Operatie kunstnest: Wespendief Pernis apivorus geholpen

After 5 consecutive breeding attempts of European Honey-buzzards on a nest in a beech Fagus sylvatica, the dilapidated structure collapsed in 2005 after the chicks had fledged. It was replaced by an artificial nest on 15 April 2006, using the same site as had been in use in the preceding years. The first greeneries on the nest rim were noticed on 9 May. Last year’s male was first recorded on 16 May when using the ticking-call with opened beak. Both partners were observed on the nest on 17 May, the female also being identical to the one in 2005. In the morning of 21 May, she actively arranged and rearranged twigs in the nest cup. The first egg was probably laid on 28 May when the female was showing typical incubation behaviour. She was last seen on 7 July, when the chicks were 6 and 3 days old. Despite the male’s care, the chicks died in the absence of the female. This failure notwithstanding, the pair had shown that an artificial nest is readily used.