White stork (Ciconia ciconia)

For me, one of the most beautiful birds will always remain the White Stork even if is a B&W bird, even if it’s mute bird and even if I have the chance to see it close to our house only for a few days per year.

Sometimes, telling stories isn’t an easy thing because there are present some feelings which make you not so objective as you should be.

When I was a kid I was so glad every single time I heard “Look, the white storks are back!” and I was staring for minutes at those beautiful creatures flying above me.

Once, I waited this moment for a few weeks and when that day came, I tried to get as close as I could to them and catch at least one just for a moment, to feel its feathers, to hug it and talk with it. I know, this sounds silly now but then was something so powerful, so exciting, so great and words can’t express those feelings.
Now I ‘catch’ them using my camera but those feelings I had when I was a kid are, somehow, still there in my heart.

Because some of you ( like Jerry Vis who has a lovely blog, quietsolopursuits) live in some areas where White Storks aren’t present, I publish this post.

During past years I published some photos of White Stork, so you may check a post with more information about them here,  some storks on fields nearby our house here or here; a juvenile white stork here and another white stork in flight here.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, I mean a flock of white storks ‘begins’ with few storks. March 26, 2015.

 

White storks rely on the uplift of air thermals, so it’s something usual to watch them spinning again and again. They soar long distances between Europe and Africa during migrations. This photo is taken on Thursday, March 26, 2015.

The maximum extent across the wings of a white stork is about 220 cm (85 in)  compared to only 70 cm  (27 in) wingspan of a dove .

 

Just to make an idea about its size, lets compare it with a dove. A white stork weights around 3.5 kg (123 oz) and a pigeon weights around 0.4 kg (14 oz).

From place to place they rest on fields on their journey back to their nests.

Sometimes you may notice a white stork with two heads.
Just joking, they take care of their feathers.

 

In this case, through tall grass, they look for insects, amphibians, reptiles or small mammals. But they love fish, too.

 

In a large number of villages you will notice many nests on poles.

With happy families.

And caring parents.

Some can be seen standing on poles near their nests.

Have a great week.

Cornel