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

  • What a good day for #3. He is heard calling in the distance, getting louder and closer as Harry appears with fish #3.

    19.00


    Here he comes, his calls get shorter and louder as he arrives.


    They have a wee routine now, Harry lets go of the fish and then #3 quickly takes it!


    #3 does his customary mantling and calling that he has a fish.


    19.05 He takes a wee while before he starts his fish.

    19.07


    19.17


    19.42

  • 20.32 It was getting dark as #3 was finishing off his fish.


    20.50 he swallowed the tail skin


    It just didn’t sit right in his throat. He looked uncomfortable trying to keep swallowing it further down, trying for a minute or two.

    In the end, he had to bring it back up to try again.

    20.53

    20.56 Once he’d got the tail skin down the for second time, more comfortably this time, he flew to the perch.

    20.56 He feaked his beak       
    Then flew off and down to the left of the nest. 

    Goodnight #3. Hope to see you tomorrow. 

  • Wednesday 30 August

    #3 arrived this morning at 06.32. There was leftover fish skin lying.


    06.33 he tackled it straight away


    06.38 he tried to swallow it


    06.40 it needed a bit more stretching


    he started swallowing again


    and was successful this time


    With careful jigging and manoeuvring within his mouth, he managed to get it down. Well done #3, you handled that like an adult.


    06.41 cleaning his beak


    06.42


    06.43 up to the perch


    06.44 and off

  • A 4 or 5 minute visit mid morning

    11.09

    Later, #3 could be heard calling loudly as he flew in towards the nest

    13.45


    He arrived just in front of Harry with a headless flatfish


    Fish taken, #3 mantled


    and called out that he had a fish

    13.47


    He continued for a wee while

    13.52


    13.55 he started eating


    14.01


    14.21


    14.22 He stopped and looked upwards


    14.23 several times


    14.24. He started eating again


    14.28 He stopped. A faint calling of a buzzard could be heard.

    #3 let out an alarm call a couple of times




    then took off with his fish, calling as he left.

  • I’ve not seen #3 at the nest since his afternoon departure with the fish.
  • Thursday 31 August

    #3 was on the nest early this morning

    06.12 He flew in announcing his arrival.


    06.13

    06.14 he focused on something down below


    Up to the perch


    06.16

    06.18 started preening


    06.40 


    07.00


    07.25


    07.31 finished preening


    He moves to the middle, higher post


    07.31 and off he goes.

  • 11.23  #3 could be heard calling loudly as he flew in to the nest


    He arrived and continued calling as Harry approached with a fish


    Harry had started the fish off already for #3, a flatfish as usual!


    It was a quick handover and Harry left


    #3 mantling and calling


    11.24 He has a nibble in between calling


    11.26 and leaves the nest to eat elsewhere, which is unusual for him.

  • 12.34 #3 returns to the nest . Hopefully he’s eaten all of the fish.


    12.53 He was on the nest for just under half an hour. He was looking behind at something and gave a few low pitched chirps 


    He quickly flew off

  • 14.44. #3 comes back to the nest


    14.59 He has a wee lie down 


    15.01 He sees something 


    He gets up very quickly


    And speeds off screeching in flight once away from the nest.

  • 16.08 Back again


    “I’m here!”


    16.09 a bit of preening


    a bit of calling


    16.11 more preening


    16.16


    17.01


    17.24


    17.25 calling again


    He flies up to the cam post.


    17.34. Calls for a wee bit, shuffles about then flies back down to the nest.


    calling


    17.36 #3 departs vocalising as he goes.