Things are getting very exciting with the Wigtown Bay Osprey Project as JD shows signs of fledging imminently. JD who we are almost positive is our elder male chick from weight, size and behaviour, was seen on Tuesday 12th July jumping up and hovering so high he went out of camera shot. There was one classic moment when the wind caught him mid-hover and he got blown backwards across the nest landing squarely on JC's back when she was quietly lying down sunbathing and minding her own business!
JC we are fairly positive is the slightly younger female, and seems to be quiet content to lie around in the sun, and not to bothered about this wing exercising thing!
Yesterday, Wednesday 13th July was less windy, so JD was pretty much grounded on the nest, needing the wind to help lift him at the moment. He did however spend quite a while in the morning exploring the nest platform, and was seen sitting right at the far edge of the platform, away from the nest, looking like he was contemplating jumping!
Perhaps today will be JD's first flight? Statistically ospreys fledge at an average of 52 days after hatching, and by these calculations JD should fledge tomorrow and JC the day after, but this is only an average, and who says that our chicks have read the manual?
A friend of mine, Heather Corfield, who has done a lot of work with the Glaslyn and Dyfi osprey projects in Wales posted this interesting graph on the Glaslyn Osprey Group facebook page:
I have posted Heather's graph as a photo in the Crook of Baldoon Gallery as it is much easier to read there.