Some two weeks ago Dalibor returned from his wintering grounds in Burkina Faso to the same area where he was nesting last year near Pilsen. During inspection of his nest it was clear on first sight that he has returned to the same one in which he spent time last year. New twigs have been added and faeces were clearly visible on the edge of the nest and on tree branches around.
The nest is found on a slope so after climbing for a while a female could be spotted how she is sitting pushed deeply into the nest on the load. Dalibor with a backpack on his back and a wad of grass appeared at exactly 9.35. He came to the edge of the nest and immediately went close to the female who gladly made space for him. He put the wad of grass down and immediately sat down and continued warming the eggs.
This proved what we observed in the last couple of years that for this pair it is usual that they start nesting very early. While visiting three other nests known to us from last year were inspected. It was discovered that in one there is a pair of storks without eggs, in the second one a lonely stork waiting for his partner and the third nest was empty. Besides that, Tomáš, our second stork with a transmitter is still on his way back from Africa.
[