We have lots of baby blue tits in our garden also many great tits and they were absent for a while and can only assume they were away caring for the chicks, they are back in force now, loads of them :) Have not had a sparrow hawk visit for a while maybe because the birds were away for a little while.

Willow I don't really follow USA osprey very much and have read only very little about them.  However, I think this late hatching is late for here too.  But Keith said earlier that he thinks they will still have plenty of time.  Also you probably know that our osprey juveniles do not go to Africa, but south of here.  It seems that I read they tend to go pretty much directly south of their nest.  That is New England to Florida or Carabean islands, Montana to Texas or Mexico and Ohio to Gulf coast or on to Central America, for example.  So they may not have so far to go.  But don't take any of this as Gospel.

Columbus nest taken just a few minutes ago.  The light we see at #11 position flashes red at night.  I think it is a warning light that we have on tall poles or towers.  Remember this structure was NOT  intended for use by osprey.  However they chose it and seem to like it.  They have stayed with it anyway!

Disappointed to be working away on Birthday and Fathers Day weekend - well the next best thing is to be working near an osprey centre.

Working within the vicinity of Rutland water so visited the Rutland ospreys this weekend.

Some pictures of Blue 33 and the Non Ringed Female just chilling out all day.

Blue 33 looks a tremendous osprey but then he was a single chick of 03(97) and am sure he got his fathers genes.

Female with Chick showing above the nest - This chick is around 36 days old and is standing well now and soon will have a ring. All chicks are doing extremely well.

I thought I would post a picture of a very near neighbour of Blue 33 and his partner.

This Kestrel has also been harassed by the Egyptian Geese that displaced Blue 3J and 51(11) from their nest in Lagoon 4 and also land on Manton Bay Nest.

Mr Kestrel was also displaced but recently has been making an appearance near his old home.

I have only ever seen a Kestrel in flight and first time an opportunity to see one close at perch and get a photograph of its wonderful colouring (Male).

June, I read some time ago that many North American Ospreys winter in South America, some as far south as Brazil (some may go farther--I just do not know), so their migration journey can be as long as that of some European Ospreys. Many of those who go to South America have to cross the Gulf of Mexico and some come to grief because for some east coast Ospreys the prevailing westerlies can blow them out to sea in the Atlantic.  Have a look at this website:  http://www.ospreytrax.com/ .  Rob Bierregaard has studied North American Ospreys for many years and put trackers on some.  He is one of the sources for the Rutland Osprey Project's World Osprey Week which they hold every spring and during which they connect various schools along Osprey flyways both here and in North America, and also including schools along the flyways in Africa, Spain, etc..

Keith, Thanks for the report and photos of Rutland Water Ospreys.  I can't wait to see them in August!  Hope they have not all migrated by then.

Willow, I, too, love white chocolate, but prefer dark chocolate to any other!

Thanks Keith for these fabulous pics of your Rutland visit. And also Ann for your info on American ospreys.

The chicks are wing stretching almost every time I tune in now and the wings are showing considerable length already. After a bit of stretching this morning (only 4 am) they moved side by side & EJ walked over them and covered their heads.  reminded me of a marching band doing a new formation.

Unknown said:

However, I think this late hatching is late for here too.  But Keith said earlier that he thinks they will still have plenty of time.

It may be the reason the birds are late is because they are first time breeders as a pairing. This is quite normal.

At Glaslyn last year (A first pairing) the female waited for a suitable male and the first hatching were Eggs 6 and 7 hatching June 23 and June 27. They departed The Glaslyn 24 and 25 September.

Anne has pointed out migration patterns in North America so your birds could go to The Caribbean or further south to South American Continent. The Hurricane and tropical storms at migration time around The Caribbean is responsible for the demise of many young migrators.