ALYTH JULY 2023

Sandra P said:

Hi Glider, I see that #1 still has something wrapped around its left leg? I hope it manages to get it off at some point. It is plastic and not fishing line/wire? It appears to be very thin 

Hi Sandra, yes, it’s still there. I just presumed it was a pulled shred of plastic sheeting from the hay bales but you could be right, maybe it is fishing line. Flora does bring some strange materials into the nest.  I had hoped as the chick becomes more dexterous with its beak, it may pull at it when preening but then again, the birds don’t seem to try to get the leg rings off. It is a worry.

Lots of high helicoptering from #2. Up and down for a second or two. Maybe it will fledge first?

EDIT - I believe this to be #1 chick ( I hadn’t realised the black plastic had fallen from its leg)

20.14 Flora brings in another small fish. 

She just let the chicks take it (the one in the middle)

Then Flora left

That sees to be it for tonight now. The night cam is on and chicks are hunkered down for the night.

There was good helicoptering again this morning

The chick was off the nest for 5 or 6 seconds.

05.48   Flora delivered a small fish. #3 was right next to her but it’s instinct hasn’t kicked in yet to grab the fish off mum.

The chick who had been helicoptering ran over and grabbed it.

The chick grabbed Flora’s foot

The fish dropped but the chick in its excitement didn’t notice, still holding onto Flora’s foot.

The chick then got its talons locked with Flora’s

Finally Flora was free and flew straight off.

The chick then noticed the fish lying on the nest and grabbed it.

It then devoured it like an expert!

The fish tail was swallowed at 06.06

06.29 Second fish from Flora arrives

Again, she offers it to the chicks

It’s grabbed and a chick takes it to the right hand side of the nest to eat.

Another chick was unsuccessful in pulling the fish away from behind the the chick who had it.

The chicks eats the fish but loses the tail to another chick.

07.00 Harry delivers a fish

The chick who’d just eaten the tail from the previous fish takes this one.
Harry starts intruder chipping, the chick with the fish warns Harry off, pecking at his head and he leaves.

The chick mantles over the fish, all 3 chicks are calling. 

07.53 As one of the chicks eats it’s fish, Flora arrives with another small one.

The chick I believe to be #3 who hasn’t eaten at all yet (with #1 and #2 having both had at least one small fish) tries to take the fish from Flora.

Flora holds on and stays and feeds the chick.

07.55 Flora swallows the tail

08.28 Looks like the chick who got the fish from Harry at 06.59, has swallowed the last piece as Flora watches on.

That was the largest of all fish brought to the nest so far this morning.

Chick #3 has been fish calling in between preening and Flora leaves at 08.37.

Flora returned to the nest at 09.04  but without fish this time.

She decided to stay.

Just before 11.00, the 2 older chicks started stretching their wings, feeling the wind

11.01.43 Then the chick nearest to the camera gave a flap and went upwards, hovering above the nest.

Flora watched



You could see the chick’s wings flapping as a shadow on the nest.

11.02.12 It finally landed back on the nest again. That was 29 seconds in the air. 

The chick then went up again for a shorter “trip” This is an extremely high and windy nest. There must be good thermals up here.