Pitch dark on the nest right now, but can make out EJ.
EJ is trying to get the chicks to eat more , but they can't eat another morsel :)
That is so great to see!
Formerly known as Barbara Jean
Unknown said: Just logged in to see what I missed while I was sleeping THANKS everyone for the great pic and comments!! I have no problem with their normal nest fighting to establish the hierarchy I just hate to see it when they fight at feeding time and one chick doesn't get enough. I loved the description of #1 & #2 fighting over the head of #3 . And #3 wisely keeping it's head down LOL Unless it got too nasty between Garten & Mallachie, Rothes just ignored them too. Last year Odin the magnificent brought in so many fish that all were well fed in spite of the nest fighting . I looks like this year will be a repeat of that .
Just logged in to see what I missed while I was sleeping
THANKS everyone for the great pic and comments!!
I have no problem with their normal nest fighting to establish the hierarchy I just hate to see it when they fight at feeding time and one chick doesn't get enough.
I loved the description of #1 & #2 fighting over the head of #3 . And #3 wisely keeping it's head down LOL
Unless it got too nasty between Garten & Mallachie, Rothes just ignored them too.
Last year Odin the magnificent brought in so many fish that all were well fed in spite of the nest fighting . I looks like this year will be a repeat of that .
Barbara Jean: an hour or so ago #3 started a fight with #1! It soon regretted it as #1 is twice its size and it ended up getting a quick battering.
I must be one of the few on here who enjoys the scrapping between the chicks. It reminds me that we are watching a wild BOP nest, not some idealised vision of nature. It is all perfectly natural in establishing the pecking order and I've never seen any harm come to one of the ckicks as a result.
I agree with you that last year, after establishing early on that she was #1, Rothes let the other two battle it out. I also loved what I call the "osprey stare" that she used to warn the others off when a fish came in - hope we get some of that this year.
What I didn't enjoy watching was the previous year when #3 died of starvation due to the lack of fish OVS provided - that was tough viewing. That year Nethy served up some fearful beatings towards Deshar, but he was none the worse for it in the end.
As long as Odin stays healthy then nobody is going to starve this year. #3 has already shown how feisty and intelligent it is at feeding time and EJ is so fair when dishing up the fish.
It's brilliant to see the chicks so well cared for. Odin and EJ are wonderful parents.
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
Surely not another one???
Odin arrives with another fish.
Then Odin flys off with the fish. Understandable really considering the chicks look as if they're full as bananas.
Paul: You've been watching since the early hours (do you ever sleep?), how many fish is that so far today - I've lost count.
Odin just brought another fish. He stood on the nest for quite a while, but EJ didn't take it. One chick tried to get close to him. None of the chicks are calling for food or interested. . He finally flew away with it.
Odin had a big yawn before he left . He is probably tired
The chicks decided to eat a little so EJ is feeding them from the left over fish. The left over fish is from two fishes ago LOL
Unknown said: What I didn't enjoy watching was the previous year when #3 died of starvation due to the lack of fish OVS provided - that was tough viewing. That year Nethy served up some fearful beatings towards Deshar, but he was none the worse for it in the end.
I wonder if Deshar was really "none the worse" - or did he suffer brain damage? This could have disabled his instinct to fly south to West Africa, and so he flew out into the Atlantic and ran out of stamina.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!