Hoechstadt, Germany - Old Town Hall - 2021 Season
https://storchennest-hoechstadt.de/live-camAnna, the resident female stork, has died after suffering a broken leg during the 2021 breeding season.
Anna hatched in 2003 and was 18 years old this year. Her mate, Gerome, hatched in 1998 and is 23 years old. They have been together on the Old Town Hall nest since 2006. During those fifteen years, they produced 76 eggs, hatched 70 chicks, and fledged 51 young storks.
In the 2021 season, five eggs were laid between 3/12/21 and 3/21/21. All five eggs hatched, three on 4/16, one on 4/19 and one on 4/20. The youngest chick did not survive and died the evening of 5/1.
On 5/25, Anna appeared with a bloody and broken left leg that hung lifeless. It was assumed the break was the result of a crash. She could stand on her right leg, but it was apparent she would not be able to provide food for her four chicks. It is known that underweight fledglings will not survive migration, so permission was obtained to begin supplemental feedings at the nest in order to give the four chicks a fighting chance to survive. Young storks need 500 grams of food per day, so daily feedings were done using a fire brigade turntable ladder from 5/31 through 6/11. At 8 weeks of age, the feedings were cut back to every other day, and at 9-10 weeks, reduced to every third day to encourage the chicks to leave the nest. The first fledge occurred 6/22, and by 7/1, all four chicks were flying. Now an attempt at capturing Anna could begin, although it was doubtful anything could be done to save the leg because too much time had passed since the injury occurred.
Through mid August, the chicks were still returning to the nest to spend the night. Anna escaped all attempts at capture, and was last seen near a pond on 9/9/21 where she appeared to be very weak. Her skeletal remains and ring were located on 10/10/21. Since it takes 3-4 weeks for a body to become skeletalized, it is assumed she died shortly after the last sighting.
Incidentally, in Höchstadt alone there are 18 stork nests with offspring, and in the neighboring municipality of Uehlfeld there are almost 40 nests. It is hoped that Gerome will soon find another mate and continue breeding at the Old Town Hall.
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