ALYTH AUGUST 2023 to end of FEBRUARY 2024

  • Link to season’s opening post here

Link to July 2023 - here

RECAP

FLORA HK0 arrived 30 March 2023

HARRY (unringed) arrived 4 April 2023

 

EGG No.1 laid 15 AprilHatched 21 May (37 days)  Fledged 9 July aged 49 days

EGG No. 2 laid 18 AprilHatched 23 May (36 days)  Fledged 14 July aged 52 days

EGG No. 3 laid 21 AprilHatched 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

  • 14.27. #3 was resting on the nest for a bit


    15.05 Harry dropped by with another flatfish


    15.06


    15.13 tucking in


    15.45 there were some rest periods in between eating


    16.57 at the end now 


    16.58


    And finished.


    Soon after, #3 leaves. It’s very windy up there today.

  • Monday 4 September

    102 days old and looking fab! Blush

     #3 was later in making an appearance this morning (11am) departed and returned in time for breakfast.

    11.17 Harry arrived with the usual flatfish. He seems to prefer starting them off himself these days.


    #3 was happy to receive it. When he migrates, he’ll discover the delights of all the other types of fish that aren’t flat!! Smile

    Harry leaves, #3 is calling and mantling

    11.21 the feed begins


    11.46

  • He stops eating, looks around then takes the remainder of the fish off the nest.

  • 14.13 Harry brought another flatfish a couple of hours later. #3 had flown onto the nest a few seconds in front of him.


    14.14 Harry stepped off. It was larger than the first fish.


    Off Harry flew, leaving #3 with his lunch.

    After 15 minutes of standing with the fish, calling and looking around, #3 suddenly left the nest at lightning speed with the fish.

    Returning 14 minutes later without it. Worried


    Aw what a shame, it was such a good sized fish too. Straight into calling for another! I hope Harry’s around. 

  • No luck for #3, will have to wait until tomorrow for the next fish.

    18.24 last visit of the day to the nest


    18.32


    19.06


    And off for the evening. What will tomorrow bring?

  • Tuesday 5 September

    Today #3 is 103 days old.

    First visit this morning was at 10.46


    What a fine looking bird


    Sitting quietly


    Suddenly, after turning around, something caught his eye and he immediately departed, alarm calling off nest. 

  • 13.51. #3 was at the nest a few minutes before Harry arrived with the first fish delivery, another large flatfish.


    13.52 Harry is so light in colour compared to the start of the season. 


    13.54


    13.58 #3 starts eating 


    14.16 He pecks away at the fish for about 20 minutes.


    14.17  Then decides to take the fish off the nest to eat. Hopefully he has a good grip this time!

  • 15.43. #3 is heard calling in the area, flies past the nest in the background before coming in to land.


    10 seconds later Harry arrives with a half eaten flatfish.


    #3 is very happy to have the fish. I’m not sure if he’d have managed to eat all of the last one in an hour and a half? The youngsters

    I’ve watched elsewhere always seem to drop the tail end when eating on a perch. 

    These flatfish seem to be tougher to eat than other types!


    15.46


    15.47 A wee change to #3’s routine - taking the recent fish off the nest to eat. 

  • Glider said:
    These flatfish seem to be tougher to eat than other types!

    They sure do, Glider, particularly noted at Glaslyn - their poor neck and jaw muscles AstonishedGrinning

    As of the next minute or so, I'll be downloading this stream (with my faulty software) and hope to be able to offer support on occasion.

  • Wednesday 6 September

    Good morning #3   104 days old today Hugging

    06.26


    06.28


    06.29


    Just a 3 minute visit.