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
16 thoughts on “White stork (Ciconia ciconia)”
Wonderful photos and story. We have a bird here (northern Illinois, US) called the sandhill crane. They ride the thermals like that and I really love watching them. But the animal I would love to hug is an elephant. 🙂
Sandhill cranes are so beautiful! But they are a bit noisy, if I noticed well in some videos I watched a while ago.
An elephant, even a cub, it’s a but scary for me because of its size.
Thank you for your visit and your comment.
I’m not sure I have ever seen a stork. Your childhood memory is very touching, Cornel, and I can see from your photographs why you wanted to hug them back then.
Thank you very much.
Each area has its own birds and this is great. For instance, you have snow geese, we have white storks, you have polar bears, we have brown bears (maybe too many…) and so on.
I did not realize you had a brown bear population! I have never met one myself, although we do have them here. We are a hundred miles of so south of the polar bears.
Thank you very much.
A while ago I wanted to be a Wildlife photographer but now I want only to take photos of animals as well as I can.
I try my best and here you may see some of my results.
But you will see on this blog not only photos of animals.
Wonderful photos and story. We have a bird here (northern Illinois, US) called the sandhill crane. They ride the thermals like that and I really love watching them. But the animal I would love to hug is an elephant. 🙂
Sandhill cranes are so beautiful! But they are a bit noisy, if I noticed well in some videos I watched a while ago.
An elephant, even a cub, it’s a but scary for me because of its size.
Thank you for your visit and your comment.
I’m not sure I have ever seen a stork. Your childhood memory is very touching, Cornel, and I can see from your photographs why you wanted to hug them back then.
Thank you very much.
Each area has its own birds and this is great. For instance, you have snow geese, we have white storks, you have polar bears, we have brown bears (maybe too many…) and so on.
I did not realize you had a brown bear population! I have never met one myself, although we do have them here. We are a hundred miles of so south of the polar bears.
We have the largest brown bear population in Europe, estimated at 6,000 bears.
Thank you again for showing me more photos of the white storks, and for sharing your childhood memories. The storks are magnificent birds!
You’re welcome!
I am very sure you would take many great photos of white storks only if you will have a chance to be close of them.
That would be fun to see them.
You do a great job with sandhill cranes and I am very sure you would do the same with these birds.
Thank you for your visit and your comment.
My wife used to see storks in France when she went on holiday as a child with her aunt. I have never seen one in the wild.
I have read that white stork is just a passage migrant in Great Britain but there are no records of nesting.
A beautiful sight!
Thank you!
Your turning into a Wildlife photographer Cornel & a very good one!
Thank you very much.
A while ago I wanted to be a Wildlife photographer but now I want only to take photos of animals as well as I can.
I try my best and here you may see some of my results.
But you will see on this blog not only photos of animals.