Link to July 2023 - here
RECAP
FLORA HK0 arrived 30 March 2023
HARRY (unringed) arrived 4 April 2023
EGG No.1 laid 15 April - Hatched 21 May (37 days) Fledged 9 July aged 49 days
EGG No. 2 laid 18 April - Hatched 23 May (36 days) Fledged 14 July aged 52 days
EGG No. 3 laid 21 April - Hatched 25 May (35 days) Fledged 20 July aged 56 days
Due to the height of this nest, no ringing of the chicks takes place.
This has been a dramatic month with chick #1 getting a thin piece of plastic wrapped around its ankle for a few days, (Flora has a love of bringing plastic to the nest) chick #2 turning out to be quite aggressive, especially to chick #3 and chick #3 not getting much to eat on a lot of days. However, the three chicks are still here and seem to be doing okay. The fish brought to the nest can be sporadic and mostly small but each juvenile usually manages to get something to eat. #3 is getting more confident in snatching the fish as they arrive. We’ve had a couple of scares with Flora twice tumbling off the side of the nest with a juvenile but luckily no harm done. Flora wasn’t seen for 3 days (24-26 July) but is thankfully back and providing for the nest.
#1 has been taking fish off the nest to eat since 17 July (58 days old) so I am expecting this juvenile to be the first to begin migration but who knows! It’s still a few weeks away so hopefully the fish supply will include a few big ones to fatten these young ospreys up for their long journeys ahead.
Today, 1 August, the juveniles are 72, 70 and 68 days old.
The family at the beginning of the month
and now the three juveniles
Flora and Harry delivering fish
All captures and videos ©️ SSEN Transmission
Thursday 10 August
05.22 Harry was first on the nest this morning with his fish from last night.
There were sounds of osprey(s) in the background but no one came to the nest. 05.29 So Harry left again.Harry returned and someone flew to the nest, calling loudly.
05.30 They quickly took the fish
and ate uninterrupted 06.11
06.13 the tail in their beak now06.14 and swallowed
08.26 Flora flew in with a fish next.
It’s the same juvenile on the nest, they never left after the last fish.08.27 They take the fish quickly and mantle.There goes the last of the fish.
I can see it’s #2 which makes sense as #3 got so many fish yesterday, he was fit to burst!
#2 has been off the nest for long spells then on again. Looks like she’s been in the water when she returned to the nest at 13.02
13.05#2 waited and Harry flew in with another fish at 13.48
13.5014.1815.0015.09 swallowing the last slither
15.12 #2 flew off the nest.She’s having the same kind of day #3 had yesterday. I wonder where he is today?
I’ve not seen any more fish delivered to the nest today. Only 2 fresh fish and a returner from last night, such a difference compared to our bumper day yesterday.
#3 hasn’t been on the nest today and I’ve not heard him in the background any time #2 has been calling from the nest.
#2 was on the nest this evening.
19.39
18.0319.2620.2420.25She left at 20.32
Friday 11 August
05.13 No sign of #3 this morning. #2 came early to the nest and called with no reply.
05.14
She left at 06.14 and returned just over a hour later. 07.22
08.14 She is currently here making the occasional call and the only reply I’ve heard is from the corvids.
08.57 Harry flies onto an empty nest with a flatfish.
He’s joined by a screaming juvenile who quickly grabs his leg
then his toe. Another wing is coming in.
The camera isn’t showing up the under wing markings clearly
Harry gets his foot back as the juvenile now has the fish. The other juvenile mantles.
Harry flies off
Both juveniles mantling and calling. The fish is taken off the nest. 08.58 Again, no markings showing up on the image. I’m thinking it must be #2 though as she has been around all morning.
08.59 The other juvenile stays on the nest. I think it’s #3 returned from his day out!
09.00 Glad to have you back #3.
#3 stayed on the nest and was rewarded with a fish from Harry at 10.08.
#3 always takes a while announcing he has a fish before eating!
10.1010.29 There goes the tail.
10.32 Harry is on the ball today. #3 had just finished cleaning his beak when he spotted Harry coming in with another fish.
#2 arrived in the nest
Harry flies in. #2 looks like she’d decided not to challenge for the fish.
10.33 Harry lands in front of #3
#3 didn’t have a secure grip of the fish and it flaps about
#3 manages to grab the fish again
#3 mantles over the fish, #2 calling at the front of the nest.
10.35 #3 keeps calling and #2 flies off
#2 only goes as far as the top of the cam pole and settles there
#3 hasn’t settled down to eat yet as the two birds keep squawking at each other.
This goes on for quite a while with #3 being too unsettled to eat. At one point when #2 left the cam pole, #3 lay flat on his fish (probably thinking he’d be dive bombed)
10.44
10.56 He gets the odd piece of fish
11.06 then is on alert guarding his meal again
11.29 Thankfully, Harry arrives with fish #4 of the morning
#3 mantles his fish. Harry waits as #2 races in
#2 lands
She goes for the fish and takes it from Harry in 1 second! The quickest I’ve seen from a juvenile.
Harry gently glides off.11.31 The two birds can now eat their fish.
12.04 #3 swallows the last piece
#2 must realise #3 has finished eating and leaves the nest with her fish.
#3 is still on the nest and starts flapping and calling excitedly
12.11 Harry arrives with fish #5
He’s still standing with his fish. He does look full cropped!
Afternoon Glider,
Good grief, what a super dad Harry is!