NEWS FROM OTHER NESTS - 2022

Eleven minute plus video from Window to Wildlife about the Captiva nest posted 08 Oct. More drone footage shows that the new camera is still attached to the downed nest and nest pole but they will not know about its condition until they can check it. Camera is 'hurricane proof' but the concern is that it may well not be protected against 5 hours or more being submerged. Connor hopes to visit (he is in FL for a wedding) and report asap, possibly on Monday. See here--hope the link works: www.youtube.com/watch

Edit:  You may or may not have seen that both Bald Eagles whose nest is on the same property as Captiva Osprey nest platform have been seen perched in their tree and that their nest is down, but W to W plan to rebuild it and also check the cameras there as well.

Unknown said:

To see the photos, scroll past the 1st post in the link below--that was made on the 8th; he visited the island yesterday:
www.facebook.com/.../

I'm quoting that just in case I accidently BOPS it.

Thanks very much, GARDENBIRDER, for keeping us up to speed on the Captiva situation

It looks as tho it could be worse - but not much worse.

Port Lincoln

With tears streaming I am very sad to inform you that the youngest osplet at port lincoln died this afternoon (nest time).

It didn't get fed for the past two days, and couldn't manage it.

The reasons are really unknown. The number 1 osplet is very aggressive, even when there was enough food on the nest. Tiger called it the most vicious nest he'd ever seen, a few days ago in chat. It had been doing that for a while now, just at random moments, not related to feeding times.

Besides that, since 13 oct dad didn't manage to bring enough food for all three of them, especially with 1 taking the most, as he started pecking the others in the neck just prior to and during feeds as well. This resulted in #3 not having enough food for several days, mostly 1 or 2 times a day when #1 was in a food coma, but sometimes only the tail part of the fish. It's last meal was Saturday morning (nest time), while it appeared strong and resilient to survive.

Dad didn't manage to catch any fish for the next 10 hours. This could be due to the bad weather conditions around the bay the past few days, or dad is not in prime condition at the moment, which happened a few years ago too.

Somehow fish was delivered to the barge, but 1 and 2 got it all and 3 didn't get any, nor this morning.

From left to right: #2, #1, dad, mum (with #3 behind dad, but I didn't want it in the photo as it was nearly dead at that time)

Nevertheless. We have 2 thriving Ospreys, and that is the most important. #1 seems to be quieting down a bit, especially with regards to #2, and hopefully this will continue and dad will be able to get enough fish coming.

Finally.. sorry for not keeping you up-to-date. But very busy with work and I keep record of the daily nest adventures in the observation log, which takes most of my free time leaving none to make video's.. but they will come! Since yesterday i'm a moderator for the channel too, so probably not in the near future ;-) 

Bart molenaar said:

With tears streaming

I feel for you, Bart   I got a very bad vibe from this nest when I covered it in 2020, and until a few days ago I hadn't been able to watch it - but I skipped thru rollback and was relieved to see all 3 ospets looking fine... and now this.

Like Scylla, I got a bad vibe from this nest a few years back as well and gave up watching after only a very short dip in, and I feel for you as well, Bart, but thanks for the heartfelt note. It is sad about poor chick 3 at PLO, but these things happen. As more experienced Osprey followers than I have said, 'This is nature, not Disney World.' Yes, these situations are tough for us to witness, but there seems to be a phase in Osprey chick development when they show aggression toward their siblings but luckily most I have watched do not get this consistently violent--PLO seems to be like this more frequently than the UK nests which I mostly watch, although I cannot watch all of them all of the time so may have missed seeing as much aggression as there perhaps is. But thanks and congratulations for sticking with the moderating; it cannot be easy. The rest of us who are not moderators can just stop watching and go elsewhere and I fail to see why some others choose to stay and spread doom and gloom. 'Wait and see what happens' ought to be the motto of observers such as the rest of us. The folks who work at such projects have a tough enough time deciding whether or not to act and if so, when, not to mention the hassle of (and the time it takes for) getting permission, and continued moaning by onlookers only makes it harder for those on the ground. It is unlikely that the rest of us would fare any better. Furthermore, the actual outcome of losing poor little chick 3 will be that the remaining chicks now have a better chance of thriving than any of them had when there were 3 chicks!

Sad news - RIP Tweed 706. He has been predated by a Goshawk. He stopped moving a couple of days ago and the tracker data was dropping for battery and temperatures so volunteers went out and have found his remains. Goshawk are very active in that area, even to taking out Buzzards. Sadly Tweed joins the 70% of first-years who don't make it.

First Kirk and now Tweed, it’s heartbreaking. Please keep safe Glen.

Such sad news!

Alarmingly, Glen Blue708's tracker battery also started declining, but is now (18.13 UTC+3) back up to 100%. Next data download is at 22.13 UTC+3, will be watching anxiously for that, will post here whatever the news.