https://www.grandriver.ca/en/outdoor-recreation/Belwood-Lake-OspreyCam.aspx?_mid_=515
There's a nest in Ontario, Canada, west of Toronto that lost its female June 18. The male has stepped up to care for the 2 chicks (16 and 14 days old) by himself. Belwood Lake and Grand River - assuming those are his fishing grounds - look to be practically on the doorstep of the nest.
So far, so good...obviously a very fragile situation, but is it unheard of for a single parent to raise chicks from this stage to fledging?
Wow! I recall that the male at Loch Garten in Perthshire in Scotland stepped up and fed the chicks all by himself for a few days when the female got ill - then she recovered and all was well. But there may be other examples and for a longer period. I guess the risk is that predators will snatch the chicks if they're small enough to be taken while the male is away fishing - that's happened I know (crows). I'm sure Tiger will have some information
I believe it is pretty unusual, Pandy. A single bird would have great difficulty covering and protecting the chicks, and defending the nest on its own. And of course the chicks would be vulnerable from predation when the parent was away fishing, or having comfort breaks. I believe it might have happened at one of the Rutland nests, but I can't remember the details now. It might have been that it was a female who was left to care for chicks and a male took over the nest, the female and, somewhat surprisingly, the chicks who fledged. Others will be able to comment better than I, I am sure.
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Thank you, Korky and Sheila! I'm rooting for this nest, especially knowing how determined ospreys can be, but a lot of circumstances would need to line up "just so" for success.
Unknown said:I recall that the male at Loch Garten in Perthshire in Scotland stepped up and fed the chicks all by himself for a few days when the female got ill - then she recovered and all was well.
It has happened that a male single-handedly raised older chicks on a nest where the female went missing, but I cannot remember since it was before my time of watching osprey. Tiger, who has an encyclopedic memory and often posts here, would know immediately who and when that was. But that is the only time I have heard of.
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Doh. Of course it was Loch of the Lowes. Silly me. I watch too many nests although having visited Garten and Lowes shouldn't have confused those two!
Just logged into Belwood. Two chicks home alone and cheeping, 3.30am their time, so dark and perhaps vulnerable to owl predation? This will become another addictive nest, and I'm hoping for a happy outcome.
I read about this somewhere but I hadn't realised the chicks were so young. A really worrying situation here.
© Scottish Wildlife Trust - Loch of the Lowes
Unknown said: Wow! I recall that the male at Loch Garten in Perthshire in Scotland stepped up and fed the chicks all by himself for a few days when the female got ill - then she recovered and all was well. But there may be other examples and for a longer period. I guess the risk is that predators will snatch the chicks if they're small enough to be taken while the male is away fishing - that's happened I know (crows). I'm sure Tiger will have some information
Welcome back.
That was Eric at Loch of The Lowes. However in 1993 at Loch Garten Ollie fed the chicks by himself when the females was killed.
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Did they fledge from Loch Garten Tiger?
Just gone 9am and here's the scene - chicks aren't calling for food from dad so assume they've been fed. The page for the webcam gives some useful information about hatching dates (one chick died after hatching) and the fact that they found an adult bird dead nearby the nest (perhaps the mother) and are testing why it might have died
(c) Grand River Conservation Authority
Tempo said:Did they fledge from Loch Garten Tiger?