfisher and the Torenvalk's eggs were abandoned weeks ago.

http://www.beleefdelente.nl/

**Catherinedana** · 05-14-2009, 02:51 PM

This is fabulous! Thanks for posting.

Slechtvalk is actually a falcon. The Torenvalk is the hawk. I absolutely love raptors of all kinds and this is really special.

**Lizzie** · 05-15-2009, 01:53 PM

Thank you for putting me right. I'd assumed by the valk at the end both names, they were both hawks, but I don't speak the language.

I can't believe how big the falcon chicks are now. Ten days ago the mother was able to tuck all four babies under her. How long will it be before they have their first flying lesson? Statistically, how many of them will survive their first year?

Do you know what Koolmees are? They look like tits of some kind.

**Catherinedana** · 05-15-2009, 02:42 PM

I don't speak it either, but I know my raptors. . .I've had personal relationships with them!!

The hawk on my avatar has been a friend of mine for almost 15 years. . .she's a permanent resident at the wild bird sanctuary where I volunteer and I get to take her out to the beach for exercise and I take care of her jesses and clip her nails. Her name is Isis and I LOVE HER!!!!

There was a peregrine falcon at the sanctuary for a while, but he didn't do very well as a permie. The guys that they keep there have injuries that they cannot be released with but some birds really need to be free. The falcons are like that. Check out http://www.seabirdsanctuary.com/

I don't know when these guys hatched so it's hard to say when they will get ready for flight. You'll see them standing on the edge of the nest flapping away for a while. Their first flight is usually pretty short. . .from one branch to the next or even one side of the nest to the next. I'm at work now and can't view the video but I'll take another look when I get home to see if I can give you a guesstimate.

Did a search on "koolmes" and they are known in English as the Great Tit (blush!). You know your birdies!!

**Catherinedana** · 05-16-2009, 08:33 AM

I spent a bit of time looking through the videos on the pages as well as the live cams. The Torenvalk is also a falcon, a European kestrel (much bigger than the American Kestrel). There are these two dumb doves that keep going into and near the nest when the kestrels are gone! Suicidal!

The other falcons that still have the babies (peregrines). . .these chicks look pretty young. They need to get proper feathers before they can think about flying, probably in about two weeks. They do alot of snoozing, don't they!

This is so cool! Thank you so much for posting