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Today, my wife and me, has happened to an extraordinary experience that not everyone has, usually, the chance to live. We were in the country, near San Gabriel, the village next to the village of Baricella towards Moline, when we decided to head to a local farm for lunch.
had already, in fact, the 12 or so, and we then headed to this new goal, which is on the road towards Altedo Woods.
We take the crossing, moving slowly, to enjoy the beautiful sunny day, cheered by the presence of a pair of white herons, which whirled gracefully on a portion of the countryside, in whose context the chance to introduce ourselves abbbiamo insert.
Suddenly my attention been magnetized by something unusual, at the side of the road at a distance of one hundred meters.
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I took the binoculars, I always carry with me to capture images of beautiful animals that live in our area, and I pointed in the direction that interested me.
My surprise was even greater when I saw that it was a pair of white storks!
Suddenly my attention been magnetized by something unusual, at the side of the road at a distance of one hundred meters.
.
. I took the binoculars, I always carry with me to capture images of beautiful animals that live in our area, and I pointed in the direction that interested me.
My surprise was even greater when I saw that it was a pair of white storks!
A fence, delimiting a privately owned, enclosed inside a set of specimens as unusual in our country.
fact, I have seen the animals from view, from afar can be blade or alpaca, and together they moved specimens of ostrich or kiwi fruit.
The distance and the limited power of my binoculars, I was not allowed to identify the exact species seen, but I have promised to investigate as soon as possible.
The distance and the limited power of my binoculars, I was not allowed to identify the exact species seen, but I have promised to investigate as soon as possible.
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The most interesting thing though is that within the enclosure, stands a high pole, whose upper end is fixed a disk large enough, over which the storks nest.
I already knew that our area gave accommodation to these wonderful and rare animals, especially in the area of \u200b\u200bBentivoglio, the Oasis La Rizza, but from I did not ever live to see them.
With binoculars I could see very well their elegant shape, and their short flights over the nest until I had a windfall, perhaps I will look no more, that is, to assist their courtship love , and coupling.
The two specimens, during courtship and bent back the head and long neck, and uttered a sound, produced by the beat of the bill, opened and closed repeatedly, rhythmically.
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The male was then perched above the body of the female, always throwing back the neck, moving his wings to stay in balance over the partner, until, after a few minutes he moved back to disk that welcomes them both.
The coupling of this species, in sedentary individuals is in fact in the months of February-March, unlike other migrants that in the months of March-April.
Sexual maturity and subsequent reproductive age in this species, is reached between the second and fourth years of life, for which we are dealing with adult specimens, which tend to expand their small colony.
The courtship consists of a complex series of performances that range from the heart of the bill (bill-clattering), which has the function of strengthen the bond between the couple, but also to defend the territory, the synchronized movement of the head and neck, tail and wings
the neck is bent back to almost touch the back of her head.
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couplings occur repeatedly, for several weeks, even after laying of first eggs.
The construction of the nest, which contribute to both components of the couple takes a few days to several weeks.
The nests are built on top of chimneys, roofs of houses and farms and steeples, trees with branches growing horizontally, masts and poles, usually at altitudes between sea level and 400 m above sea level (In this case on a specially prepared struttira man, so how in the Oasis La Rizza, Bentivoglio).
Once the nest, the female lays from 1 to 6 eggs. The brooding, conducted alternately by both parents, has a duration of 33-34 days.
The newborn chicks weigh a few tens of grams, are covered by a thin gray feather that thicken quickly.
The first attempts at flight are carried out during the months of June and July, while in the second half of summer is the final abandonment of the place of birth in order to reach their wintering quarters in Africa.
.
The first 2-3 years of life are spent in Africa doing partial movements towards the north, including the availability of food resources.
The White Stork is essentially a carnivorous species.
The diet consists mainly of amphibians, both in the adult stage (frogs) and the larval stage (tadpoles), from reptiles (lizards, water snakes, skinks), small mammals (mostly mice and moles), by worms, crustaceans, shellfish and insects.
The most interesting thing though is that within the enclosure, stands a high pole, whose upper end is fixed a disk large enough, over which the storks nest. I already knew that our area gave accommodation to these wonderful and rare animals, especially in the area of \u200b\u200bBentivoglio, the Oasis La Rizza, but from I did not ever live to see them.
With binoculars I could see very well their elegant shape, and their short flights over the nest until I had a windfall, perhaps I will look no more, that is, to assist their courtship love , and coupling.
The two specimens, during courtship and bent back the head and long neck, and uttered a sound, produced by the beat of the bill, opened and closed repeatedly, rhythmically.
. The male was then perched above the body of the female, always throwing back the neck, moving his wings to stay in balance over the partner, until, after a few minutes he moved back to disk that welcomes them both.
The coupling of this species, in sedentary individuals is in fact in the months of February-March, unlike other migrants that in the months of March-April.
Sexual maturity and subsequent reproductive age in this species, is reached between the second and fourth years of life, for which we are dealing with adult specimens, which tend to expand their small colony.
The courtship consists of a complex series of performances that range from the heart of the bill (bill-clattering), which has the function of strengthen the bond between the couple, but also to defend the territory, the synchronized movement of the head and neck, tail and wings
the neck is bent back to almost touch the back of her head.
.
couplings occur repeatedly, for several weeks, even after laying of first eggs. The construction of the nest, which contribute to both components of the couple takes a few days to several weeks.
The nests are built on top of chimneys, roofs of houses and farms and steeples, trees with branches growing horizontally, masts and poles, usually at altitudes between sea level and 400 m above sea level (In this case on a specially prepared struttira man, so how in the Oasis La Rizza, Bentivoglio).
Once the nest, the female lays from 1 to 6 eggs. The brooding, conducted alternately by both parents, has a duration of 33-34 days.
The newborn chicks weigh a few tens of grams, are covered by a thin gray feather that thicken quickly.
The first attempts at flight are carried out during the months of June and July, while in the second half of summer is the final abandonment of the place of birth in order to reach their wintering quarters in Africa.
.
The first 2-3 years of life are spent in Africa doing partial movements towards the north, including the availability of food resources.
The White Stork is essentially a carnivorous species.
The diet consists mainly of amphibians, both in the adult stage (frogs) and the larval stage (tadpoles), from reptiles (lizards, water snakes, skinks), small mammals (mostly mice and moles), by worms, crustaceans, shellfish and insects.
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Predation of birds is not a rare event. They may
be in difficulty or small passerine nestlings, birds up to the size of the Knight of Italy.
be in difficulty or small passerine nestlings, birds up to the size of the Knight of Italy.
The search for food may involve the individual, couple, family and even the whole flock, especially when the prey are highly concentrated, such as locusts.
In the reproductive area are looking for prey near the nest.
Only occasionally departs from the stork nesting site to feed.
The Stork eats very quickly when prey are abundant: in an hour can eat 44 mice, two rodents and a frog.
It feeds on a wide variety of species depending on prey availability and location in which it resides.
In rainy years it mainly eats insects and mice, whereas in years with heavy rainfall feeds on aquatic organisms.
The stork is a migratory species: the rearing grounds, located between 30 ° and 60 ° N and including Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa, while the winter quarters are mainly in Africa. migration to Africa and between August and September, the return to Europe begins in March and ends around May.
During these long trips storks FLY HIGH ALTITUDE so as to capture the warm air currents that allow them to take a glider flight in this manner because they feel less tired constantly have to beat their wings to fly.
Storks Avoid crossing Long stretches of open sea and thus to reach the winter quarters (Africa), have two possibilities:
GO FOR THE STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR (the sea between Spain and Morocco).
PASS the Bosporus (Istanbul in Turkey).
There is another option: go to Sicily and Italy through here a stretch of the Mediterranean to reach the countries of central and southern Africa.
The 11 ° meridian functions as a IMAGINARY LINE OF CUT-OFF: when migrating storks, which are located east of 11th meridian passing through the Bosphorus and wintering mainly in South Africa or in the western part of India, those which lies to the west of the 11th meridian, through the Strait of Gibraltar stop in Central Africa.
The heading south-west door storks from Holland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain and Portugal in Mali, Niger, Senegal, Nigeria and Chad. To achieve this state through the Sahara Desert in the west, but without making any stops.
The storks follow the route to southeast through the Bosporus in Turkey via Syria, flying over the Dead Sea and the eastern coast of the Sinai come to Tur, here passing the Suez Canal and arrive in the Nile Valley to Quena (26 ° N) from where they continue to arrive in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa (Cape Province).
always follow this route some storks may arrive in Pakistan and western India.
the return trip in the spring.
Storks travel the journey from the places of nesting along the same route, but in the opposite direction.
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